Another thread, another way to explain some basics of satellite tv.
Firstly, what level are you at, what level do you want to be?
=Level 1= Receive free uk channels only.
This will suit many uk viewers, gaining all the mainstream channels plus more multichannel choice than freeview. Free-
sat-from-sky ; freesat ; non-branded service free-to-air reception are your choices.
=Level 2= Free channels plus Sky Digital.
The most common form of satellite tv reception in the uk. You simply pay monthly subscription to gain more channel choice, with various levels of cost to suit. Almost everyone will be familiar with this level but the high majority will perhaps not realise it sits at such a low level in the 'satellite reception' scale, with no clue that there are many many more satellites broadcasting in our skies.
=Level 3= Free channels from the Uk, plus other free channels from satellites broadcasting in Europe.
This is where larger dishes become relevant, with perhaps the option of a motorised dish. A small 'sky-type' dish can be used to aim in other directions but its just not going to gain much. You really need a dish upgrade to reach this level. Feeds and foreign language channels can be of interest, but this stage is usually temporary and becomes the route to higher levels of satellite tv.
=Level 4= Multi-satellite free channels, plus the 'clearing' of some premium channels with 'keys' or 'firmware patch' or 'softcam'.
This tends to be the start of a hobby, and not just about watching tv. Constantly changing keys and available emulations mean channels come and go, and many find it more fun to follow changes than the telly content they originally wanted to watch! Either way this method of watching content without paying for it is illegal, but many choose this method because the choice is phenomenal, with great movie, sport and full hardcore content which cannot be found with uk subscriptions.
=Level 5= Additional added hardware.
If you realise that things regularly change you realise the need for 'motors' as it means you can easily move to the latest place of fashion. Motorising your dish isnt compulsory but its the biggest gain for least amount of money. To gain even more channels than just those available by latest keys or firmware patches there are usually addons manufactured and sold for commercial gain. These include items like pirate smartcards, multi-encryption cams such as the Diablo, and special receivers that offer more than others. The biggest problem with buying the extra hardware is that there's no guarantee on how long it can offer the extra 'hacked channels'.
=Level 6= Additional added subscriptions.
So you have all the hardware but want more channel choice. The option here is to add subscription to premium channels. Many foreign subscriptions are just not expensive when compared with those in the Uk. You do sometimes find it cheaper to officially pay to clear channels rather than keep buying the latest commercial hardware as in 'Level 5' above, or at least the stability of clearing those channels is worth the cost of the package. Not everyone wants to 'pirate' tv content so this is the next best way to get the extra choice and pay copyright. Additionally at this level you can also add an official sky subscription to the mix if that suits your needs & budget.
=Level 7= Cardshare networking methods.
Although this can be implimented as early as 'level 2' it does sit as the top level method to gain most choice. It is totally illegal to 'share' a subscription with anyone over a network but that is what this method is all about. An official subscription card (or pirate smartcard) can be 'shared' to many people at the same time, so that all those connected are able to view channels. Expand this to more than 1 official subscription and everyone gets everyone else's subscriptions, and added with multi-satellite reception and you can easily understand why its the current top level. All the channels working, no channel loss when keys/encryptions change, just minimum cost for maximum gain.
Lots more about the basics of 'cardshare' found here-
http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/19492...rdsharing.html
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~The Back to basics thread goes right back to scratch to explain more about satellite tv and what it is -
http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/30994-back-2-basics.html