[mythtv-users] New to list, replacing Sky+, DVD, etc

[Charles Mason]

On Mon, Jul 30, 2007 at 9:42 AM, Nick F <nikos.f at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 7/30/07, Andrew Williams <andy at tensixtyone.com> wrote:
> > On 7/29/07, Matt Bruce <lists at jumile.me.uk> wrote:
> > > As I own the Sky gear I have and still have the Sky satellite card, my
> > > understanding is that Ch4&5 are fine with that card (I'll essentially
> > > be a "Freesat from Sky" user as per http://www.freesatfromsky.com/
> > > with ~200 video channels and ~95 radio channels). So if I build a PVR
> > > that can take the card (a CI slot?), will that not allow Ch4&5
> > > decryption?
> >
> > Sky's encryption system is "in-house" to NewsCorp, so no CAMs are
> > available for NDS (as far as I know). You'll have to use a Sky box
> > with a PVR-150 or its ilk to get full channel access.
>
>
> A Dragon or T-Rex CAM will work with a valid Sky card to decrypt whatever
> channels are allowed on your Sky card (anything from just the freeview to
> the premium channels like Sky Sports if you've subscribed).  You need to put
> the card overnight in a Sky digibox every 2 months or so to get the new
> keys.
>
> You can't do two channels simultaneously though - so I'd have one DVB-S card
> connected with the CI to the CAM for the encrypted channels, and a second
> that's connected to your other LNB that can pick up the ones that don't need
> decoding at all (BBC, ITV, Film4, Sky News, CNN, etc).

The other disadvantage to using CAMs and Encrypted channels is the new multi rec
stuff doesn't work (ie recording more than one show from the same
multiplex using one
tuner) as the vast majority of CAMs will only decrypt on channel at a
time. Apparently
the Multi Rec features work fine on unencrypted DVB-S sources.

The other thing to bare in mind is Sky don't support using any non sky
hardware so
at best you are on your own from their support department. I think I
read some where
that there's a term in the terms of service about having to use sky
hardware so I am
not sure where you stand from a legal point of view. Plus Sky could
change the encryption
system and lock your CAM out, although I would imagine they have
limited options as to what
their set top boxes support so you are probably safe.

Personally I am just waiting to see what Freesat brings. If it takes
off like Freeview has but with HD content I think it could be very
interesting. Of course with the
lack of Channel 4 and Five content at least from the launch I will
have to keep my Freeview tuners
going as well.

Charlie M