Modems, Cable Boxes, Satellite Dishes

Time Warner Cable recently started charging it's customers $4 a month to rent their internet/phone modems so these previously worthless pieces of technology are now in demand. I just found one today in a unit that is compatible and this will end up saving me $48 dollars a year.

I have also heard that the cable companies will pay you if you turn in cable boxes but I have never actually done it. Has anyone ever done this? I used to find cable boxes in a lot of unit. Perhaps if you saved up several of them, and turned them all in at one time, it would be worth it.

Also, I know that some of the satellite television companies make customers with bad credit buy their own dishes and receivers. Does anyone have any experience reselling satellite equipment and is if so, how much can you get for it?

comcast in my area, Memphis, Tn. have gone digital and you have to have an adapter to get the channels . They give you 1 main box and 2 small adapters free but you have to rent any more for $1.99 a month . I have 5 tvs so thought I would save some down the road by buying my own. Got one for around $20 on ebay figured I'm home free. NOT. It turns out that when you hook it up the cable co. has to put it in their program for it to work. They said that they wouldnot since they don't sell thier equip. I explained that it came from a locker to ebay and was legal. They as much as said TOUGH S****. So I have a nice box on a shelf in my shop collecting dust.