Sky card double adapters- do they exist?

digitaldr

I ordered a FTA card from http://www.west-sat.com over the weekend after seeing some positive reports here and hopefully will receive it later in the week. They certainly seem to be very helpful so far and have responded to Emails very promptly.
I was wondering if anyone has come across a Sky card "double adapter" device - ideally allowing remote-control card switching? I've tried searching for one on the net but to no avail. Can card swapping eventually damage the contacts in the Digibox? I know some people have bought another digibox to avoid swapping but I have run out of available SCART's on my TV/Video and don't want to get involved in switch boxes/using inferior non-rgb inputs like composite video.

lawhec

No such adaptor exists. there would be no legitimate reason for one existing.

Any movements of the contacts between the card and the card reader in the Sky Digibox can eventually wear and tear, but I've been told that they are designed to withstand this hundreds if not thousands of times.

Although you may have run out of SCART sockets it might be possible to get adaptors which allow you to have several devices go into the one socket. Argos (or Aregoos!) stock these.

ShaneOC

The SCARTs should not be a problem as the digibox allows pass-through of signals. Just put a digibox between your current one and the TV. You will not be able to tapre from the box nearest the TV but it should not be too much of a problem.

byte

The only hope is if Videoguard becomes available as a CAM (conditional access module) for use in digital receivers with Common Interfaces (CI). Then you could use a receiver with twin CI and two Videoguard CAMs and 2 cards! Probably never happen though

Blade

I made up my own adapter like your describing only I put 5 card readers on it and switches. I've talked about this before on this board ages ago. I could have added remote switching which would have been nice but the way I did it was so simple I just couldn't have been bothered. It was handy for me cause I had all the old sky blockers which slotted into the decoder and also had card readers on them.

John R

I would bet very large amounts on sky never allowing CI modules for their encryption, their policy has always been to monopolise the UK market and keeping their encryption tied to boxes of little use for other broadcasters is the best method.

This reminds me of the double adapter for sky analogue that allowed 1 card feed 2 decoders. That was a very useful piece of kit.

digitaldr

Thanks for all the replies.
If I did go for the two box option (which I probably won't as I hear UTV and CH4 may be available by the end of the year) how would I stop the remote from controlling both boxes at once as I presume they use they same IR codes?

Sometimes things don't need a legitimate reason to exist!

ShaneOC

There is no easy way to stop one remote from operating the two boxes. People have tried using favourites, insulating tape and a manner of other ideas. None really solve the problem.

digitaldr

My main reason for investing in another digibox would have been to save me the bother of getting up to swap cards but as a remote wouldn't work properly I'd have to get up anyway!

Maybe I'll just have to move my digibox to within reach instead or stop being such a couch potato!

chernobyl

Originally posted by irishbyte
The only hope is if Videoguard becomes available as a CAM

God bless the Magic Module......I've said too much.

/chernobyl scampers off.

Tony

Originally posted by chernobyl


God bless the Magic Module......I've said too much.

/chernobyl scampers off.

Are you saying that an official Sky card will work in a magic module cam? intriguing (did I spell that right)?

Tony

byte

I was thinking the same myself. Especially if I get my Manhattan Skyline! :rolleyes:

Blade

Originally posted by Tony


Are you saying that an official Sky card will work in a magic module cam? intriguing (did I spell that right)?

Tony

Hi Tony,

I don't think official cards from any provider will work in a magic module as even on pirate cards the software has to be written specifically so it'll recognise it being an emulation and not a real CAM.

Tony

Originally posted by Blade


Hi Tony,

I don't think official cards from any provider will work in a magic module as even on pirate cards the software has to be written specifically so it'll recognise it being an emulation and not a real CAM.

Hi Blade, thanks for that. It was also pointed out to me that there is the issue of card/box pairing so cannot see this becoming a reality without sky's agreement which is unlikely. BTW had lunch with Kevin Jubbly today he sends his regards.

Tony

chernobyl

Originally posted by Blade


Hi Tony,

I don't think official cards from any provider will work in a magic module as even on pirate cards the software has to be written specifically so it'll recognise it being an emulation and not a real CAM.

Ah c'mon.
Blade thats the "Magic" in the MagicModule.
It was desinged so that it could truely emulate any encryption and it would be pointless to design another FreeCAM/Irdeto 4.7 clone as the market is flooded with these multi(useless)CAM's.

Not only this but the CAM can be upgraded OTA to any encryption using the channel provider of choice.
Its infinitely reflashable memory means no danger of stalled upgrades and useless CAM.

Unfortunately Canal have already hit back against this module and have developed an ECM that literally destroys it.
Currently they are only hitting Magic/Funcard pairs and are only frying the card but have fried the module in their own tests.

As for the Sky issue or even the VideoGuard issue.
The module has been used on Stream and worked(i dont have the files).

Sky has this annoying triangle of protection.
The card/CAM/STB all are paired. This in itself could be overcome but the viewing card also needs confirmation that the "pair" was a success, this is handled by the STB OS which suprisingly is encrypted.

I know no more, except this: getting a working non-Sky VG CAM/non-Sky STB/Unoffical Viewing card to work for Sky seems crazy.

Someone needs to concentrate on the Sky STB OS, the secrets of Sky are in those Digiboxes.

bye.
(please excuse my spelling mistakes or indeed if i have ranted beyond thunderdome as i am "not feeling well")

Blade

Exactly what I said, that the module will not work with any official card (unless you manage to modify it) as the software in the card has to be modified so it will recognise the module and this of course can only be done if you have the entire dump of a card so you have full control over it.

Like I explained to you before the VG (videoguard) CAM isn't where the encryptions strenght is, it's in the card so the fact that Stream in VG was hacked is no big deal as the cards they were using were similar to all the other European digital ones which were all compromised. All these cards didn't even have an ASIC for Gods sake! The introduction of an ASIC would have blown all these Pic cards out of the water However Sky's cards in VG are a different story, they even stuck the ASIC and the Processor together to stop us being able to hook up to it or probe it cause thats what we had been doing on the 10 card. So just because VG Stream was hacked doesn't mean the entire VG System has been compromised.

What it boils down to is that the magic module is never going to be able to run Sky Digital unless the entire Sky card gets hacked which I can't see happening. AFAIK they also have a new card sitting on the shelf in case this one gets hacked.