CAMs?

paulm17781

I'm new to the whole FTA satellite thing. I recently got a Fergusson Arriva HD combo box which has CAM slots. Can they be used for anything or is that a service which isn't available? Thanks.

Minstrel27

CAM slots are used when you want to view encrypted services. You slot in the CAM and the viewing card then goes into the CAM.

paulm17781

Minstrel27 wrote: »

CAM slots are used when you want to view encrypted services. You slot in the CAM and the viewing card then goes into the CAM.

OK. But is there anything offered? I have Sky in one room Freesat in the next. Can I do anything using a CAM, ie. watch Sky legally or is that illegal. Are there any potential services I could legally get with a CAM or is there nothing? Thanks.

Minstrel27

I don't understand what you mean by anything offered. I will use my setup as an example. I subscribe to Cyfra+ from Poland. To view their services I first put a CAM into a CAM slot on my receiver and then put my Cyfra+ viewing card into the CAM.

It is no different to a Sky box except that the CAM is built in to a Sky digibox.

paulm17781

Sorry, my satellite lingo isn't great.

The dish I have is for Sky, I have FTA (freesat stuff) through it. Can I buy a CAM and use it for anything or is Sky all I can get from the satellites I'm pointed at?

watty

Unless you are subscribing to non-Sky TV, (i.e. paying lots extra money), the CAM slot is useless.

Also since you have a single fixed feed for FTA/Freesat channels, there is no non-Sky PayTV to subscribe to. Other pay TV (which is mostly not in English) is on other satellite positions.

PeterDuggan

Could he add the "Sky Freesat" FTV channels (Fiver, FiveUS, etc?) using a Sky FTV card?

paulm17781

PeterDuggan wrote: »

Could he add the "Sky Freesat" FTV channels (Fiver, FiveUS, etc?) using a Sky FTV card?

That's what I'm getting, just wondering what, if anything, I can do.

PeterDuggan

paulm17781 wrote: »

That's what I'm getting, just wondering what, if anything, I can do.

If you're getting Fiver and FiveUSA (not to be confused with "Five" btw) I presume you have an (old?) Sky card or a Sky FTV card in the cam then? Don't think you can get them without some sort of card.

watty

Not easily and not reliably.

Even the CAMs and special firmwares that do work with legitimate Sky Cards might not tomorrow. If you want to practically waste £25 or whatever it is on a Sky FTV card (which will expire and is only posted to a UK address), you are better buying a €50 secondhand Sky box for it.

I actually really have an alternate N.I. Address and a Sky box and I never bothered updating my Sky FTV card. I don't think it's worth it. When BBC was on FTV card it was. I got my 1st FTV card the same week I got my 1st Sky box (1999? 2000? can't remember).

You would get a S/H Sky+ HD box cheaper than a CAM for your "Fergusson Arriva HD combo box". If you got the correct CAM, found suitable hacked homebrew firmware and bought the Sky card via a UK address you could find a week later it doesn't work.

Also you would be out all that money and effort for Channels that have less than 1% viewing time.

bryaner

watty wrote: »

Not easily and not reliably.

Even the CAMs and special firmwares that do work with legitimate Sky Cards might not tomorrow. If you want to practically waste £25 or whatever it is on a Sky FTV card (which will expire and is only posted to a UK address), you are better buying a €50 secondhand Sky box for it.

I actually really have an alternate N.I. Address and a Sky box and I never bothered updating my Sky FTV card. I don't think it's worth it. When BBC was on FTV card it was. I got my 1st FTV card the same week I got my 1st Sky box (1999? 2000? can't remember).

You would get a S/H Sky+ HD box cheaper than a CAM for your "Fergusson Arriva HD combo box". If you got the correct CAM, found suitable hacked homebrew firmware and bought the Sky card via a UK address you could find a week later it doesn't work.

Also you would be out all that money and effort for Channels that have less than 1% viewing time.

Must say I think the Sky FTV card is well worth the £20, all the beebs Itv's etc etc on the platform very handy..

watty

You get BBC, UTV, ITV, C4, Five and more without a FTV card. It's only posted to UK address and exists to sell Sky PPV (possible on it) or get people to upgrade to full account. It's a LONG time since it was a real FTV card as in BBC encrypted days.

Unique extra channel content with FTV Card
* 5USA
* Fiver?
* LFC TV
* Motors TV
* Pick TV
* Viva

bryaner

watty wrote: »

You get BBC, UTV, ITV, C4, Five and more without a FTV card. It's only posted to UK address and exists to sell Sky PPV (possible on it) or get people to upgrade to full account. It's a LONG time since it was a real FTV card as in BBC encrypted days.

Unique extra channel content with FTV Card
* 5USA
* Fiver?
* LFC TV
* Motors TV
* Pick TV
* Viva

My point was I find it very handy having all the extra BBC's and ITV's etc on the platform..

watty

But they are on it anyway.

bryaner

watty wrote: »

But they are on it anyway.

Sorry I forgot to mention that I have a HD box that recently got the poxy software update reverting it back to the Irish EPG..

watty

Yes. Odd that. pain you can't add "other channels" to Favourites.

I got a S/H Sky HD box and inexplicably it has London EPG when you remove the cancelled Irish card.

But if you have non-Sky HD box it doesn't matter.

liamf

The Sky boxes use the card to tell them what "region" you're in. An Irish card, expired or not, identifies the box as being "Irish" and so RTE comes first in the EPG.

With no card they default to location == London.

Course with no card the PVR doesn't work, none of the scrambled services work ... :-)

watty

yes. But most Sky HD boxes if used with Irish card recently don't revert to London like Sky boxes traditionally did, hence my puzzled comment.

liamf

Ah that was just a Sky bug.

It's all fixed now :-)