How to watch encrypted TV channels?

[garry]

Hi,
I try to watch encrypted TV channels (with CAM module and appropriate card). In Windows it works well in DVBDream. But in Linux I can watch only free TV channels, encrypted channels do not work. I use Kaffeine. Also I tried to lock signal using linuxtv - signal locked well but no any data are available from driver if TV channel is encrypted; for free channels all works well.

How to watch encrypted channels in Linux? Does linux driver support encrypted mpeg4 channels? Or maybe I need to configure /dev/dvb/adapter0/ca0, because there are no any data when I poll() from demux. if so where I can find examples how to do it?

Upd. In Linux I can watch free channels only when CAM module is not inserted in DVB card. When I insert CAM module (with or without smartcard) then I can't watch even free channels.

[steven]

Hi garry

Do you have tested DVBLast which support CI ?if not,you can have a try.

Kind Regards

steven

[garry]

I installed DVBLast and run it:
# dvblast -a 0 -c dvb.conf -f 12226000 -s 27500000 -v 18 -m qpsk
My dvb.conf:
192.168.0.4:10000 1 27005
Where 27005 is SID of TV channel that I try to watch.
But it not solved problem - dvblast reseted very often, but maybe I need to configure dvblast more accurately... The only problem that I solved is that now I can watch free TV channels even when CAM module is inserted in TBS6991.

Here is the log from dvblast:
# dvblast -a 0 -c dvb.conf -f 12226000 -s 27500000 -v 18 -m qpsk
DVBlast 2.2 (release)
warning: restarting
debug: using linux-dvb API version 5
debug: Frontend "TurboSight TBS 6991 DVBS/S2 frontend" type "QPSK (DVB-S/S2)" supports:
debug: frequency min: 950000, max: 2150000, stepsize: 1011, tolerance: 5000
debug: symbolrate min: 1000000, max: 45000000, tolerance: 0
debug: capabilities:
debug: INVERSION_AUTO
debug: FEC_1_2
debug: FEC_2_3
debug: FEC_3_4
debug: FEC_4_5
debug: FEC_5_6
debug: FEC_6_7
debug: FEC_7_8
debug: FEC_AUTO
debug: QPSK
debug: 2G_MODULATION
debug: FE_CAN_RECOVER
debug: frequency 12226000 is in Ku-band (higher)
debug: configuring LNB to v=18 p=0 satnum=0
debug: tuning QPSK frontend to f=12226000 srate=27500000 inversion=-1 fec=999 rolloff=35 modulation=qpsk pilot=-1
debug: CA interface with 1 slot
debug: CI link layer level interface type
debug: 0 available descramblers (keys)
error: failed setting filter on 0 (Invalid argument)
error: failed setting filter on 16 (Invalid argument)
error: failed setting filter on 17 (Invalid argument)
error: failed setting filter on 18 (Invalid argument)
error: failed setting filter on 19 (Invalid argument)
error: failed setting filter on 20 (Invalid argument)
debug: conf: 192.168.0.4:10000 config=0x1 sid=27005 pids[0]
debug: frontend has acquired signal
debug: frontend has acquired carrier
debug: frontend has acquired stable FEC
debug: frontend has acquired sync
info: frontend has acquired lock
frontend has acquired lock
debug: - Bit error rate: 0
debug: - Signal strength: 29190
debug: - SNR: 63350
debug: CI slot 0 is active
debug: opening ResourceManager session (1)
debug: opening ApplicationInformation session (2)
info: CAM: DRE NKE, 01, 4A60, 0001
CAM: name=DRE NKE type=1 manufacturer=19040 product=1
debug: opening ConditionalAccess session (3)
debug: CA system IDs supported by the application :
debug: - 0x7be1
debug: - 0x7be0
debug: - 0x4ae5
debug: - 0x4ae1
debug: - 0x4ae0
warning: no DVR output, resetting
debug: frequency 12226000 is in Ku-band (higher)
debug: configuring LNB to v=18 p=0 satnum=0
debug: tuning QPSK frontend to f=12226000 srate=27500000 inversion=-1 fec=999 rolloff=35 modulation=qpsk pilot=-1
debug: closing ConditionalAccess session (3)
debug: frontend has acquired signal
debug: frontend has acquired carrier
debug: frontend has acquired stable FEC
debug: frontend has acquired sync
info: frontend has acquired lock
frontend has acquired lock
debug: - Bit error rate: 0
debug: - Signal strength: 49547
debug: - SNR: 62913
warning: no DVR output, resetting
debug: frequency 12226000 is in Ku-band (higher)
debug: configuring LNB to v=18 p=0 satnum=0
debug: tuning QPSK frontend to f=12226000 srate=27500000 inversion=-1 fec=999 rolloff=35 modulation=qpsk pilot=-1
debug: frontend has acquired signal
debug: frontend has acquired carrier
debug: frontend has acquired stable FEC
debug: frontend has acquired sync
info: frontend has acquired lock
frontend has acquired lock
debug: - Bit error rate: 0
debug: - Signal strength: 49419
debug: - SNR: 62039
debug: CI slot 0 is active
debug: opening ResourceManager session (1)
debug: opening ApplicationInformation session (2)
info: CAM: DRE NKE, 01, 4A60, 0001
CAM: name=DRE NKE type=1 manufacturer=19040 product=1
debug: opening ConditionalAccess session (3)
debug: CA system IDs supported by the application :
debug: - 0x7be1
debug: - 0x7be0
debug: - 0x4ae5
debug: - 0x4ae1
debug: - 0x4ae0
warning: no DVR output, resetting
debug: frequency 12226000 is in Ku-band (higher)
debug: configuring LNB to v=18 p=0 satnum=0
debug: tuning QPSK frontend to f=12226000 srate=27500000 inversion=-1 fec=999 rolloff=35 modulation=qpsk pilot=-1
debug: closing ConditionalAccess session (3)
error: en50221: cannot read from CAM device (-1:Resource temporarily unavailable)
debug: frontend has acquired signal
debug: frontend has acquired carrier
debug: frontend has acquired stable FEC
debug: frontend has acquired sync
info: frontend has acquired lock
frontend has acquired lock
debug: - Bit error rate: 0
debug: - Signal strength: 49499
debug: - SNR: 62039
debug: CI slot 0 is active
debug: opening ResourceManager session (1)
debug: opening ApplicationInformation session (2)
info: CAM: DRE NKE, 01, 4A60, 0001
CAM: name=DRE NKE type=1 manufacturer=19040 product=1
debug: opening ConditionalAccess session (3)
debug: CA system IDs supported by the application :
debug: - 0x7be1
debug: - 0x7be0
debug: - 0x4ae5
debug: - 0x4ae1
debug: - 0x4ae0
^Cinfo: Shutdown was requested.
debug: removing 192.168.0.4:10000

If I configure dvb.conf as
192.168.0.4:10000 1 27005 51,52
where 51 and 52 are video and audio pids then I have additional strings in log:
debug: conf: 192.168.0.4:10000 config=0x1 sid=27005 pids[2]=51,52
error: failed setting filter on 51 (Invalid argument)
error: failed setting filter on 52 (Invalid argument)

Any ideas?

[cody]

Hi, if you lock not encrypted channel with DVBlast or other application does it work? i'm asking, because from your lock it seems to me like you get lock, but no data from the card and that i guess happens, because of the following error message:

error: en50221: cannot read from CAM device (-1:Resource temporarily unavailable)

so, are there any more details about the CAM error on 'dmesg' output? also, you can activtae option 'cam_debug' - just create file 'dvb.conf' in '/etc/modprobe.d/' with content like:

# cat /etc/modprobe.d/dvb.conf

options dvb-core cam_debug=1

and then CAM debug is active always even after restart and you can collect more data on 'dmesg' log after you get that error "cannot read from CAM device" when try to use DVBlast.

BTW, any details for your CAM as well for your signal, i.e. if you try DVB-S2 signal with QPSK modulation as your command line suggests:

# dvblast -a 0 -c dvb.conf -f 12226000 -s 27500000 -v 18 -m qpsk

could be very helpful.

[garry]

Hi,

Thank you for answer.

Satellite: Eutelsat 36A/36B at 36.0°E
I tested with 2 different CAM modules with appropriate smartcards:
- Viaccess Smit, provider NTV Plus
- DRE Crypt Mpeg4, provider Tricolor.
In Windows in DVBDream channels work stable.
I began tests with DRE Crypt Mpeg4 module and even free TV channels didn't work. Then I removed DRE Crypt and inserted Viaccess Smit. With Viaccess Smit free TV channels worked well in Kaffeine (not in DVBLast). When after that I removed Viaccess and inserted DRE Crypt Mpeg4 again, free TV channels began to work in Kaffeine (not in DVBLast). Also I updated drivers to last version.

I tested this free TV channel: 8 Kanal, Transponder ER16, Frequency - 12015, Polarization - Right, DVB-S MPEG-2, 27500, 3/4, Modulation - QPSK.

My tests:

1. Viaccess Smit
Free TV channel (8 Kanal) works well in Kaffeine. In DvbLast it doesn't work:
> dvblast -a 0 -c dvb.conf -f 11861000 -s 27500000 -v 13 -m qpsk
dvb.conf:
192.168.0.4:10000 1 22101 301
I set frequency to 11861 (as it detected in Caffeine) and not 12015 as it is a circular polarization, heterodyne frequency is 10750 MHz.
log file: Viaccess_DvbLast_FreeTV.txt
dmesg log file: Viacess_dmesg_FreeTV.txt

Encrypted TV channel (JimJam, 12476 R tp 40):
> dvblast -a 0 -c dvb.conf -f 12322000 -s 27500000 -v 13
log file: Viaccess_DVBLast_JimJam.txt
dmesg log file: Viaccess_dmesg_jimjam.txt

Once I thought that the problem is solved as some of the encrypted channels (JimJam) began to work in Kaffeine. But it was only once, and when I reconnected, they didn't work. DVBLast never worked. It seems that drivers work very unstable as when channel began to work in Kaffeine, I successfully poll() data from demultiplexor in my own C++ code. And when channel doesn't work - no any data available from demultiplexor or dvr. I attached logs.

[cody]

Hello, the driver doesn't work unstable, because we have professional IPTV service providers as customers that use 6991 for decrypting with the CI as well i've never seen until now the error message:

error: en50221: cannot read from CAM device (-1:Resource temporarily unavailable)

anyway, what i see on your logs doesn't make much sense either. so, is it possible to give me remote access to your Linux computer - you can send me the details via email.

BTW, Kaffeine is most probably not working, because you use version of Kaffeine without CI support.

and last thing - if you insert any of the CAMs and use "gnutv -cammenu" to access the menu does it work normal.

[bob]

Hi,
what kinds of mother board you used?
Could you try to change other PCIE slot? Or change other mother board?
We doubt it could be relate with power supply for the PCIE slot cause such problem.
Regards!

[garry]

Hi,
Once I succesfully accesed to CAM menu through "gnutv -cammenu", but then I received some errors (file cammenu.txt). I changed PCI-E slot - no changes. My motherboard is ASUS P7P55 WS SuperComputer LGA1156 <P55>. Then I installed TBS 6991 in another computer - SupeMmicro 7037A-I. And it seems that on SuperMicro all is ok! No more error "error: en50221: cannot read from CAM device (-1:Resource temporarily unavailable)". I attached log from SuperMicro (file ntvplus.log). So it seems that the problem is indeed in power on ASUS motherbord.

Maybe you know the way how can I solve the power question? For example connect power cable to TBS6991? As if its not possible then I will need to buy a new motherboard...

Upd. I connected power cable to TBS6991 - no result.
Upd2. On SuperMicro log is not the same as on Asus, I thought that here all is ok but it is not so - channels don't work on SuperMicro. No data available on demultiplexers even for free TV channels (data available only when there is no CAM module in tuner). So the problem is not solved.

[garry]

I installed Kaffeine on SuperMicro, result is the same as on Asus - some channels work, others not. But as Kaffeine is without CI support, maybe on SuperMicro all channels decoded correctly in DVBLast. I will learn DVBLast more accurately to test it.
DRE Crypt Mpeg4 is a non standart module so it is unsupported without special software.

If you will have any solutions how to solve en50221 error on Asus - it will be excellent. Cody, I sent you e-mail.

[garry]

I found error on Asus. It was due to one incorrect header file, this file was changed after installation of different software. No more en50221 error on Asus.
I will check is DVBLast decodes channels properly.