Newbie - Advice on CAMs

[Silverback]

I'm looking to buy or build a PVR and would like to know which CAM will best suit my needs:

1. I have a legitimate Sky+ subscription and want to use my card with the new system. If possible, I'd like to recreate the functionality of Sky+ and be able to record two things at once. Card sharing or some other method?

2. I want to be able to decode as many channels as possible on other satellites, especially movies. I'm not interested in sport at all, so does that makes things easier?

3. I want something that is easily updated, preferably automatically. However, I don't want to sacrifice flexibility for ease-of-use, so I'm willing to dig out my old card programmer if necessary.

Any advice welcome!

PB

 

[Hitchcock]

I am by no means an expert on this but since no none else has answered I can tell you that Sky+ is only supposed to work on Sky+ receivers (manufactured by Pace, Amstrad and now Thomson). Sky has never released a CAM and most likely never will.

The Dragon CAM is the only CAM I've heard of that is able to replicate a normal Sky receiver and decrypt the signals using an official Sky viewing card (it has to be activated in a genuine Sky receiver first though and then inserted back periodically to be "kept alive").

 

[rolfw]

Seems like a Dreambox DM7025 would be the ideal answer to your requirements.

 

[RedDevil_UK]

what you are looking for is a Linux based Satellite receiver.

one of the Dreambox range or Triple Dragon are most poular.

I own a dreambox, that has a 300gig hard drive in to record too
my model has been superceded now my the Dreambox 7025.

see the dreambox section of this forum and ask any questions you like.

other advantages of a sofware driven box like the Dragon or dreambox is that you can change it.. ALOT and customise it to your needs.

you can stream video to other devices like xbox or PC and transfer files to your pc also, put mpg files you have downloaded straight onto the Dreambox hard drive and watch on your TV

basically, its like having another PC under your telly

as far as what CAM to use... the dreambox once you have it setup, is easy to instal CAMs too, you use the remote control... and as the Dreambox uses your internet sharing on your PC it will go out on the net and get its own files and install them

beaten to it by Rolf lol
i type too much lol

 

[Silverback]

Thanks everyone - your replies have given me enough info to get me started.

PB