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[InflatableMouse]

For several other TV programs there is a plugin available for the decryption of encrypted channels. The plugin is called Acamd.

I contacted the developer (dutch guy ) to see if he's willing to pass you the source code, or to work on it himself to make the plugin available for MC18. I promised him a license if he's willing to work on it (I'll pay for that myself).

I know this topic is low on your priority list but if he doesn't want to do it himself but is willing to give you the source code would you guys be willing to spend some more time on this?

Thanks

[Sandy B Ridge]

I tried to look into this about a year ago.

There seems to be three things that are needed for it to work.

1. A directshow filter such as MDAPIfilter.ax or MDAPIPlus.ax to sit in the filter graph and decrypt the actual stream.

2. A Software CAM (Conditional access module) like ACAMD to get the decryption keys.

3. A card reader server like Oscam to access the card and pass on the card details to the softCAM.

There's very little on the web about how each of the three bits interact and how it is all controlled by the media player, so some input from a guy in the know would probably be invaluable.

SBR

[InflatableMouse]

Yeh there may be more to it then just the decryption module, I don't know. But having the Acamd developer work on it would hopefully mean these other things fall into place as well. I spent the bigger part of my free time this weekend on other programs to get TV working in a satisfactory manner. This thread is evidence I was unsuccesful .

Either way I think this ability would greatly enhance MC's TV module for Europeans and for a personal benefit it would allow me to dump that silly STB that constantly crashes, never boots properly the 1st time, is slow to switch channels, can't record or do timeshift and heats up to the point where you can barely touch it.

I hope I can get the ball rolling and get people to work together. That would be awesome!

[glynor]

I'm thinking you're all darn foreigners, so you're probably talking about decrypting something other than CableCard-style encryption... Right?

QAM?

[InflatableMouse]

Yes, DVB-C with QAM encryption.

If you americans could simply follow our lead we wouldn't have this problem   .

[glynor]

Hey... We invented cable tv, so who's really the one "off the reservation" here? 

But seriously?

You're preaching to the choir here, buddy.   

[Sandy B Ridge]

QAM?

Unfortunately depends where you are. Multiple encryption systems depending on where you are.
eg.

Cryptoworks
Mediaguard 2
Nagravision 3
Viaccess 4.0
Viaccess 5.0
Irdeto 2
Video guard
All on DVB-S by different providers.
Fortunately ACAMD et al can decode most of these. Some unfortunately yet to be hacked.

SBR

[InflatableMouse]

Hey... We invented cable tv, so who's really the one "off the reservation" here? 

But seriously?

You're preaching to the choir here, buddy.   

Haha! Honestly I didn't know where or when it was invented, but I knew you were gonna quote me something!

I really hope I hear something from that developer. As SBR said it supports a lot of different methods.

[glynor]

Haha! Honestly I didn't know where or when it was invented, but I knew you were gonna quote me something!

I was actually in one of the early test-markets for cable TV way back when I was a very-young kid.  We got only the "big three" broadcast networks, and HBO (it was part of the original HBO rollout outside of Wilkes-Barre).

My parents signed up because it was cheap (since it was considered a test) and we had NO over-the-air reception.  Later on the price went up (and HBO was no longer free), our OTA reception improved somewhat, and we cancelled.  Then, I'll never forget... There was a big football game of some kind on (I don't remember what one, I was a kid), and my dad was trying to watch downstairs after I was sent to bed.

I'd never heard such swearing before...

The next week, we had cable again.

[ciccio1112]

news?? ?

[InflatableMouse]

I sent him a message on a forum where he was active. I keep checking his profile but unfortunately he's not logged in for ages.

[ciccio1112]

Update. You could try to contact the creators of DVBViewer and see if they provide some indication as they have their software interfaced with Acamd.

[yan00s]

Update. You could try to contact the creators of DVBViewer and see if they provide some indication as they have their software interfaced with Acamd.

Maybe taking a route like the guys at XBMC would be an option: interfacing with DVB Viewer Recording Service? This seems to work quite nicely.

[NickF]

This topic came up recently on the "Turning TV from Adequate to Excellent" topic

It is clearly technically feasible to achieve this as several other TV solutions include it.  I noticed on the Mediaportal site that they have a clear policy of not supporting use of MDAPI for decryption because, in most cases, it's illegal.  See here:

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/mdapi-softcam-support-again.12620/

I can see their point for several of the cases quoted but surely, if you have a subscription, a set top box and a valid card, if you used that card in a PC based solution and not in the STB, is that illegal?  Frodo says "Things like cardsharing or using softcams are highly illegal."  I understand the cardsharing point but is using softcams actually illegal?  If so, I think this would be dangerous territory for JRiver to get into.  Can anyone throw any informed light on this?

Nick.

[NickF]

From a post on world-of-satellite.com:
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/archive/index.php/t-25154.html

Flyingpig.   13-01-13, 22:08
Having a some legal background I can say that the softcams, software and 3rd party receivers are not illegal. As far as I am aware in the UK there has not been a single legal case banning the use of such software.

I can also point out that card sharing is not illegal in practice. What is illegal is selling services and profiting from items you are not permitted to sell, which infringes on copyright law and a few others as well.

Case 1 - A person has a legitimate subscription registered to his / her property. They use the third party software to share their very legitimate sub to another receiver in their home which is registered with the provider. There is no infringement on any law in this land, and anybody who says there is will need to point me in the direction of the case which has the law / statute behind it.

In case 1 - if the person with the legitimate sub shares it with themselves even at another property i.e. a 2nd home, where only they will access the service that is subscribed too will be hard pushed to be breaking the law.

However, if at any point you resell these services you are breaking lots of laws which carry severe penalties.

In the UK (suppose it goes for europe as well) I can almost certainly that there will never be a case of anyone being prosecuted when they are sharing with themselves or not for profit, and the reason being that if the providers lost the case that - which I think they would, that would set a precedent and it would be open season.

So in answer to the question, 3rd party software used with recievers is not illegal at all. If you think different point me in the direction of laws where people have been prosecuted who have not been selling a service they are not entitled too.

FP.

Edit - at worst it is breaking terms of service - which is civil law and not criminal.

Nick.