Can anyone give me a beginers guide to the CI? What does it provide? How do you get one? Thanks, Nick

[asibley]

Hi,

The CI is the common interface. It is a universal connector for insert CAM's (Conditional Access Modules). These are the devices that you insert subscription cards into in order to obtain pay tv. As an example a standard sky box has a built in CAM in order to accept a Sky subscription card.

Different TV operators use different encryption methods to encrypt their broadcasts and there are a number of different types of CAM's you can insert depending on the paytv operator you wish to subscribe to. There are certain CAMs that support multiple encryption methods.

There is only really any point in getting a CAM for your Humax box if you intend making use of the Non-Freesat channels that your dish can pickup.

A bit more infor here : Conditional access module - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[howardbowell]

Hi there,

If you intend to watch programming from other satellites, such as Hotbird, then the CAM slot can be used for subscription based services. These services can be of an Adult or other genre.

Regards

Howard

Thanks very much for clearing that up. I guess my slot will not get any use then

But can I put my Sky viewing card in there?

[jwball]

Originally Posted by oldnick666

Thanks very much for clearing that up. I guess my slot will not get any use then

But can I put my Sky viewing card in there?

You can put it in there but it won't do anything so not much point.

[asibley]

Some other members have used a diablo cam and inserted their sky card. It allowed them to get C4HD apparently. Don't think you'll get the specific sky channels though. Also the sky card would need to be inserted into an active sky box every month in order to ensure it was 'kept alive'

[BrianMc]

Originally Posted by asibley

Some other members have used a diablo cam and inserted their sky card. It allowed them to get C4HD apparently. Don't think you'll get the specific sky channels though. Also the sky card would need to be inserted into an active sky box every month in order to ensure it was 'kept alive'

I think it's now called a "Dragon Cam" - and it should get all the channels that the Sky smartcard is authorised for.

Unless you happen to have one it is not recommended to buy one specially - as Sky may be changing their smartcards later this year.

[Beerkan]

I'm interested in a Setanta subscription. What CAM do I buy to support their card, or do they provide it all in one?

Would I be better off getting a "Dragon Cam" type? How do I know what encryption type a service provider sends the signal under?

Any help explaining appreciated.

[waherne]

I would be very interested in hearing from other users about their experiences with cams and what they used them for. This seems to be an area that not too many people are familiar with.

[jools2001]

Originally Posted by waherne

I would be very interested in hearing from other users about their experiences with cams and what they used them for. This seems to be an area that not too many people are familiar with.

I have used a Diablo cam with Sky card to get CH4 HD, ,just waiting for CH4 HD to go onto freesat,as it a pain moving the cam between my Humax and my motorised Technomate 6900 system!

[Skatman]

Originally Posted by jools2001

I have used a Diablo cam with Sky card to get CH4 HD, ,just waiting for CH4 HD to go onto freesat,as it a pain moving the cam between my Humax and my motorised Technomate 6900 system!

Hi guys, would it be possible to use a Sky Freeview card on a Humax HDR to watch Irish channels. Am based in Ireland and I have a mate with sky subscription, who can order it for me.

Question is would it work, or has it ever been done?
Am OK with the UK Channels, but would like to add the Irish channels as well. Also what is the LNB Out socket, at the back of a Humax HDR for?

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Skatman

What is the LNB Out socket, at the back of a Humax HDR for?

It's essentially to allow a hdr to be used with a single lnb, tuner 1 out is connected to tuner 2 in to give the second tuner a feed. This uniquely allows two channel recording and 3rd channel viewing with some restrictions using only a single cable

[Skatman]

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

It's essentially to allow a hdr to be used with a single lnb, tuner 1 out is connected to tuner 2 in to give the second tuner a feed. This uniquely allows two channel recording and 3rd channel viewing with some restrictions using only a single cable

Thanks for the quick reply. Much appreciated.

[fixerman]

Originally Posted by Skatman

Hi guys, would it be possible to use a Sky Freeview card on a Humax HDR to watch Irish channels. Am based in Ireland and I have a mate with sky subscription, who can order it for me.

Question is would it work, or has it ever been done?
Am OK with the UK Channels, but would like to add the Irish channels as well. Also what is the LNB Out socket, at the back of a Humax HDR for?

If you mean RTE1, 2,TV3 etc it is not possible as those channels are not free to air or free to view with a Freesat from Sky card. They are encrypted and only available through a Sky box with a subscription and a card registered to an address in the Irish Republic. There is no equivalent to Freesat from Sky for use in Ireland.

[Skatman]

Originally Posted by fixerman

If you mean RTE1, 2,TV3 etc it is not possible as those channels are not free to air or free to view with a Freesat from Sky card. They are encrypted and only available through a Sky box with a subscription and a card registered to an address in the Irish Republic. There is no equivalent to Freesat from Sky for use in Ireland.

Thanks for clearing this up. It had me baffled, as I still want to view RTE and the Irish lot. Looks like a normal aerial would need to be added to the package.

But, then comes the issue of, how to incorporate this onto a Humax Box, would I need a switch? And if yes what kind, as I intend to have 2 lines from the Twin LNB into the back of the Humax, so where does the arial cable come in then?

Cheers.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Skatman

Thanks for clearing this up. It had me baffled, as I still want to view RTE and the Irish lot. Looks like a normal aerial would need to be added to the package.

But, then comes the issue of, how to incorporate this onto a Humax Box, would I need a switch? And if yes what kind, as I intend to have 2 lines from the Twin LNB into the back of the Humax, so where does the arial cable come in then?

Cheers.

There is no infeed for a terrestrial aerial on a freesat box. You will find a terrestrial aerial in on a sky box but all the sky box does is pass the incoming signals onto to rf1 and rf2 out and add it's own output as an analogue TV channel using it's internal modulator. Freesat boxes don't have an internal modulator so a terrestrial aerial in would have no purpose at all. You need an aerial connected to DVB-T (Terrestrial box) with it's own audio and video connections to your TV, totally independent of the satellite box.

[Skatman]

Thanks for that grahamlthompson, seems like RTE really want to make it difficult for us. Well I'll just have to connect the aerial directly to the TV, the way it was, though I was hoping to get all the channels in 1 place. As well as controlled by Humax Remote control. Looks like old system is still the best, changing back and forth from TV remote to Humax remote for all Sat Channels.

[grahamlthompson]

Originally Posted by Skatman

Thanks for that grahamlthompson, seems like RTE really want to make it difficult for us. Well I'll just have to connect the aerial directly to the TV, the way it was, though I was hoping to get all the channels in 1 place. As well as controlled by Humax Remote control. Looks like old system is still the best, changing back and forth from TV remote to Humax remote for all Sat Channels.

The foxsat-hdr remote control can be used to control most kit (including most TV's) by using the buttons at the top and entering the appropriate codes to set up your kit (see the manual).

If you really want to make it easy get a Harmony programmeable remote control.