Scrambling
News- click to go to the online site.
Pirate War Causes Shut Down of DSS Battery Cards. See Some of the
News That is Important To Us at the bottom of the page. March 6.
Here is a
photo of the latest version of the battery card, which is used to receive
all
programming on DirecTV and USSB including pay-per-view movies. Shown is the
top of the card. The end containing the chips, which protrudes from the
DSS receiver is now
covered with plastic in order to prevent damage from static electricity.
The 18 pin edge connector which is shown, is used to program the cards. The
contact pad which also appears on the official card is on the other side.
Three separate programming operations are required and we will discuss how
the cards are programmed in the newsletter I am writing now.
This is not a very good photo. Sorry. I took it with one of those
$100 Connectix digital cameras. The card is shown in the jaws of a vice.
There are now two suppliers of these cards. It appears that one of the principals
who was originally involved in the break on the system has gone out on his
own. The original developers said they would only produce 50,000 cards but
now the situation has changed. 50,000 pirate units against 1.3 million subscribed
units is not a huge problem, but if there get to be a few hundred thousand
pirate units out there, then DirecTV and Thomson have a problem and they
will
be forced to swap out the smartcards. Their main concern of course is the
gap between DSS systems sold or in the pipeline and the number authorized.
This will give them the number of black market units. If the average
subscriber spends $50/month for programming and there are 10,000 battery
cards out there, then programmers are losing $500,000/month in programming
fees. This is offset against the cost of providing 1.5 million new smartcards
at a cost of $8 each for a total of $12 million. As the number of battery
cards increases, the balances of costs and benefits shift so that it is in
DirecTV's interests to issue and pay for new smartcards.
Modifying a DSS IRD is easier for the consumer than the VCII was.
Consumers can easily maintain their own systems if they have basic computer
skills. Considering the new round of ECM's which started on February 29,
they may have to. Only the EEPROM in the IRD must be reprogrammed with the
clone ID.
No hardware modifications are necessary. It is not necessary to socket any
chips or do any soldering. We will show you how it is done
in the newsletter which will be mailed
the second week of March.
Scrambling News does not promote satellite or cable piracy. It is
up to the individual to obey the laws of his particular country. It is our
understanding that it is legal to use a battery card in Canada and some Caribbean
countries. We believe that it is clearly illegal to use one in the United
States.
This is not a Legal opinion.
3494 Delaware Ave., #123,Buffalo, NY, 14217-1230
Voice/FAX 716.874.2088 dlawson@localnet.com
Some of the many video fixes we evaluate.
A subscription to the BBS costs $29.95 for one
year
and it
includes 12 issues of our newsletter which are mailed to you. It is also
included as part of our
monthly specials..
Some Reviews
" The Scrambling News has detailed insider information on the
current TV video scrambling and de-scrambling methods. It also offers
books full of schematics, modifications and related technical
information."Don Lancaster,Electronics Now, March 1993
"Scrambling News... offers down and dirty investigative pieces
with no advertising.."WIRED, August 1994
"Scrambling News... is a highly competent, technically excellent
publication, well written and full of insight into gray and legit TVRO
equipment markets, legislation, etc."The Television Gray Market
"Carrying the baton passed on to them by their predecessor,
Scrambling News, David and his friends produce a fine info-packed zine.
It's...packed with small type, overflowing with news on computer
programs of interest to computer, cable and phone hackers. There are
some really technically detailed articles along with schematic diagrams
of electronic equipment. And some simple, straightforward news and
views can also be found. Nice job. " Gray Areas, Spring 1995
Here are some links
to other sources of information, products and services
|
Here is some of the News which is important to us:
Scrambling News Log
: December 5
Scrambling News Log : December 6
Scrambling News
Log : December 7 DSS Test Card Scam
Real
Paddleboard Style Fix Offered from
Trinidad : December 24/95
Update
DirecTV, VCII PLUS, Orion December 28,1995
DirecTV wishes
pirates a happy new year and shuts off pirate smartcards
Wall Street
Journal Does First Story on DSS Piracy
Toronto
Star Spoofed by Impostor DSS Hacker
New Suppliers
of Pirate DSS TestCards and Programmers Card Prices Fall
Battery Cards for DSS System ECM'd February 29, 1996
Pirate War Causes Shutdown of DSS Battery Cards
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