Conditional Access Module
A Conditional Access Module ( CAM ) [ kənˈdɪʃənəl ˈæksɛs ˈmɒdjuːl ] ( German module for conditional access ) is an electronic device that is inserted into a DVB receiver via a common interface slot . The only task of the CA module is to manage the key exchange between the SmartCard and the actual decoder hardware, which works according to the Common Scrambling Algorithm (CSA). The CSA is used to decrypt programs from pay TV providers. A key can be used for this, which is located on a SmartCard, which is given to the user by his program provider for a one-off and / or monthly fee. This SmartCard has to be inserted into the CAM so that the electronics on the CAM can access the SmartCard.
Decryption
The actual decryption is not performed by either the SmartCard or the CAM, rather both components only serve to respond to a sent key request with a counter-key that is suitable for decoding. The actual decryption is not done by the CAM, but by the receiver (or its CSA hardware) itself.
If you simulate CSA and CAM in software, it is possible to e.g. B. simple SmartCard readers that are actually intended for reading phone or money cards, z. B. to connect serially to the PC and insert the SmartCard there.
Appropriate software, such as B. scam, however, is in a legal gray area, as it is not possible to watch Pay-TV without subscription, but the "inventive level" of the key query / response function implemented in the CAM - which is limited to a few simple protocol definitions - is very high License fees from i. d. Usually 80 to 250 euros (= cost of a CAM) would be around. The pure manufacturing costs are well below 10 euros (1 microcontroller (max. 1 euro), circuit board, contacts and a simple plastic housing).
The really expensive part has long been in the receiver, a CAM is only so expensive for licensing reasons. To avoid these costs, some manufacturers, such as B. Dream Multimedia, planned to define their own "encryption system" (more correctly: key exchange system). From the hardware of the Dreambox , the CAM part can be implemented legally - provided that a separate key exchange protocol is defined - purely in software. (In the end, a CAM also always contains software, the surrounding hardware ultimately only consists of a microcontroller, electrical connections and a housing).
| Surname | used by ( in ) |
|---|---|
| Betacrypt (†) | MediaVision ( de ), Premiere ( de ), ORF ( at ), ATV ( at ) |
| Conax | MTV Networks (int), Premiere Thema (de), Canal Digital (int, es , fr ), Hallmark ( Scand. ), Liwest ( at ), parts of the Digital Cable Group ( ch ), ImproWare AG ( ch ) |
| Cryptoworks | UPC (int), Viacom (int), ORF ( at ), ATV ( at ), Puls 4 ( at ), Austria9 ( at ), Czechlink ( cz ), Telespazio (es), Wizja ( pl ), RTL (pl) , Digiturk ( tr ), Easy.TV (de), arena (de), Premiere Thema (de) |
| Dreamcrypt | INXTC TV , XPlus TV |
| Irdeto | ART ( NO ), Showtime (NO), FOX ( au ), NOVA ( gr ), Stream (it), Canal Digitaal ( nl ), Multichoice ( za ), ORF ( at ), ATV ( at ), Austria9 ( at ) Etc. |
| KeyFly | Al Jazeera (int), Radiotelevisión Española (es), DWT (it), FreeX (fr), Africa Digital (rw, br), Radiodiffusion Télévision Marocaine (ma) |
| Mediaguard Seca | Canal + (int, fr), Canal Digitaal (nl), Orbit (NO), ABsat (fr), CSN (fr), NumeriCable (fr), CSD (es), Mediaset (it), Stream (it) (†) , Telepiu (it) (†), RAI (it), Nowa Cyfra + (pl) |
| Nagravision | Premiere ( de ), Sky ( de ), Unitymedia ( de ), Teleclub ( ch ), RTVE (es), Via Digital (es), Polsat (pl), TV Cabo ( pt ), Star Digital (tr), ORF ( at ), ATV ( at ), parts of the Digital Cable Group ( ch ), UPC Switzerland |
| NDS Videoguard | BSkyB ( gb ), Sky ( de ), ORF ( at ), ATV ( at ), OTE (gr), YES ( il ), Stream (it), SBB (Serbia Broadcast), Kabel BW ( de ), Sky Italia ( it ) |
| Neotion Skycrypt | FreeX TV ( gb ) |
| PowerVu | SIS , Carlton |
| Viaccess | SRG (ch); BBC (int), Viasat (Scand., Balt. ), Tele Danmark ( dk ), NRK ( no ), Senda (se), SVT ( se ); ART (NO), TeleVisa (es); ABSAT (fr), CFi , (fr), France Telecom (fr), MCM (fr), TPS (fr), Alpha (gr), HRT ( hr ), NTW ( ru ), RTV ( si ), various erotic channels |