Sky viewing card number on screen

threebeards

Can anyone tell me what's wrong? My 9 digit viewing card number flashes up on my tv every few hours in the top right hand side and stays there for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Any reason for this or is it my settings?

Thanks

byte

I think that's something to do with domestic Sky subs being used in public places, so that the guys out to catch can easily see the card number and the subscriber is easy identified.

Not sure what methodology they use though in determining which boxes to show the card number.

threebeards

byte wrote: »

I think that's something to do with domestic Sky subs being used in public places, so that the guys out to catch can easily see the card number and the subscriber is easy identified.

Not sure what methodology they use though in determining which boxes to show the card number.

Thanks byte. The only thing is that mine is sitting in my sitting room and has never been anywhere else

Kensington

threebeards wrote: »

Thanks byte. The only thing is that mine is sitting in my sitting room and has never been anywhere else

It will be happening to everyone. Sky do it as a way of identifying if you were using your digibox to feed an online stream, or if you owned a pub and were piping your domestic subscription onto the pub TVs.

The number may not always be your viewing card number, and may happen at any time on any box. Only sky know when the number is displayed and what it represents and it allows them to track down the individual subscription and cancel the card immediately.

byte

Actually, I've read it's for a number of reasons, another including catching those who stream their channels illegally online or maybe rip and share content for download.

See this thread.
http://www.avforums.com/forums/sky-sky/1342717-sky-viewing-card-number-visible-screen.html

gtg60

threebeards wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what's wrong? My 9 digit viewing card number flashes up on my tv every few hours in the top right hand side and stays there for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Any reason for this or is it my settings?

Thanks

Were you watching one of the Sky Sports channels at the time? They seem to be the ones it's happening to (mostly).

threebeards

gtg60 wrote: »

Were you watching one of the Sky Sports channels at the time? They seem to be the ones it's happening to (mostly).

Yeah, SS2. Now that you mention it I mainly notice it happening when I'm watching sports channels

gtg60

threebeards wrote: »

Yeah, SS2. Now that you mention it I mainly notice it happening when I'm watching sports channels

I'd ring up Sky and complain, perhaps they would remove your card number from the range and it won't happen again. I wouldn't mention of this new found knowledge though as it might cast unnecessary suspicion on you!

ISAA

To also stop card sharing ?

gtg60

ISAA wrote: »

To also stop card sharing ?

Unrelated as the number only flashes up on Sky boxes.

ISAA

I stand corrected :rolleyes:

STB

To spot the public performance of household subs being used in pubs etc.

They were doing the same with Sky Italia because businesses just wont pay their massive subs in the current climate.

Sky need to get real and stop charging mad sub fees that belong in the boom years. The sooner that Murphy case is resolved the better and sort out service monopolies and encourage free TV trade within the EU.

byte

Are you sure it's your actual card number, as some seem to suggest it's not your card number, but a 9 digit number that does identify who the sub belongs to.

I think to stop card shares was also part of the plan, but Linux can be made to ignore it?

Minstrel27

Sky do not trust you or any of its subscribers.

threebeards

byte wrote: »

Are you sure it's your actual card number, as some seem to suggest it's not your card number, but a 9 digit number that does identify who the sub belongs to.

I assumed it was but I checked and it's not. It appears to be a random 9 digit number

gtg60

threebeards wrote: »

I assumed it was but I checked and it's not. It appears to be a random 9 digit number

I strongly suggest you ring Sky and complain, I'd be interested to hear what they have to say.

marclt

Interesting one this. I saw highlights of a footy match on BBC news with what appeared to be a viewing card number above the Sky Sports DOG.

Well, if they wanted to check up on anyone, I'm sure they'd do it to the BBC!

It does impair your viewing pleasure though.. Ring up and tell them you're not impressed!

snaps

Its a real shame what commercial division of Sky have done. I used to enjoy going down the pub every so oftern on a sunday afternoon and watch the footie. Unfortunatly with the high commercial subs, most of my local pubs have got rid of the sports subs, so can only watch sport if its on the free or irish channels.

A real shame, pubs are struggling enough and all this extra cost is no help at all.

On a related matter, in the analogue days the card number was encoded into the VBI by the VideoCrypt decoder when the picture was decrypted. It could then be used to identify the source of unauthorised copies, such as on VHS tapes.