Cable broadcasters and equipment firms filed suit.

The broadcasters and equipment firms filed the lawsuit against a company and four individuals who allegedly promoted a “pirate” computer chip that descrambles satellite signals. The suit names as defendants Network Productions Inc., of New Jersey, along with Bob Cooper Jr., Shaun Kenny, Karen J. P. Howes and Stephen Bepko. The suit did not provide hometowns for the four people or the company. The suit was filed in Miami by Cable Home Communications, a subsidiary of General Instruments Corp.; Ma-Com Inc., of Burlington, Mass., which makes descramblers; Home Box Office Inc. and Showtime-The Movie Channel Inc. In addition to reimbursement for actual damages and $5 million in punitive damages, the suit asks for an injunction against manufacture and sale of the chips.