Some Basic Questions

[slepax]

Hello people,

I am kinda new in the world of STBs and satellite. I have read quite a bit on the net but most of the stuff doesn't explain the basics, and that's just what I am missing. I have some questions and I will appreciate your help here:

1. I am looking for an STB, but I managed to learn that I can not buy any STB. I really wanted this one for example, but it doesn't have an LNB input. This is what called DVB-T, right? And I need DVB-S. Did I get this thing right?

2. I am a bit confused about cam interfaces (also called CI?). It seems cam interace is just like a PCMCIA card used to decode satellite signals. Some STBs support CI and some don't, so, how do they decode the satellite information without a cam interace?

3. I will probably want to connect to a PayTV in the future (probably SelectTV). Where do I insert the security card (if that's how its called) that SelectTV will give me? In the cam slot or in the cam card? Do I need a special slot for this one?

Sorry it's been so long, and thank you for your patient. If you have some link that have some basic definitions (and maybe more) it will be grately appreciated.

Thanks!

Ronen

[Mcrackn]

T is terrestrial, S is satellite. They use completely different systems.

An LNB is the device mounted on the dish that recieves the signals bounced of the dish and changes the frequencies so it can send it down the rg6 cable into the LNB input on your sat box.

Devices without a CI (common interface) slot or cam won't decode pay tv, only FTA sat. The subscriber card goes into the cam (different cams for different encryptions eg Irde2) and the cam goes into the CI module. Some boxes have a cam built in already I think.

I hope this helps. It is prob a bit rough as I haven't had a lot to do with it myself lately and I'm posting on my phone.

[renura]

Maybe this will be of help, it's a bit old, as I have not updated it for years, but shoud give you an idea

http://www.digitalnow.com.au/dvb_setup.html

[chatham]

1. The set top box shown on eBay is a digital terrestrial box (DVB-T) you will not be able to get a satellite service through that unit, sorry.

2. Satellite STBs (DVB-S) can either have embedded encryption, or as you say, a CI (Common Interface) slot that takes a CAM (Conditional Access Module) and a card from a Pay TV provider, in your case SelecTV. Only the embedded units can decrypt the satellite signal without the need for a CAM, but either method requires a genuine card from a provider. You need to understand also that different providers have different encryption systems, SelecTV and AUSTAR use Irdeto encryption, Foxtel uses it's own proprietary system called NDS. Foxtel cannot be received on a 3rd-party box as there is no readily available CAM to decode the signals.

3. SelecTV can recommend a STB for use to receive it's service, the one recommended on tis website http://www.selectv.com/equipment/box.htm has embedded Iredto, so you do not need a CAM. However, if you decide to get SelecTV on say a Topfield PVR (in order to record to a HDD) you will need an appropriate CAM to put the SelecTV card in it. Over here http://www.austech.info/showthread.php?t=146735 is a resonably good list of 3rd-party boxes that should work with SelecTV, ie:

Dreamax DT470

Dreambox DM500 scam2.4

Dreambox DM500 CCCam

Emtech / Homecast 150ir

Fuji ST-1010

Healing HSI 862

Humax IR-Ace

Humax 5400Z

Humax 5410Z

Manhatten - All Models

Mediastar DX-60

Mediastar DW-820PVR

Opentel ODS-4000IR

Strong SRT 3735

Strong SRT 4652 firmware "Version:2.0 - 07.09.2006"

Strong SRT 4653

Strong SRT 4657

TMS 007 ( Strong 4800 II )

Topfield 3000CIpro and CIPpro

Topfield TF3200IR

Topfield 4000 PVR

Topfield 5000PVR

UEC DSD 700

UEC DSD-720iF

UEC 910/990

XSAT CDTV-430

Xtreme (all models)

Hope this helps, any more questions, ask away...

[slepax]

Thank you all for the answers! It sure helped sort things out, especially with the cam/cam-interface concept.

I have one more question if that's ok, but it's a bit more technical.

Assuming I have the right DVB-S unit, with a CAM card and a genuine SelectTV subscriber card - everything works perfectly fine. After months of service I decide to disconnect from SelectTV, but since this is my own equipment, I will still have the STB running with the SelectTV subscriber card.

What stops the unit from receiving the signal? If I still have the subscriber card and the rest of the equipment running, why shouldn't it be "business as usual"?

I know that's a bit technical question, but I am just verry curious.

Thanks again!

Ronen

[chatham]

LOL...nice try, once you stop paying for the subscription SelecTV will send commands down to the card (via the satellite data stream) which will deny you access to the channels, and unless you return the card to SelecTV you will be charged for the replacement of the card

Do I own the Smart Card?

No, SELECTV owns the Smart Card. If you cancel your service in the future, you must return the Smart Card to SELECTV. If you fail to do this you will be charged a fee.

http://www.selectv.com/equipment/card.htm

Administration and Other Fees

Unrecovered Smart Card upon cancellation $ 50.00

[Girth]

Howdy all, I've taken a look at the threads on SelecTV posted thus far, and it sounds like you are pretty flexible in what you can use with their service, hats off to them, because here in Australia we get shafted with what is available to us readily as far as television goes.

Anyways, seeing as I am a total tech n00b, I was wondering if my grandma's existing Foxtel Digital Satellite equipment will suffice for SelecTV. She's got a dish on her roof (a small one), and a Foxtel Digital STB. I ran the Equipment Wizard, but it came up with having a whole new set of equipment worth $400, which my grandma isn't exactly going to fork out.

She used to get TARBS a while back, I'm not sure if she still has their stuff lying around (she doesn't throw anything out, so she might still have the STB).

My guess would be that she'll need a new STB + SmartCard + Someone to come and point the dish to the PAS8 satellite, yeah?

Is it a case that she'll have to see her existing Foxtel contract out so that they don't take away the equipment, or are they already hers?

My apologies for the ubern00b questions, I just haven't the faintest how these things work...

Thanks in advance.

[Smacca]

Howdy all, I've taken a look at the threads on SelecTV posted thus far, and it sounds like you are pretty flexible in what you can use with their service, hats off to them, because here in Australia we get shafted with what is available to us readily as far as television goes.

Anyways, seeing as I am a total tech n00b, I was wondering if my grandma's existing Foxtel Digital Satellite equipment will suffice for SelecTV. She's got a dish on her roof (a small one), and a Foxtel Digital STB. I ran the Equipment Wizard, but it came up with having a whole new set of equipment worth $400, which my grandma isn't exactly going to fork out.

She used to get TARBS a while back, I'm not sure if she still has their stuff lying around (she doesn't throw anything out, so she might still have the STB).

My guess would be that she'll need a new STB + SmartCard + Someone to come and point the dish to the PAS8 satellite, yeah?

Is it a case that she'll have! to see her existing Foxtel contract out so that they don't take away the equipment, or are they already hers?

My apologies for the ubern00b questions, I just haven't the faintest how these things work...

Thanks in advance.

First of all, the dish will need to be realigned to PAS8. The current LNB (device on end of arm on dish) will no doubt be suitable if it was being used for Foxtel Dig.

Now, the box. Foxtel will ask for their box back so don't expect to find another use for it. Plus, a SelecTV smart card will not work in the Foxtel Dig box anyway as they're designed to only decrypt NS VidoeGaurd signals. SelecTV require a box suitable for decrypting Irdeto signals.

The TARBS box, if your grandma still has it, may prove useful. If you can tell us the make and model of the box then that would be a good help. If you notice an Irdeto Access logo on the box then you might be in luck. However, if you look in the right places then you can find a resonably priced set top unit. A quick hunt and I found the cheapest one to be only $90;

* Opentel Sat Receiver - $90 (Link)

* Opentel 4000IR - $130 (Link)

* Dreamax DT470 - $150 (Link)

...plus heaps more if you browse those links.

Hope this helps