Sky introduce new encryption system to combat piracy (HD Channels have began switch)

I know i"ll get shot for this, but about time sky NDS start sorting out this mess.

The whole business is been ruined with miss information, and cowboys selling c**d s****ng satellite systems.

Who losses, only the customer,
I agree, sky is expensive, but piracy is wrong and without sky and others, there would be a lot of TV satellite installers painting houses.

So less cowboys, and more professional satellite/aerial installers with Insurance and proper installation standards, to keep the customer happy.

i've seen this all before, filmnet, premiere, sky channel etc, etc, and all we get is (can't contact the original installer, phone switched off).

Originally Posted by Mr Velo

Just got this reply back from Setanta.


Thank you for contacting Setanta Sports.

We have received your request for a FTA viewing card under the BAI Sound and Vision Scheme.

The BAI is the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Setanta broadcast a number of documentaries in funded by them, examples include The Club, An Exile’s Home in the Bronx, Man on A Mission and Yes I Can.

Please be advised that Setanta Sports is a subscription service and if you wish to view our fantastic sporting content then please contact us to discuss the subscription package options available. You will NOT receive our sporting content under the Sound and Vision scheme.

We are happy to order a card for you however this card will only function in a compatible SKY set top box and if you have an existing Sky viewing card then you will already have access to the content we broadcast in conjunction with the BAI Sound and Vision Scheme. We must also advise that if we request a card for you and you do have an existing Sky card then this may cause loss of service on your current viewing card.

We have the best premium live sport on TV including top flight Barclays Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League football, the best golf action from the Masters and the Open exclusively live, deferred coverage of the Rabodirect Pro 12 and action from the GAA.

If you wish to proceed with ordering the FTA card we would need you to contact our customer service department on the number listed below.

We are open from 9:30am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

I have continued to have email communications with Setanta and believe I now have what might be considered a definitive answer.

Please note that in the email quoted above it is not very clear that when 'ordering a card' they actually referred to ordering a Setanta Sports card and not the BAI S&V card, and the Setanta Sports card DOES require a Sky set top box, unlike the BAI S&V card.
This email, received today explains .....

Dear Mr XXXXX,

Account Reference: ZZZZZ,

Thank you for contacting Setanta Sports.

Having investigated this further I am under the assumption that the Fergsuon Ariva box is suitable for use with our FTA card provided to receive the programming funded by the Sound And Vision scheme.

The paragraph quoted "Our terms and conditions do advise that the Digibox must be an authorised satellite decoder using Sky's digital conditioning access (encryption) system" relates to the Setanta Sports subscription service only, therefore if you are not subscribing to our package this would not apply in this instance. In simple terms, if you are using this card and equipment to receive our programming funded by the Sound and Vision scheme only, there is no reason why you cannot use the card provided in the Ferguson Ariva box.

I do hope that this has resolved the matter fully for you.

If we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team on 0818 20 30 40 and one of my colleagues will be happy to help.

We are open from 9:30am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Regards
Sandra

For clarification, I used, as an example only, the Ferguson Ariva STB, as a device capable of using the BAI S&V card. This is the only reason it is mentioned by name in the email.

I believe Setanta has now fully clarified the situation regarding their 'FTV' card.

Essentially we can use the FTV card in any equipment we wish, and there is no impediment to doing so.
If we subscribe to a paid service then that card MUST be used in a Sky STB.

watty wrote: »

BUT there is NO FTV card. That is a Setanta fiction. It's a Sky card issued by Setanta. A FTV card is a system for Public Free channels, free 24 x7, that have to be encrypted for Geographic Reasons, i.e. the old BBC / C4 Solus FTV card scheme, or the Swiss FTV card.

That is your definition ..... if Setanta have a different definition I am not about to argue with whatever they choose to call it.

The only point is that they have made it very clear the card may be used in whatever STB the user chooses and does not need to be used in a Sky STB.

STB wrote: »

It clearly said in that chaps email from Setanta that it required a Sky set top box for the S&V card. It even goes onto say that if he has a Sky card already that he wont need the S&V card!

On this we disagree.
The email never mentioned the Sky STB until after the paragraph addressing a subscription for their Sports package.

I do agree that it should have been more explicit, and the email I quoted did make it explicit.

Clear as mud Johnboy (thanks for attempting to find out btw). Are they still issuing these cards ? And they are Sky cards, without a doubt, set to London, if not activated.

I dont know about you, but they seem to be telling so many different stories that it seems to be a the best kept secret! For the purposes of the scheme, all the confusion doesnt auger well.

I absolutely agree that they could very easily have made this clear ..... and am of the opinion they did not do so because they want users to use Sky STBs and then (they hope) subscribe to their Sports package.
Furthermore I think their wording in most correspondence is deliberately designed to give the impression that a Sky STB is needed for their 'FTV' card.
I don't find anything unusual in that .... I expect such from companies whose only business is making money.

As we have no idea whatsoever what arrangement Setanta might have with Sky regarding this card, it is pointless speculating about it.

It is now in clear wording that a Sky STB is not required to use the card to receive BAI S&V content.

I would also say that this situation should never have been allowed. The BAI should have insisted from the beginning that the S&V content be FTA and nothing less.
In addition Setanta should be required to make available the proposed date and time of each S&V programme well in advance of transmission time in some format (such as on their web site) that does not require access to the Setanta EPG. (Maybe it exists and I have failed to find it?)

Except for the issue of 'FTV' versus FTA I am now satisfied that the card is permitted to be used in whatever device one chooses ....... the doubts raised about this on Boards is what caused me to continue my email correspondence with Setanta until I received a very clear answer.

Thankfully that has now happened.

watty wrote: »

However the answer you received is almost certainly written by someone wrongly briefed and if this really is official Setanta policy it's very likely that they are in breach of Contract with Sky.

If you do not have details of the internal consultations that took place in Setanta, and also details of the agreement between Sky and Setanta regarding this 'FTV' card, then the above is nothing more than speculation that is contrary to written messages from a Setanta representative who has been engaged in discussions on this topic for some time, and who has stated they consulted the relevant people internally.

I suspect you have got this answer as a different one may result in them having to return all the BAI money as they should.

You are possibly correct.
That does not negate the answer received.

They are quite entitled to offer a "free" card with some "free" content as part of their Pay TV marketing. This should not entitle them to receive money from the TV licence.

As you are well aware the money is received based on a lot of criteria and not only on their 'free' card as the above seems to imply.

Nor are Setanta free to make up their own card use conditions. The card is a Sky / NDS / SSS card and Sky as Platform provider sets the conditions.

You are the only one who is insisting that Setanta are making up their own usage conditions. I have seen no evidence from elsewhere to support your opinion.

I am sure the agreement between Setanta and Sky has many conditions, none of which I am party to.

I am wiling to base my actions on the advice of one of the parties to that agreement.
If the other party to the agreement wishes to dispute the advice then I am sure the agreement also has clauses which cover that eventuality.

I'd be interested to hear BAI and Sky views on this so called "scheme".

I couldn't care less what Sky thinks TBH - that is a matter between two commercial entities ...... but the BAI should, IMO, immediately correct their position and force Setanta to broadcast the S&V content 'in the clear' to make it available FTA. The BAI should never have allowed this situation to exist in the first place!

.

Back on topic

Sky Sports 4 HD
Sky Movies Comedy HD
Sky Movies Action & Adventure HD

have now been switched over

same ol sh1te wrote: »

Nobody knows. The channels are disappearing on Thursdays, we saw 5 disappear yesterday, a few movies and one sport channel. Sky do not have the World Cup

Tuesdays and Thursdays

radiowaves wrote: »

Bein Sports is now fully locked down

hmmm I wouldn't be too sure about that

icdg wrote: »

gg69me banned for 48 hours after ignoring on thread warning for personal abuse.

Kev. I am also warning you due to backseat moderation.

lets get one thing clear MR Moderator , i did not abuse anyone i merely asked kev if he was a guard and if you think calling somebody a guard is personal abuse then god help you the next time you are stopped for tax and insurance by the garda dead eye,,,,i suppose you will ban me again now for speaking my mind....

Mallagio wrote: »

The way things are going with this migration, it looks like that this month will be the last that Sky use the old way of pairing for their HD channels.

Yep that's the end of it now.A few more weeks and they will have wiped all the HD channels.

If this speeds up the abolition of the ridiculous HD surcharge I'll be happy. I'd expect this system to be reverse engineered quickly enough, though, as no encryption is unbreakable, so I'm not sure it will affect card sharers massively.