1 - No. keep in mind that this is built around 1970's retro tech. They would need a wired connection.

2 - I actually like the dice pool, but I would have added more black with the caveat mentioned above.

The "this is 70s tech" is a GM cop-out. It was a 70's way to display what they thought was future tech. Just because it was displayed one way doesn't mean it "works" that way. As I mention above, take Star Wars: Rebels, they remotely activate a Holonet Transceiver, but do so because they pre-installed a physical dataspike that enabled the remote connection.

There is a sizable number of people who will disagree with your opinion on answer one. That said, its an opinion and if you want to have wireless tech in your game more power to you.

Star Wars: Rebels = canon.

Rebels has wireless tech.

Therefore, Star Wars has wireless tech.

People can dislike it all they want, that doesn't magically make canon go away until the owner (Disney) changes their mind.

If you want to not use wireless tech, that is perfectly acceptable but you are needlessly gimping your Players and hamstringing them for no reason.

That being said, even in Star Wars: Rebels there were limits, aka, they needed the dataspike. After that their range didn't seem to matter. Basically the dataspike acted like a wireless router. The fun part you learned from that episode is that the Empire does not have a means to blanket stop a wireless connection (jamming?) and decided destruction was easier/quicker.

I was going to let this fade away but as you wish.

The data spike was programmed to do the hacking for them. After the data spike did the hacking it used radio waves to transmit audio only. No further hacking occurred. Therefore there is no reason to assume wireless data transfer.

Therefore there is no reason to assume wireless data transfer.

The video they did was in real time... aka wireless... (wait for it) data.... (keep waiting) ... transfer.

Video = data.

Holonet = wireless data transfer (kinda like intergalatic satellite TV and communications (see Episode 2 with planet to planet communications bounced... to another planet.)

There are remote control droids (Episode 1 Darth Maul) and Remote control Ships, and remote communications.

So you really tell me zero of those transfer any data?

In what part of that episode did you see the crew transmit video? We only heard audio and saw them sitting around a radio transmitter all grouped together.

Even so, video can be done with analog signals. While you have a point about vehicles being operated remotely, that does not imply that they can be sliced. It may simply be a matter of verbal instructions to a computer that can handle it. I have yet to see a modern drone like remote setup in any star wars media.

You are making a presumption about their style of technology based from our modern ways of doing things. While it makes sense, it is not the only way of looking at it. That is my point. Your universe will use what makes sense to you and your players. Nothing canon proves otherwise.

In what part of that episode did you see the crew transmit video? We only heard audio and saw them sitting around a radio transmitter all grouped together.

Even so, video can be done with analog signals. While you have a point about vehicles being operated remotely, that does not imply that they can be sliced. It may simply be a matter of verbal instructions to a computer that can handle it. I have yet to see a modern drone like remote setup in any star wars media.

You are making a presumption about their style of technology based from our modern ways of doing things. While it makes sense, it is not the only way of looking at it. That is my point. Your universe will use what makes sense to you and your players. Nothing canon proves otherwise.

Hrmm Maybe I misremembered the slight part about video, in that scene, but my other examples of wireless video were valid (aka Obi-Wan in episode 2) and ... well the Jedi Council Chamber.. Darth Sidious transmitting to Darth Maul and the Trade Federation and Count Dooku. Is your head buried is sand far enough yet?

Wireless Video exists in Star Wars (regardless if 1 of my many examples was wrong). Wireless transmission of voice (also data unless you assume sound transmitted through the Force or something).

Should slicing be done wirelessly? Oh someone already pointed out Ship-to-ship hacking is RAW. I am guessing they don't shoot a cable out to the other ship and hope it finds an open port while they are travelling different speeds (Like a bad episode of /Scorpion).

I am convinced you have a single solitary view of Star Wars, anyone disagreeing with that rigid view is the Devil and wrong.

I handle it quite simply:

Why would that system be accessible remotely?

For some systems it just makes no sense to be accessible from 'outside'.

For military installations it's usually hands-on, and even then encrypted. Remember that those nice cylinders on an officers uniform not only represent rank but also data acces via encryption modules/programs.

If it is more covenient/realistic then remote access is possible and security is meassured accordingly.

This sure became an interesting read topic. Based on all of this I'd say it's only possible to hack into a central that you have already access to its "router"/spike. Then it doesn't matter how far away you are (to a reasonable limit). In my situation I should have forced them to make a break-in to the tower in order to install the spike before they can have free access in it.

How the "hack an enemy ship" works.... I'd say there are wireless connections in Star Wars but only to a short range. So it would make it possible to mess up the system of the pursuing TIE Fighter, but you would be too far away to hack into a Senate building without standing right next to it. But then we get into a situation of wireless distance since lenghts are abstract between land and space range bands.

In what part of that episode did you see the crew transmit video? We only heard audio and saw them sitting around a radio transmitter all grouped together.

Even so, video can be done with analog signals. While you have a point about vehicles being operated remotely, that does not imply that they can be sliced. It may simply be a matter of verbal instructions to a computer that can handle it. I have yet to see a modern drone like remote setup in any star wars media.

You are making a presumption about their style of technology based from our modern ways of doing things. While it makes sense, it is not the only way of looking at it. That is my point. Your universe will use what makes sense to you and your players. Nothing canon proves otherwise.

Hrmm Maybe I misremembered the slight part about video, in that scene, but my other examples of wireless video were valid (aka Obi-Wan in episode 2) and ... well the Jedi Council Chamber.. Darth Sidious transmitting to Darth Maul and the Trade Federation and Count Dooku. Is your head buried is sand far enough yet?

Wireless Video exists in Star Wars (regardless if 1 of my many examples was wrong). Wireless transmission of voice (also data unless you assume sound transmitted through the Force or something).

Should slicing be done wirelessly? Oh someone already pointed out Ship-to-ship hacking is RAW. I am guessing they don't shoot a cable out to the other ship and hope it finds an open port while they are travelling different speeds (Like a bad episode of /Scorpion).

I am convinced you have a single solitary view of Star Wars, anyone disagreeing with that rigid view is the Devil and wrong.

How are those two statements congruent? You started off with a very abrasive comment about it being a GM cop out if they don't agree with your point of view.

While RAW may allow some jamming and ecm via the computer skill, it does not allow one ship to control the other in a fire fight. Regardless of RAW, we are discussing canon and your assumption of modern technology in a retro-futuristic setting. If you think back to the OT, they had to go into several very specific locales to hack into the death star. If they had the option, don't you think that they would have?

Audio / Video does not have to be sent digitally it can be sent via analog signals.

This game is not a cyberpunk or shadowrun setting. The backdrop of technology has a very retro-futuristic style that was created in the 1970s and 1980s. I am not attempting to stop anyone from viewing the universe in the way that they wish, however when my opinion is asked I will give it and explain my point of view.

Unless you have an example of wireless hacking in canon, you can rail against me all that you desire but nothing is proven.

You are making a presumption about their style of technology based from our modern ways of doing things. While it makes sense, it is not the only way of looking at it. That is my point. Your universe will use what makes sense to you and your players. Nothing canon proves otherwise.

I am convinced you have a single solitary view of Star Wars, anyone disagreeing with that rigid view is the Devil and wrong.

How are those two statements congruent? You started off with a very abrasive comment about it being a GM cop out if they don't agree with your point of view.

Audio / Video does not have to be sent digitally it can be sent via analog signals.

First, one statement is you, one statement is me, why do I have to care if they mesh? Also It isn't my point of view, it is Canon's point of view and RAW point of view. It is Disney's Point of view, it is Uncle George's point of view. Another way to look at the point of view is to call it "correct".

Analog transmission of data is... wait for it... still wireless transmission of data! Ding ding we have a winner.

Unless you are saying every single ship in the entire galaxy is physically connected?

• I saw Obi-Wan Kanobi setup a satellite dish on his ship (On Mustafar I think), and beam (wirelessly) to Tattooine (when it was originally intended to go to Naboo). Intending to send that transmission from the Outer Rim to Coruscant). Gee, Wireless transmission distance must be short because the Tattooine is really super close to Coruscant.
• I also remember Darth Sidious talking to the Trade Federation folks Via a "holo transmission" (btw that is a canon term) while Darth Sidious was on Coruscant and the Trade Federation was orbiting above Naboo.
• Additionally I saw Darth Sidious communicate with Darth Maul while he was on Darth Maul was on Tattooine and Darth Sidious was on Coruscant.
• Furthermore I remember Multiple times seeing Holo transmitted characters in the Jedi Council chamber

It does not matter if they are Analog, Digital, or morse code those transmissions are wireless.

OK, before things to far out hand here.

We do have to remember that the Holonet changed a lot from pre-Empire to post-Empire. What could be done by a member of the Jedi Order on the Holonet during the Republic, may not be the same as what can be done by an everyday citizen during the time of the Empire. The Empire is locking down information. Without knowledge, people don't know how bad they have it...

No one is questioning transmissions. We all understand that transmissions can be done through a wireless medium in TGFFA. When most people nowadays speaks of wireless it is generic term for a wireless internet network. Not radio/microwave/HAM or other transmissions.

RAW does say that a slicer can attempt to hack another ship...yes. Everyone can interrupt that differently. I take it to mean that maybe cargo ships have WiFI capable systems to allow a port to remote operate a ships maneuvering thrusters and cargo bay doors. Not a TIE fighter. (My iPhone can't talk to an F-22) I don't see TIE's being able to receive a "WiFi" signal.

The way I look at Star Wars Tech is that is has become so advanced, that it has actually had to go backwards some. With the advent of super computers, and then intelligent droids, the worlds that carried "wifi" networks were always under a constant bombardment from cyber attacks. Security gets better, the hackers get better...Somewhere along the line wireless data networks became obsolete as they could not protect them very well anymore, so societies reverted back to land-lines and cable networks that are point of use that can be secured much more easily and cheaper.

Real world case in point. In the Air Force all our offices had the coordless handsets back in the early 2000's. Around 2004 we ALL had to switch back to corded handsets due to security issues. Even in the Oval Office, all the phones there are still corded. We do have the SIPERNET, which a secure internet that is both wired and wireless in some places, and to get in that system, that is where cross the line of "real world" hacking and "fantasy" hacking. In the real world an operation like the one done on Sony could takes months of work by a dozen people to pull off, not some dude sitting on in starbucks with an iPad making a RPPP check. You go dumpster diving, infiltrating the offices as "cleaners" to lift up keyboards looking for passwords, taking photos of the cubicles, identifying the people in the photos, cars, license plate numbers to use as passwords. The Sony op was able to happen because someone got a system admin's password. It was not "broken" or "cracked" they either stole it, or he sold it to them.

Sorry for my ranting...

So after the Empire came into power it pretty much shut down the Holonet for the public. The Holonet is not just the "internet", it is faster-than-light means of information sharing. It actually uses Hypersapce to transmit data so there is virtually no time lag in communications. Many worlds will have the "internet" and even some wifi capable areas, but banks, major commerce centers and military/government buildings will not be on that wifi network.

Final thoughts: Lets all keep this civil and polite. We are all here to have some fun, and talk about one of our great loves in life; the Star Wars RPG. We can all have a different view on how this imaginary setting works, and all views are good and valid. There is no need for us to get mad at each other over an imaginary concept. This is nowhere near "I MAKE a player at my table attempt to murder a little girl because they used 1 dark side pip on a force die" kind of thing.

In my interpretation for interstellar communication there have to be signal-boosters (satellites, space stations, ships,... ) up there.

1. The Geonosians had such an easy time to track and capture Obi-Wan because he used their satellite to get a call to Coruscount/Naboo.

He needed that little dish to make it to orbit with his signal. They found it and back-traced/triangulated it.

2, 3 and 4. Encrypted signal routed through several comm-buyos.

Edit: I do agree with R2builder. I go at this similary.

My point about analog versus digital is this:

How well can you hack into a computer using a television or radio transceiver? If they are not designed to transmit or recieve 1s and 0s it will be nigh impossible. Digital audio / visual transmissions could have a hidden sub-carrier that could potentially hack into a computer system.

I have not said that video or audio ship to ship systems could not exist, simply that we have not seen non-audio/visual data that would imply more than simple communication. No text, no programs. Just audio/visual information.

You should care if the statements mesh because you are claiming that I stated one thing when I have gone out of my way to be polite during this conversation. I have yet to state that only my way is the only correct one for a game. I still stand behind my statement that canon does not have any evidence to support your position.

OK, before things to far out hand here.

We do have to remember that the Holonet changed a lot from pre-Empire to post-Empire. What could be done by a member of the Jedi Order on the Holonet during the Republic, may not be the same as what can be done by an everyday citizen during the time of the Empire. The Empire is locking down information. Without knowledge, people don't know how bad they have it...

No one is questioning transmissions. We all understand that transmissions can be done through a wireless medium in TGFFA. When most people nowadays speaks of wireless it is generic term for a wireless internet network. Not radio/microwave/HAM or other transmissions.

RAW does say that a slicer can attempt to hack another ship...yes. Everyone can interrupt that differently. I take it to mean that maybe cargo ships have WiFI capable systems to allow a port to remote operate a ships maneuvering thrusters and cargo bay doors. Not a TIE fighter. (My iPhone can't talk to an F-22) I don't see TIE's being able to receive a "WiFi" signal.

The way I look at Star Wars Tech is that is has become so advanced, that it has actually had to go backwards some. With the advent of super computers, and then intelligent droids, the worlds that carried "wifi" networks were always under a constant bombardment from cyber attacks. Security gets better, the hackers get better...Somewhere along the line wireless data networks became obsolete as they could not protect them very well anymore, so societies reverted back to land-lines and cable networks that are point of use that can be secured much more easily and cheaper.

Real world case in point. In the Air Force all our offices had the coordless handsets back in the early 2000's. Around 2004 we ALL had to switch back to corded handsets due to security issues. Even in the Oval Office, all the phones there are still corded. We do have the SIPERNET, which a secure internet that is both wired and wireless in some places, and to get in that system, that is where cross the line of "real world" hacking and "fantasy" hacking. In the real world an operation like the one done on Sony could takes months of work by a dozen people to pull off, not some dude sitting on in starbucks with an iPad making a RPPP check. You go dumpster diving, infiltrating the offices as "cleaners" to lift up keyboards looking for passwords, taking photos of the cubicles, identifying the people in the photos, cars, license plate numbers to use as passwords. The Sony op was able to happen because someone got a system admin's password. It was not "broken" or "cracked" they either stole it, or he sold it to them.

Sorry for my ranting...

So after the Empire came into power it pretty much shut down the Holonet for the public. The Holonet is not just the "internet", it is faster-than-light means of information sharing. It actually uses Hypersapce to transmit data so there is virtually no time lag in communications. Many worlds will have the "internet" and even some wifi capable areas, but banks, major commerce centers and military/government buildings will not be on that wifi network.

Final thoughts: Lets all keep this civil and polite. We are all here to have some fun, and talk about one of our great loves in life; the Star Wars RPG. We can all have a different view on how this imaginary setting works, and all views are good and valid. There is no need for us to get mad at each other over an imaginary concept. This is nowhere near "I MAKE a player at my table attempt to murder a little girl because they used 1 dark side pip on a force die" kind of thing.

That is a very good point and makes a lot of sense.

Sorry for my ranting...

So after the Empire came into power it pretty much shut down the Holonet for the public. The Holonet is not just the "internet", it is faster-than-light means of information sharing. It actually uses Hypersapce to transmit data so there is virtually no time lag in communications. Many worlds will have the "internet" and even some wifi capable areas, but banks, major commerce centers and military/government buildings will not be on that wifi network.

Except if you break in and insert a dataspike like they did in Rebels after the Empire existed. =)

Locked down does not mean wireless went away. It means it is harder. They have had long range communications with Fulcrum too.

While trying to reconcile Original Trilogy and 1/2/3 is next to impossible without making up for plot holes and outright mistakes. You can totally ignore it and do whatever you want technology wise (I am looking at you Star Trek Enterprise).

I almost feel this disagreement is "old trilogy versus new trilogy" rather than what is possible in FFG SWRPG versus what isnt.

My point about analog versus digital is this:

How well can you hack into a computer using a television or radio transceiver? If they are not designed to transmit or recieve 1s and 0s it will be nigh impossible. Digital audio / visual transmissions could have a hidden sub-carrier that could potentially hack into a computer system.

I am pretty sure Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs got started hacking analog via "Bluebox" technology triggering free long distance calls.

Real Life = 1

Rigid view = 0

My point about analog versus digital is this:

How well can you hack into a computer using a television or radio transceiver? If they are not designed to transmit or recieve 1s and 0s it will be nigh impossible. Digital audio / visual transmissions could have a hidden sub-carrier that could potentially hack into a computer system.

I am pretty sure Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs got started hacking analog via "Bluebox" technology triggering free long distance calls.

Real Life = 1

Rigid view = 0

Yes, phreaking was a thing. It also used a system of audio tones as input devices. Most systems don't use that.

Sorry for my ranting...

So after the Empire came into power it pretty much shut down the Holonet for the public. The Holonet is not just the "internet", it is faster-than-light means of information sharing. It actually uses Hypersapce to transmit data so there is virtually no time lag in communications. Many worlds will have the "internet" and even some wifi capable areas, but banks, major commerce centers and military/government buildings will not be on that wifi network.

Except if you break in and insert a dataspike like they did in Rebels after the Empire existed. =)

Locked down does not mean wireless went away. It means it is harder. They have had long range communications with Fulcrum too.

While trying to reconcile Original Trilogy and 1/2/3 is next to impossible without making up for plot holes and outright mistakes. You can totally ignore it and do whatever you want technology wise (I am looking at you Star Trek Enterprise).

I almost feel this disagreement is "old trilogy versus new trilogy" rather than what is possible in FFG SWRPG versus what isnt.

You have a point about OT vs PT, but I can't think of anything in the PT that illustrates your stance on a wifi equivalent offhand. I suspect this will be changed in the sequel trilogy.

That dataspike was pre-programmed to hack into the system in was physically placed within and was then used as a receiver for audio transmissions.

That dataspike was pre-programmed to hack into the system in was physically placed within and was then used as a receiver for audio transmissions.

and the audio was data, delivered... wirelessly.

Edit: removed excess replies

Not really. Phreaking used a box that generated sound within proximity of a pay phone (usually) handset. The pay phone heard the tones, transmitted them via the phone line to the computer at the phone company which translated the command into what the hacker wanted.

No wireless data transfer.

Try that with anything that isn't set up to receive audio commands and see what happens.

and the audio was data...

...is it? have we ever seen a mixed video and data presentation in star wars? Holigrams show data cahed locally, such as video of endor or the death star, or they get hooked to the holonet for live video across the galaxy. These are probably competely different systems.

RAW does say that a slicer can attempt to hack another ship...yes. Everyone can interrupt that differently. I take it to mean that maybe cargo ships have WiFI capable systems to allow a port to remote operate a ships maneuvering thrusters and cargo bay doors. Not a TIE fighter. (My iPhone can't talk to an F-22) I don't see TIE's being able to receive a "WiFi" signal.

For what it's worth, I've been playing a slicer in an AoR game and how we have handled it is this. Yes, military craft are shielded in ways that civilian craft are not. But TIEs still have radio (or something) frequencies for communication in a squadron, and communication with their carrier. My GM has allowed me to basically ascertain this frequency (with a difficult Computers check) and then do the sort of slicing described in the core books (like, i can't make the TIE explode or anything, but can mess with its systems sufficiently to give us an advantage in combat). Of course, I might need to re-ascertain the frequency after a few rounds as active encryption protocols change it, but it's been a cool thing to do in ship combat.

By the same token, on one mission our BSF Selonian got captured. We rescued her and later found that she had been implanted with an Imperial microdroid with sharp cutting legs around her heart (designed to shred her heart if a removal attempt was made). The whole purpose of the droid was to ascertain where it was in the universe using transponder data, then send out timed bursts of locational information via our ship's HoloNet transponder, which it was able to co-opt when within a few feet of it. It was basically a very sophisticated tracking bug designed to utilize the HoloNet to report in.

I discovered these bursts of info, shut down our HoloNet transponder, backtracked the signal to the Selonian's chest and then our Doctor was able to remove the droid without it shredding her, and the Alliance got a lot more freaked out about what the Empire was capable of doing, surveillance-wise. So, was that entirely fitting with the 1970s theme of Star Wars? I think it was a fair bit more Matrix-y myself, but it was a thrilling and frankly horrifying game session!

and the audio was data...

...is it? have we ever seen a mixed video and data presentation in star wars? Holigrams show data cahed locally, such as video of endor or the death star, or they get hooked to the holonet for live video across the galaxy. These are probably competely different systems.

Okay lets get to how data works.

Data = stuff If you go to dictionary.com it defines data as information, or information given.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/data?s=t

So sound in this case is information.

I am pretty sure this was just trolling saying sound is not data though at this point.

I have reached the end of "trying to convince people" of how facts are indeed facts and how RAW allows things and how Canon allows things.

Back to the OP if they are even still around. 1 check is bad (everyone pretty much agrees with that) requiring at least some part of the operation to require someone on site is pretty standard (everyone pretty much agrees with that).

If you want the "hacking" to be remote or not depends on if you agree with the biased posters to this thread, if you still with Original Trilogy, Stick with Prequel Trilogy, or if you use all of canon to include Clone Wars / Rebels / the new comic / the 2 books / etc.

There is enough evidence that you could justify remote hacking as long as some sort of physical connection is there, but there seems to be great debate diverting from the topic if that was bad writing or what Disney really wanted to count as Star Wars.

In Summary: Hacking can be a dangerous thing to allow in your game because debates on what can and cant work get tedious and nobody is willing to budge even if you hit them upside the head with facts.

Right. So. Whuuut?

As I see it, and I'll be honest I haven't read every post:

1: To assume SW tech = our world tech is fallacious. SW is a fantasy world, whereas our world isn't (as far as we know).

2: There is obviously some sort of wireless tech in SW, we know this: comlinks, holographic communication across the galaxy. It must exist. It wouldn't be much fun space opera without some sort of tech to remotely do at least some things - of course, I'd be against a SW equivalent of google (swoogle? holoogle?) and random holonet searches for anything. That also removes the fun from the game and the computer skill becomes too powerful.

3: Remote slicing via wifi? I'd say no. We know it works and is pretty easy in our world, we also know from a vast amount of SW sources that access to data terminals on location is needed to gain access to the actual data. Perhaps this is where SW is smarter than us, when it comes to protection of data. Sure, you can use a spike to slice into the system as shown in the Rebels episode (not that I've seen this episode). Now whether or not that can be used to transfer data, well, why not? But I see no reason for anyone with a modicum of interest in protecting their data to allow terminals and databanks to be accessible wireless. It's just plain old stupid. So, there would be a need to gain access to the network, via a terminal, a spike, wiring or something like that. It also makes for a more fun game. Stationary targets are easier to track. Time can be used more creatively.

4: RAW states you can slice enemy systems in vehicular combat, sure, but you're not controlling their ship, you're messing up their systems causing systemic irritations that cause penalties. I'd say there's a vital difference there.

5: Canon or not, "right" or "wrong", it's your game, you decided (s/he who cares about Lucas, Disney or the Story Group, may do so, but the rest of us need not). Pathos induced arguments one or the other way is just plain useless, for everyone.

6: I'm sure I've forgotten something, but I think it's important to stress the retro in retro-futuristic, not to the point of handicapping slicers, but to balance it out, make the useful, powerful, but still dependant upon other skills, players and factors. Wireless slicing with a datapad can easily become boring, too powerful and reduce and cripple entertaining and fun joint storytelling - which as I understand it is the point of roleplaying...

For what it's worth, I've been playing a slicer in an AoR game and how we have handled it is this. Yes, military craft are shielded in ways that civilian craft are not. But TIEs still have radio (or something) frequencies for communication in a squadron, and communication with their carrier. My GM has allowed me to basically ascertain this frequency (with a difficult Computers check) and then do the sort of slicing described in the core books (like, i can't make the TIE explode or anything, but can mess with its systems sufficiently to give us an advantage in combat). Of course, I might need to re-ascertain the frequency after a few rounds as active encryption protocols change it, but it's been a cool thing to do in ship combat.

Thats fair enough. If your GM allows it, so be it. I never would though. Just like modern aircraft/ships/cars/trucks. I can't hack into the GPS system of a big rig and control the steering. I can't get into the communication frequency of a V-22, and tell it it to go from helicopter flight to airplane flight. Those systems are just not connected. In my game if someone did get into he "radio" comms of TIEs, they could do nothing to the craft, as the comm system is not tied to the thrusters, or blasters. Now some of the brand new modern cars do have the wifi capability. One could hack into that, but still not control the steering, but may be able to control the engine, the radio, the GPS, but nothing that has to have a human input, brakes, steering, acceleration. Cruise control is under debate right now. I can't see military craft having this capability, and in my games TIES definitely do not. They are to cheap to put that stuff in there.

and the audio was data...

...is it? have we ever seen a mixed video and data presentation in star wars? Holigrams show data cahed locally, such as video of endor or the death star, or they get hooked to the holonet for live video across the galaxy. These are probably competely different systems.

Okay lets get to how data works.

Data = stuff If you go to dictionary.com it defines data as information, or information given.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/data?s=t

So sound in this case is information.

I am pretty sure this was just trolling saying sound is not data though at this point.

I have reached the end of "trying to convince people" of how facts are indeed facts and how RAW allows things and how Canon allows things.

Back to the OP if they are even still around. 1 check is bad (everyone pretty much agrees with that) requiring at least some part of the operation to require someone on site is pretty standard (everyone pretty much agrees with that).

If you want the "hacking" to be remote or not depends on if you agree with the biased posters to this thread, if you still with Original Trilogy, Stick with Prequel Trilogy, or if you use all of canon to include Clone Wars / Rebels / the new comic / the 2 books / etc.

There is enough evidence that you could justify remote hacking as long as some sort of physical connection is there, but there seems to be great debate diverting from the topic if that was bad writing or what Disney really wanted to count as Star Wars.

In Summary: Hacking can be a dangerous thing to allow in your game because debates on what can and cant work get tedious and nobody is willing to budge even if you hit them upside the head with facts.

If there is evidence in the current canon, please share it.

I have excellent knowledge of the OT, passing on the PT, great knowledge of Rebels (love that show), and next to none about Clone Wars TV show.

Technically all information anywhere is data once it is received, but not all data will let you hack a computer. We are discussing the data that can be used for hacking purposes.

Thats fair enough. If your GM allows it, so be it. I never would though. Just like modern aircraft/ships/cars/trucks. I can't hack into the GPS system of a big rig and control the steering. I can't get into the communication frequency of a V-22, and tell it it to go from helicopter flight to airplane flight. Those systems are just not connected. In my game if someone did get into he "radio" comms of TIEs, they could do nothing to the craft, as the comm system is not tied to the thrusters, or blasters. Now some of the brand new modern cars do have the wifi capability. One could hack into that, but still not control the steering, but may be able to control the engine, the radio, the GPS, but nothing that has to have a human input, brakes, steering, acceleration. Cruise control is under debate right now. I can't see military craft having this capability, and in my games TIES definitely do not. They are to cheap to put that stuff in there.

That's fair, it just seems like you're basically relegating the slicer to not be able to do his signature thing in combat based on some need for real-world verisimilitude. I think they put that option in the book just so the brainy people could do something other than shoot the turrets or stand around making repairs as needed.