IDTVs to get Top Up TV modules in May

[net1]

The new paid-for digital terrestrial TV service, Top Up TV, says conditional access modules (CAMs) for IDTVs should become available in May from retailers. The move will double the new venture's potential subscriber universe at a stroke to around one million homes, since around half a million UK households have IDTVs - about the same number as have old ITV Digital or OnDigital boxes (Top Up TV's core target when it launches later this month).

The vast majority of the set-top boxes made for the free-to-air service Freeview are not Top Up TV compatible, since they do not include slots for the pay-TV cards required to unscramble the service.

The CAMs will consist of a small module (about the size of 2 credit cards) that fits into a dedicated slot in the back of all IDTVs, called a 'common interface' slot. IDTVs are required to have these by law in order to make them upgradeable to pay-TV services. As well as a CAM module, IDTV owners will need to purchase a Top Up TV subscription to get a smartcard: the Top Up TV smartcard then slots into the back of the CAM module.

Top Up TV hasn't yet revealed prices for the CAMs.

 

[haga]

I've still got my original on-digi cam, hopefully this new one will be the same, if not I also used to use the seca cam, anyone know yet what encryption they will use?
haga

 

[F1 Mike]

Yes, would be nice to know what encryption will be used. If old ITV/On Digital boxes will be compatible, it would seem that the only thing they can change is the software in the reciever, which means that even if they manage to secure it, sooner or later it will be public once again.
Thoughts?

 

[Channel Hopper]

Since the idea is to use existing ITV/On Digital boxes for the new system, the only compatible card only upgrade will be Seca2 (I doubt very much they will retain Seca1)

 

[PaulR]

And of course Seca 2 is a very secure system...

Perhaps we should have a lottery how long they'll last before they go the wall?

PaulR