NEW SKY CARDS(latest information)

magaiver

a friend of mine(works for sky)told me that sky may not change the cards with new!!anyone knows something about that?personal i think that sky will change the cards soon

carrolls

The card changeover announced in November seemed to me to be a horrendous business plan.
Over 7 Million cards to be posted out plus all of the implementation headaches.
I think NDS (the owner of the Videoguard System) originally demanded that they changed all of the cards for security reasons.
If 'magaiver' is right, Sky must have negotiated a u-turn with NDS.

Tony

Negotiate? NDS is a Murdoch owned company AFAIK

Originally posted by carrolls
The card changeover announced in November seemed to me to be a horrendous business plan.
Over 7 Million cards to be posted out plus all of the implementation headaches.
I think NDS (the owner of the Videoguard System) originally demanded that they changed all of the cards for security reasons.
If 'magaiver' is right, Sky must have negotiated a u-turn with NDS.

John R

Originally posted by Tony
Negotiate? NDS is a Murdoch owned company AFAIK

Indeed it is, all one big happy profit making family.

It did seem to be a bit un-necessary to replace all the cards considering there have been no successful hacking attempts.

TVDX

Well for everyone with FTV cards sakes i hope to god that this is true.

byte

Originally posted by TVDX
Well for everyone with FTV cards sakes i hope to god that this is true.

Yea, couldn't agree more!

telecinesk

Dont think theres much to worry about.
I received 3 bbc cards this week and all looks same.

Then again............ btw conax // heeee, heeeeeee

sayireland

quote:

I received 3 bbc cards this week and all looks same


Do the cards physically look the same?

I think I heard somewhere or did I see a picture in the magazine before Christmas that the supposed new cards would have the 'house with the smoking chimney' on it as part of the new design.


When did you ask for them? I have a mate in Scotland who has been waiting since before Xmas!!

telecinesk

Eh, just opened the envelope of the last one> No smoking thingy. S/N starts with 102 so theyre busy enough by my standards. MMM time to marry box next. Austria is becoming part of Northern Ireland hee hee...
Got mine from uncle in NI. Id love a Scot card for the football but no relatives there..

Charles Slane

Quoting from bronzebird on the DigitalSpy forum -

"7,000,000 cards to be replaced

P2 cards have new artwork numbers

P2 vc numbers will range above 11million, anything above 30 million is invalid

P2 cards are on their way 100,000 cards are to be mailed from 20th Jan as an initial test

Cards should be delivered 24-72 hrs after the account has been selected

Followed by 120,000 cards a day Mon-Sat for 10-12 weeks.

Personal planner items will be wiped (series links/reminders)

Sky+ cards will be issued last

Recordings on Sky+ pre-dating Mar '02 will be wiped

Once your card has been mailed you have 2 weeks to insert the new card before ever persistent OSM's will encourage you to change

The chaining process is automated and relies on an over-air security action and your STB's EPG being 3.0.11(*)

Chaining should take 20 seconds after inserting P2
OSM 19 - Initialising new VC please wait
OSM 04 - This card is not authorised please call....
OSM - Authorising new VC
OSM 20 - Card changeover complete (backup to continue)

Watch channel 998/999, Sky Active, Sky Enquiries soon...!!!!

All subject to change but should be pretty much correct have fun guys!"


I can't pretend to understand all of that, but it seems that the card changeover is going to happen after all.

chernobyl

Originally posted by Charles Slane


P2 cards have new artwork numbers

P2 is just the version number.
We can logically assume that what we have now is P1.
Blade, you should find it funny that we are only on V2 considering your previous endevours with Sky.

Originally posted by Charles Slane


P2 vc numbers will range above 11million, anything above 30 million is invalid

VC is "viewing card" i assume.
..and the other is a serial number

Originally posted by Charles Slane

Once your card has been mailed you have 2 weeks to insert the new card before ever persistent OSM's will encourage you to change

Skys version of that annoying "helper" is MS word.
OSM = on screen message..nag nag nag!

Originally posted by Charles Slane

The chaining process is automated and relies on an over-air security action and your STB's EPG being 3.0.11(*)

This says you box has to have the latest EPG version..i think.

Funky Phantom

Just wondering, the fact that a figure of 7m is used, would that SUGGEST!!??!! that the FTA/ FTV cards are omitted. I seem to remember somewhere that Sky's current subscribers amount to some 6 point odd million. :rolleyes:

Heres hoping

carrolls

Theres 6.4 million Subscriptons including Ireland.
There is a 10% churn rate every year.
There are about 150,000 FTV cards. Therefore I'd say its likely.

robert muldoon

Originally posted by Charles Slane
Quoting from bronzebird on the DigitalSpy forum -

"7,000,000 cards to be replaced

P2 cards have new artwork numbers

P2 vc numbers will range above 11million, anything above 30 million is invalid

P2 cards are on their way 100,000 cards are to be mailed from 20th Jan as an initial test

Cards should be delivered 24-72 hrs after the account has been selected

Followed by 120,000 cards a day Mon-Sat for 10-12 weeks.

Personal planner items will be wiped (series links/reminders)

Sky+ cards will be issued last

Recordings on Sky+ pre-dating Mar '02 will be wiped

Once your card has been mailed you have 2 weeks to insert the new card before ever persistent OSM's will encourage you to change

The chaining process is automated and relies on an over-air security action and your STB's EPG being 3.0.11(*)

Chaining should take 20 seconds after inserting P2
OSM 19 - Initialising new VC please wait
OSM 04 - This card is not authorised please call....
OSM - Authorising new VC
OSM 20 - Card changeover complete (backup to continue)

Watch channel 998/999, Sky Active, Sky Enquiries soon...!!!!

All subject to change but should be pretty much correct have fun guys!"


I can't pretend to understand all of that, but it seems that the card changeover is going to happen after all.

In a nytshell what does all this mean to us commoners?

rav

Does anyone know if the FTA cards are affected?
A friend of mine may give me his as he is thinking of emigrating! But is it any good if they are changing the cards?

If that doesnt work out I might buy a card and box at this site http://www.solsat.com/astra.htm

but I would appreciate to hear all your expert views on this site and if its a trusty operation.

They sell the box and the card - it seems expensive but if its the only way I can get itv and itv 2 and channel 4 then I will go this road eventhough it will cost an arm and a leg.

Thank you
Rav

eirman

According to channel 999 a phoneline connection is required for the activating the new cards. I doubt that it is an absolute requirement as I'm sure there are 1 million+ boxes not connected to phone lines.

sayireland

The video does mention the phoneline but in the text of 'Changeover Steps' it doesn't so I imagine that it¡s optional.

Originally posted by eirman
According to channel 999 a phoneline connection is required for the activating the new cards. I doubt that it is an absolute requirement as I'm sure there are 1 million+ boxes not connected to phone lines.

Hmmm, this Gem of information might go un noticed, but it potentially hashuge implications for FTV bbc cards in ROI.
As it implies that you need a phone line to activate them and as this cannot be done with an Irish line, it means both box and card will have to be in the UK at first to be activated.

Are they going to end manual switch on's for FTV cards , ie what is done at present??
mm

byte

Don't like the phoneline idea!

Anyone notice the new Sky leaflets? They show ITV2 as part of the Family Pack! If only... :rolleyes:

magaiver

I called sky.the information is clear if you have your box connected to the telephone line ok if NOT no problem the activation of the new card will be automated!!SO DONT WORRY ANY MORE ABOUT THE TELEPHONE LINE!!

telecinesk

Do you think the phoneline will stretch from austria to the uk??
Looks funny, having just had some bbc cards activated this week.
Is this for Sky cards only? This is the question nobody has a straight answer for.
One other thing to watch, somethings afoot regarding card emulation. Sky is next and I will enjoy this "If" it works... Interface built...

carrolls

I think Sky themselves are still pondering on whether to spend up to a million pounds replacing the FTV cards

Darby OGill

Is it clear as to why Sky are replacing the cards at all?

No-one has indicated that Sky's security systems have been breached (unless you count non-UK FTV's). The amount of FTV cards in use outside of the UK would seem to be insignificant compared to the number of Sky subscribers and legitimate FTV card holders. So what is it all about? Murdoch is not one to waste money, and this looks like an expensive exercise, even by his standards.

irishgeo

Any body get a new card yet.

robert muldoon

Originally posted by irishgeo
Any body get a new card yet.

I am getting two new cards from the Uk next week, but i am going to New York for the week and i wont be installing them for about 2 weeks

Robert

Got my new card in the post to day rang up they the actived it strait away. All working perfectly.

magaiver

why you called them?the new cards become active without calling sky

DMC

Me thinks folk are confusing the soon-to-be-replaced Sky Subscription cards with FTA cards.

This thread really is only in regard to the Sub cards Sky want to replace, and has anyone got one yet.

So with that clarification done......

Has anyone got one of the new Sky sub cards?

mojolaw

I rang FTV card information no. recently to change my FTV card over to a different box. The guy on the other end was very helpful and I mentioned to him that I heard that the cards were being changed soon. "Indeed they are ", he said, and " you will receive your new card within the next three months"....(this was just before Christmas)......

rovingrover

Anybody know yet if it will still be possible to use a FTV card and a Sky sub in the same Digibox.

I had read somewhere that this may be stopped with the card changeover.

Obviously not a question to ask the call centre clones.

watty

I have NO idea...
Won't stop me guessing though...

I think not. Though you may have to do some particular sequence to get EPG to go right.

The more usefull option if you have more than one card is to get a 2nd Digibopx and replace the LNB for a Dual or Quad.

Advantages:
Different channels in two rooms
Tape one channel while watch another
No card swapping

If you get a Digibox a quick phone call with box detials and card number makes it work in a few minutes. I changed my ROI sub card to a different box and reactivated a cancelled sub in one phone call and nothing to sign, no wait for someone to reconnect a cable etc, 2 minute later all working. (If I only had my sub active alternate months would they get fedup? After first year the minimum sub is 1 month notice to cancel, minutes to reactivate)