Satellite TV ponderings

Submitted: Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 14:02

ThreadID: 66395 Views:2485 Replies:2 FollowUps:5

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Satellite TV

Satellite TV systems enable viewers to receive free to air and/or pay TV channels in remote locations where land-based television reception is either poor, or non-existent. In fact,

mhquay

HI all

Sitting round the dinner table last night with a half dozen caravanners we started talking about satellite card activation. Standard procedure is that you have your receiver turned on, tuned in with the card inserted and wait.

Why does the unit have to be turned on. As far as we knew the dish is not a transmitter, just a receiver or is it a little like a cell phone sending signals of current position back every now and then.

Hope there is an expert out there that can explain.

Cheers

Phil

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Reply By: Foxhound (WA) - Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 14:40

Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 14:40

If the set top box is off there is then no power to the LNB that collects the signal reflected off the dish. The LNB must be powered up.

AnswerID: 351661

Follow Up By: mhquay - Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 15:11

Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 15:11

So if I understand you right a signal is transmitted from the satellite that activates my card.

The sender of the signal however does not know if the transmission has been sucessfull.

In other words the sender has no idea where I am in Australia and the only party who will know if the activation has been successful or not is me.

Phil

FollowupID: 619877

Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 15:37

Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 15:37

Phil,

You are absolutely correct. You can be anywhere in Australia and the only one that knows where you are is you...for the purpose of Sat TV that is.

I have two authorised Aurora cards....simple. And it beats getting your pirate card encrypted all the time as my pirate one stopped working at least 4 times on my trip around AUS last year. And I had to send it to the bloke I bought it off.

I now have two Official ones and no more problems.

FollowupID: 619880

Follow Up By: mhquay - Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 16:35

Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 16:35

Thanks Dunco.
You read between the lines really well.
I am new to this and thought the hassle as you cross borders would warrant doing exactly what you have done.
Thanks all.

Regards

Phil

FollowupID: 619889

Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 17:01

Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 17:01

Phil,

There is a little more to it but I don't wish to post it here.

Can you PM me ...or email

dunco@gdaustralia.com

FollowupID: 619898

Reply By: timglobal - Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 15:16

Sunday, Mar 01, 2009 at 15:16

Hi Phil,

The Receiver unit is, on most mobile sat systems, simply that. Some pay-per-view systems require a return path, but most mobile sat systems can't do this.

To answer your question how it knows to activate, it works on an encrypted hotlist.

Receiver knows "who" it is and can read what card is in it. It receives a list of cards and their activation status via carrier signal from the sat transmitter.

The receiver reads this list on power-up and activates (or deactivates) the card and related channel access. So no transmission is required.

The system isn't foolproof against fraud, but works pretty well.

Cheers,

Tim

AnswerID: 351669