DM500 Dreambox for Digital Cable (QAM) in the US

[KungFu_Toe]

My cable provider recently decided to encrypt all but a few of their channels. This seriously messed up my Vista Media Center setup. I was thoroughly enjoying my HD Homerun. Now it's next to useless. That said here is my goal:
1. See if the Dreambox can be set up to emulate my cablebox and decrypt the QAM channels that I subscribe to.
2. Control the Dreambox through Vista MCE.
3. Upload EPG data within MCE.
4. Create a documented process, so that other Vista MCE users, in the US, can also use the Dreambox.

On that note, has anyone successfully set up a Dreambox to receive QAM, if so, was it in the United States?

[Devilfish]

UK cable is on 64-QAM and I'm sure European satellite is similar if not the same.

It all depends on what encryption the company is using, i.e. Nagravision, Irdeto. Viaccess, Mediaguard, etc.

Then we can go about finding a hack.

[kagon]

All possible, which cable network specifically?

[KungFu_Toe]

Thanks for your help. I just finished reading up on CableCards on Wikipedia. Turns out there are special laws in the US regarding cable encryption. I don't think what I was attempting to do is legal. Therefore, I'm probably going to drop the project. I have a friend who may be able to provide more info on the legal end (my trust for Wikipedia is limited). However, not all is lost. According to the article, US satellite transmissions are exempt from this. I'm going to look into Direct TV and Dish TV.

[kagon]

The FCC also mandates by law that all cable companies in the United States provide IEEE 1394 (firewire) connectivity on set top boxes to customers who request them. So, you might be able to get away with just using that if you have it already or request a box that provides it.

[KungFu_Toe]

The firewire ports are only included on their HD boxes. I refuse to give my cable provider more money out of principle. I believe they purposely encrypted their channels to increase STB rental revenue. Then, they turned around and blamed the FCC.

[Jocky666]

Thanks for your help. I just finished reading up on CableCards on Wikipedia. Turns out there are special laws in the US regarding cable encryption. I don't think what I was attempting to do is legal. Therefore, I'm probably going to drop the project. I have a friend who may be able to provide more info on the legal end (my trust for Wikipedia is limited). However, not all is lost. According to the article, US satellite transmissions are exempt from this. I'm going to look into Direct TV and Dish TV.

I think what you are thinking is Prolly illegal in most places mate!!!
Its the getting caught part that always provides the biggest problem Don't get caught LOL

[KungFu_Toe]

It doesn't make sense that it would be illegal. I'm not talking about getting stations that I don't pay for. I just want to be able to record to my computer. One would think, if I'm paying to view certain channels, the government would care how I view them. Emulating a piece of equipment that I'm renting doesn't impose on anyone. How ever, RCN, my cable provider is using laws designed to stop people from pirating, as a way to generate profits. Who's the bad guy here, me or RCN?

[Devilfish]

So how do you receive the encrypted channels now? Receiver and smartcard?

Some dvb-c cards have a CAM slot so that you can insert a card to decrypt the channels. Or depending on the encryption used, you might be able to use a softcam (small program running in the background) that will decrypt the channels.

[kagon]

You're right, it doesn't make sense. But the DMCA, which makes things like channel decryption circumvention for almost any purpose illegal, is law. Shitty, moronic and ridiculous but law nonetheless. Devilfish's solution of using your "legal" viewing card in a Dreambox with a cam daemon is about as close as you get to a legal grey area in the US; basically appealing to the interoperability clauses.

For reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act

We can all thank BJ Bill for signing this one into law.

[KungFu_Toe]

According to what I've fished up on the internets, RCN uses Harmonics NSG 9116 for encryption.