[mythtv] Handling independent CI devices

Raymond Wagner raymond at wagnerrp.com
Tue Mar 1 19:15:51 UTC 2011


On 3/1/2011 10:59, Issa Gorissen wrote:
> From: Robert McNamara<robert.mcnamara at gmail.com>
>> On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 7:45 AM, Issa Gorissen<flop.m at usa.net>  wrote:
>>> From: Raymond Wagner<raymond at wagnerrp.com
>>>> MythTV only supports integrated hardware CAMs.  MythTV must be able to
>>>> pull a decrypted video stream straight from the tuner card.
>>> The card comes with 2 tuners (CineS2 / DuoFlex S2 / Satix S2) and there are version with 4 tuners. The CI is really independent and has such, the working schema will have to be expanded.
>>>
>>> With this hardware, it would be possible to decrypt several services from several transponders (tuners).
>>>
>>> Also, this CI would allow one to decrypt services with a card not designed to support a CI addon
>> It has nothing to do with us.  We are consumers of the v4l-dvb API.
>> If you want support, you need to get it from them.  We provide no
>> decryption services whatsoever. (and won't)
> If you guys do not want to get involve into this, okay then. But it would be a
> pity if something is implemented and it doesn't suit you.

MythTV has always held the same stance on such devices.  The same code 
that could be used to support independent hardware CAMs could just as 
easily support software CAMs.  The only significant use of softcams, and 
similarly the only significant use of such an interface in MythTV, would 
be for subscription theft.  While this does mean we can't use devices 
such as the ones you mention, this was a decision made long ago that we 
stand by.  The only way we would support such devices would be if access 
to the CAM were managed by the driver, and we got unencrypted video out 
of it like as happens with tuners with built in CAMs.

Any delayed decryption would be completely out of the question for 
MythTV anyway.  Far too much in the recording chain would have to be 
rewritten to support such capability, and management of resources in 
relation to livetv would be an extremely difficult hurdle.


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