Digital TV & DVR queries

[mridang_agarwal]

Hi guys,
I got a lot of questions and many of them may sound dumb but i dont know mch about digital TV. I'm from india and recently DTH has come in. A lot of companies are providing DTH services. All of them are based on the DVB standard. I've heard of a DVR in the US called a Tivo. Is there nay way I could buy one and get it to work in India or is there another DVR alternative to Tivo?

We get small set top boxes into which we have to insert a credit card size card that contains our subscription information. Is it the same wordlwide?

If i've bought a set top box from one serivce provider and inserted the card of another service provider - would it work? What i basically mean to ask is is that if the set boxes common independent of which provider i choose?


Is DTH and digital TV the same thing?

[Abbadon]

Hi,

I could be wrong, but I don't think you will be able to use a US based Tivo box in your homeland. First of all, you need to find out what encryption system they are using, once you have this information you may start looking into alternatives.

In Europe and Asia computer PCI DVB cards are very popular, some of them come with an integrated CI that let's you insert a CAM for the different encryption systems (legally) such as Nagra1, Nagra2, Irdeto, etc. These CAMs allow you to insert your SmartCard (The Credit Card sized card you mentioned before).

If you are brave enough, you could even try to experiment with a device called Phoenix, which is just a Smart Card reader. Keep in mind that the not all systems are supported, and a special plugin is also needed.

[mridang_agarwal]

Hey,
Now thats a start. Is DTH and and digital TV the same thing?
Whats a CI circuit? Is there any online resource where I could read about digital TV encryption? As you mentioned that that a number of PCI DVB cards with CI circuits - Could you give me the names of a few could I check it up? I dont want to try the Phonenix thing - i hasted posted on videohlep earlier enquiring about the Phoenix thing and the system looked very complicated and prone to failure (i.e the plugin wouldnt work, compatibility issues etc). By the way, what exactly does the smart card contain? Does it contain a private key or something provided the service provider is using an asymmetric encryption algorithm? Thanks Abbadon for taking the time to answer so many of my questions - i really appreciate it.

[Abbadon]

Hey,
Now thats a start. Is DTH and and digital TV the same thing?

Yes, DTH means Direct to Home and it is a Satellite TV Service for home users.

Whats a CI circuit?

The correct term is CI Slot ( Common Interface Slot), this is the explanation I found:
The CI slot is a feature that gives a receiver the capability to receive PayTV channels. "CI" stands for "Common Interface". A receiver with one or two CI slots usually can decode a variety of different encryption systems (such as Nagravision, Viaccess, etc.) as long as the appropriate Conditional Access Module, or CAM, is inserted into the CI slot. The CAM that is used will determine what encryption system is to be decoded. In other words, if you want to watch Viaccess encrypted channels, you would need a Viaccess CAM. The SmartCard needed to authorize the reception of the PayTV channels would be inserted into the CAM.

A receiver can also have the CAM "embedded", or built into, the receiver. In this case you would only need the SmartCard. PayTV providers in the USA or Canada such as DishNetwork or Bell ExpressVu use receivers with embedded Nagravision CAM's. Unfortunately, there really isn't much use for a receiver with a CI slot in the USA or Canada. Even though, for example, you can get a Nagravision CAM, it will not work with Dish or Bell ExpressVu signals. Only their own receivers work with their own signals. There are quite a few PayTV channels available on Intelsat Americas 5 at 97 deg west, but here too you would need to buy their receivers in order to get those channels.

Is there any online resource where I could read about digital TV encryption? As you mentioned that that a number of PCI DVB cards with CI circuits - Could you give me the names of a few could I check it up? I dont want to try the Phonenix thing - i hasted posted on videohlep earlier enquiring about the Phoenix thing and the system looked very complicated and prone to failure (i.e the plugin wouldnt work, compatibility issues etc). .

Sure, you can search for Twinhan or Hauppauge Nexus-S or WinTV Nova DVB cards.

The best starting point to read about this stuff is just to register to a dedicated forum or just use google.com to look up specific information.

By the way, what exactly does the smart card contain? Does it contain a private key or something provided the service provider is using an asymmetric encryption algorithm? Thanks Abbadon for taking the time to answer so many of my questions - i really appreciate it.

Smart Cards are just a piece of plastic with an embedded microprocessor that holds data (keys, routines) just like a computer, but designed for dedicated tasks like encryption and decryption.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartcard

[mridang_agarwal]

Hi again Abbadon,

My DTH provider is tata Sky

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Sky

and from what i read its using the NDS encryption.

By the way, do all digital tv tuner cards allow connection to a CI?

Okay i must have bugged you out ofyour wits by now but....

Is there anyway i could record shows from my DTH. Is there a Tivo alternative?

[edDV]

...

By the way, do all digital tv tuner cards allow connection to a CI?

...

Most digital TV tuner cards will not have a smartcard reader and most are firmware dedicated to a particular service provider. Never assume anything will work.

[Abbadon]

The only two DVB PCI cards that to my knowledge contain hardware medium for connecting a CI are:

1. Hauppauge WinTV Nexus-S
(Built and sold in Germany and the United Kingdom)

2. TwinhanDTV DVB-S2 CI

You make take a look here:

http://www.twinhan.com/product_satellite.asp

Now, I am not aware of any NDS CAM available, but again, I could be wrong.

[Abbadon]

mridang_agarwal,

I have been reading that DD Direct Plus, which is a state owned Satellite Broadcaster, transmits all its channels as FTA (Free to Air), because of this, or at least in theory, you could be able to watch DVB channels with any of the DVB PCI cards in the market. However, if the standard used is not DVB, then is not going to work.

If the above info is true you can certainly Watch and Record TV programs in your computer's hard disk.