Are Skybox CI slots active?

[NOVICE]

2old, rolf or Channel Hopper (the guyz who know what they're talking about), I'm sure this question's been asked before, but I can't find it. So here goes: The CI slots in the back of Sky digital boxes (at least, the one I looked at) can be accessed with the aid of a Phillips screwdriver. They are standard size, and both an Aston Seca cam and Viaccess cam will slot in. But before I burn my cams trying to find out if these slots and my m8's digibox will support Mediaguard/Viaccess through these CI slots, do you know if they are even configured to take different encryption systems than Videoguard? Has anyone tested it and got Mediaguard/Viaccess/Irdeto working through a Skybox via this route? I've never owned a Sky box myself and don't know a lot about them, aside from hearing they are notoriously fussy to tune to anything other than Sky (now there's a Murdoch novelty!), so appreciate any pearls of wisdom.
Well, the question makes a change from people asking: 'Is there a hack for Videoguard yet?' I don't wanna watch Videoguard at all, just use old Rupert's box to access some hobby TV worth the watching on satellites other than 28E. But knowing Murdoch, bet that won't work either . . .

 

[rolfw]

You're dead right Novice, they are disabled, or more accurately not enabled. I guess it would be possible to software enable them, but it would require an update to the operating system and I can't see Sky doing that in the short term.

I certainly haven't tried the one on my digibox, as i haven't required it for anything other than Sky and wouldn't want to have to replace it either should something go wrong.

Rolf

 

[NOVICE]

Thanx for the reply, rolf. Guess I won't be trying it on my m8's box then. Although it would be nice to know if anyone other than Sky has found a way to enable the CI slots - some software download. Got a friend in the satellite trade and he sometimes lays his hands on knackered boxes that the owners don't want back. Could get him to get one working just to see if the CI slots work - that is, if I can find some way to enable them in the first place.
Channel Hopper are you around?You're right up on this sort of thing. Do you know if anyone's had a go, or any site it might be worth posting a query to ask? Is it even feasible that they could be enabled without Sky's help? After all, I'm not trying to hack Sky TV - on the contrary, I want to set up an existing Sky box to watch everything but Sky.

 

[Shahid]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 20-Dec-01 AT 01:13 AM (GMT)]'I want to set up an existing Sky box to watch everything but Sky.'

Well NOVICE you can. Just get a bigger dish, choose the satellite which offers the most FTA channels. Tune them in via the 'other channels'option. Oh you will be limited by the range of tuning.

Shahid

 

[NOVICE]

Thanx for the post, Shahid - but I probably should have explained in my question, I don't need a receiver to watch anything. I have had motorised satellite for years and watch everything in Mediaguard and Viaccess across the arc with an Echostar, couple of CAMs and now my personally programmed cards! Well, I used to watch them before I got into hobby programmming - now seem to spend all my time trying to find out how to get channels I can't get and probably will never watch anyway . . . lol.
The Sky box question was for a m8 who's cheesed off paying Sky's exorbitant subscription charges, and would like to use the CI slots on his Sky Box to bung in Mediaguard/Viaccess cams and watch some decent free TV . . . since I won't be charging him for the cards!
Channel Hopper, I know you cruise this way. Please stumble on this thread and tell me you've tested it and it's possible . . . Break a Murdoch rule of a lifetime.

 

[2old4this]

Novice - don't waste your time. I've already tried it. The CI CAM is not recognised.
I suspect it was put into the technical specs simply to abide to the letter of the law (Sky perhaps predicting lawsuits for anti-competitive behaviour if they brought out equipment that was ONLY capable of receiving Sky...). Of course, if they had wanted to abide by the spirit of the law, they would have enabled the slot too in the software. Ah well.
2old

 

[NOVICE]

Thanx, 2old - as ever you cut straight to the point and have saved me endless wandering up blind alleys. I, of course, guessed as much . . . but there was this vain little hope. Looks like my m8 will have to be paying a visit to the old satellite shop.
Soddin' megalomaniacal Murdoch; I hope a kangaroo chews off your nuts . . . ah, but won't get the chance, of course. Forgot you're a Yankee-Doodle now and not been near Oz in years. Pity same can't be said for Blighty. And a merry bleedin' Christmas to you, too.
Not you, 2old. I, of course, wish your good self only the best. You and dead sheep are just dandy lol.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Dear novice et al

Sorry just got back from foreign places and forgot the PC (I need a holiday sometimes)

In my absence it appears that all has been answered

Shahid forgot to mention you are limited to 50 additional channels by any Sky box, and for some reaspon a lot of boxes mysteriously erase this list for no apparent reason

There is no limit to frequency that I can see (except there may be a problem with C band reception, however the symbol rate is stuck with two settings, on all other channels you have a lot of variations

DiSEqC is not present on these units, and without tuner loopthrough you need to slave the unit with another if you have a switching system

The CI slot is disabled by the firmware, and any update if it ever appears will also free up the symbol rate, DiSEqC for obvious reasons will not be incorporated

If you were wondering, the release of Videoguard PCMCIAs will probably be to existing ITV Digital subscribers, who were courageous enough to reply to the forms sent out earlier last month. I cannot see mediaguard lasting much longer from the posts here

 

[NOVICE]

Hope you enjoyed your holiday, Channel Hopper. Thanx for the reply. I had already abandoned all hope, me who had entered here. Only Sky can enable the CI slots, as suspected - no way round it. So that's that. But it was worth a try.

 

[ProDave]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 21-Dec-01 AT 01:00 PM (GMT)]Sky must run a watertight ship.

You would have thought that by now, one of the software developers might have "leaked" the source code and programming methods for a few hackers somewhere to have a go at reprogramming Sky digiboxes themselves.

And i'm not just talking of ways to enable things like this CI socket. there are many changes that I would like to make to the user interface and EPG to make it nicer to use, if only I had the source code and tools to do it.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Source codes for receivers are more highly guarded that the codes of the channels

Youre not going to find them

Sky boxes are built down to a price , not up to a decent standard


Why not buy a nice European CI box instead and wait for the Videoguard CAM, some good channels to keep any persuasion interested

 

[TB]

Is there likely 2 be a videoguard cam available soon, if so how much are they initally going to cost, bouts?

 

[easysat]

Somewhere I've got a pinout for the Digibox digital slot. I think it came from one of the East European sites but I don't know if it up-to-date. If anyone knows the pinout for a standard DVB common interface adaptor slot I could compare it if that is interesting.

 

[easysat]

Sorry if this is a bit long. I don't know if it is up to date, but someone with more electronics knowledge than me could check it out perhaps. I think you will find that the power pins are the same as on the DVB common interface, but the signals are different.

I can't copy the formatting of the original, so it is difficult to read. The first item on each line is for pin 1 (top) to pin 34 (bottom); the second item is for pins 35 (top) to 68 (bottom).

Here is the signal list of the digital interface which can be used to output a DVB compliant transport stream at 54 Mbit/s to a IEEE 1394 module.

Pin 1 Pin 35
0V 0V
Trans stream in byte clk /(Card detect 1)
Trans stream out D0 Trans stream out D1
Trans stream out D2 Trans stream out D3
Trans stream out D4 Trans stream out D5
Trans stream out D6 Trans stream out D7
Trans strm out packet error Trans strm out pckt start
Trans strm out byte valid Trans strm out byte clk
0V 0V
I2C bus clk I2C bus serial data & addr
Trans stream in D0 Trans stream in D1
Trans stream in D2 Trans stream in D3
Trans stream in D4 Trans stream in D5
Trans stream in D6 Trans stream in D7
Trans stream in pckt error Trans stream in pckt start
Trans stream in byte valid 3.3V
3.3V 3.3V
5V 5V
/(Module uses I2C bus) /(CPU Read)
/(CPU_WRITE) /(CPU_CS)
3.3V /(CPU_RESET)
CPU_D0 CPU_D1
CPU_D2 CPU_D3
CPU_D4 CPU_D5
CPU_D6 CPU_D7
0V 0V
/(CPU_WAIT) /(CPU_INTERRUPT)
CPU_ADDR0 CPU_ADDR1
CPU_ADDR2 CPU_ADDR3
CPU_ADDR4 CPU_ADDR5
CPU_ADDR8 CPU_ADDR7
CPU_ADDR8 CPU_ADDR9
No Connect /(card detect 2)
0V 0V
Pin 34 Pin 68

 

[mill9]

As far as I am aware the slots in question are not CI slots and never have been!! I know that cams fit in but I understand that they are something to do with some upgrade faciltiy or something. This is what I have read anyway.

If you want to watch satellites other than Sky get a Humax or Echostar receiver etc!

David