Problem on SOME channels in VMC

[Confused Stu]

Hi guys. I've got my HTPC set up and working perfectly except for a handful of channels which don't decrypt. Once one of these channels is selected, the screen goes to "Service is Encrypted" and changing back to a previously working channel produces the same thing "Service is Encrypted" screen. The only solutions are to unplug the CAM for a few seconds, restart the FireDTV service or reboot the PC.

It's always the same channels that cause VMC to "break" - ITV4, Dave, Bravo, the Adult Channel (ahem!) and a few others. I know I can go through the EPG and hide them, but that's papering over the problem rather than fixing it.

I did find this thread on here h**p://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/162352-anyone-had-problem.html which details the EXACT problem I've got, but only hints that there is a solution rather than stating it. Unfortunately I cannot add a reply to that thread (looks like the sub-forum's been closed). Does anyone else still have this issue, and does anyone know of a solution?

FYI - using VMC with FloppyDTV, Blue Zeta CAM with Hisat-flashed 0.79 Joker and an AU TW Funcard4. Also tested with an Icecrypt CAM with home-flashed 0.79 Joker and a different Funcard4 (same files).

Any suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[nozzer]

Are all those channels on the same transponder by any chance ?

If they are then I would suspect that its simply a weak signal on that particular transponder.

 

[marty]

I've just done a re-scan on a eurovox and found some frequencies have changed....This will more than likely be the problem....Just sorting my chanels back into order :Cry:

 

[Confused Stu]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

The FloppyDTV reg file I'm using is one that several people on Techwatch are using without any reported problems. Just to be sure I rescanned last night using the FloppyDTV supplied "UK Cable" list and a couple of other transponder lists I found. In each case, the same channels caused the same problem - Bravo, ITV4, Dave, Sky Premier +1, and I'm sure others. I think we can rule out frequency change as it located the channels from a brand new scan.

Does anyone know how to find out which DVB-T frequency a channel is on within VMC? That way, I could look up the frequency (and hence transponder) for the offending channels to find out if they're all on the same one. As they're working fine on my subbed box I don't think it's a low signal on that transponder, but I'd like to make certain.

Also, does anyone have (or know where I can download) a services.xml file for TW in Medway? I'm just wondering if I can get one to compare with my transponder list - maybe I've got a dodgy one included and a real one missed that's causing me to pick up the "wrong" version of the channels?

Sorry for being so clueless about this, but I genuinely can't think of any way forward now, other than hiding the offending channels and just never using them!

 

[neathdrew]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

The FloppyDTV reg file I'm using is one that several people on Techwatch are using without any reported problems. Just to be sure I rescanned last night using the FloppyDTV supplied "UK Cable" list and a couple of other transponder lists I found. In each case, the same channels caused the same problem - Bravo, ITV4, Dave, Sky Premier +1, and I'm sure others. I think we can rule out frequency change as it located the channels from a brand new scan.

Does anyone know how to find out which DVB-T frequency a channel is on within VMC? That way, I could look up the frequency (and hence transponder) for the offending channels to find out if they're all on the same one. As they're working fine on my subbed box I don't think it's a low signal on that transponder, but I'd like to make certain.

Also, does anyone have (or know where I can download) a services.xml file for TW in Medway? I'm just wondering if I can get one to compare with my transponder list - maybe I've got a dodgy one included and a real one missed that's causing me to pick up the "wrong" version of the channels?

Sorry for being so clueless about this, but I genuinely can't think of any way forward now, other than hiding the offending channels and just never using them!

post in the dbox2 / dreambox sections, some kind sole in the same area may send u a service file

the other way is use a diffent application like ritzdvb to scan, use ur default frequency and make a transponder.ini file in steps of +/- 8 MHz and scan and see if u can find the frequency for the transponder that's missing

 

[willin]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

The FloppyDTV reg file I'm using is one that several people on Techwatch are using without any reported problems. Just to be sure I rescanned last night using the FloppyDTV supplied "UK Cable" list and a couple of other transponder lists I found. In each case, the same channels caused the same problem - Bravo, ITV4, Dave, Sky Premier +1, and I'm sure others. I think we can rule out frequency change as it located the channels from a brand new scan.

Does anyone know how to find out which DVB-T frequency a channel is on within VMC? That way, I could look up the frequency (and hence transponder) for the offending channels to find out if they're all on the same one. As they're working fine on my subbed box I don't think it's a low signal on that transponder, but I'd like to make certain.

Also, does anyone have (or know where I can download) a services.xml file for TW in Medway? I'm just wondering if I can get one to compare with my transponder list - maybe I've got a dodgy one included and a real one missed that's causing me to pick up the "wrong" version of the channels?

Sorry for being so clueless about this, but I genuinely can't think of any way forward now, other than hiding the offending channels and just never using them!

Try this View attachment 43301

 

[Confused Stu]

Thanks Willilin - you're a star. At the moment clicking on the link gives me a "you don't have permission" message. I'll have a look round for any questions I can answer and try again when my post count's a bit higher.

Thanks again mate, please don't edit your post and remove the attachment before I have a chance to grab it!

EDIT: Got it! 6 posts appears to be the magic number. Thanks again Willin

 

[Blade]

Hi Confused_Stu

Did that file help resolve your problem, I am in the same area and I want to know if it would be worth me also trying this file.

 

[elyl]

For all you DVB-Cers out there with the weird channel problem which I alluded to in the h**p://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/162352-anyone-had-problem.html post...
At the time, I thought the problem was VM testing new ECMs on Joker 0.79 firmware, and that the problem would get worse and hit all channels in all regions. I didn't want to release my solution at the time since I was paranoid VM may jump on it - they were doing everything they could to hit various boxes back then.

That was over a year ago, and I've stopped using DVB-C since then (non-cabled area), and I guess VM weren't up to anything, it was just a weird occurrence on a few channels.

I managed to track the problem with the weird channels down to the CAM itself crashing in an endless loop. If you forcibly quit the CAM service then restarted, it would sort itself out. I believe this is a coding problem with the Joker firmware.

Anyway, the solution I had was to use a different Nagra 2 firmware for the Zeta CAMs. Everyone seems to think Joker 0.79 is required to decode Nagra 2, and that it's some kind of magical hacked firmware. Truth is, it's pretty dumb, and just holds the code for the Nagra 2 standard. The real naughty code is on the funcards.
Any Nagra2 capable firmware can be used on the CAM itself. I found a more robust firmware after a lot of searching on some obscure French site. After I flashed that, all the channels would decrypt properly, with no more CAM freezing.

Stu PMd me a month ago, I've not checked this site for months, and only got the PM by chance when checking for Dreambox images, but I managed to hunt through my old backups and find the Nagra firmware I was using. You can get it here:
MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

I hope this helps you DVB-C guys out. Oh, and while I'm here, can I just give a shout out for SageTV if anyone's sick of the limitations of Windows MC. Well worth the 60 dollars.

 

[Blade]

Is there any other way to program the CAM other then using a cas 2 programmer as I have tried this before and could not get it to work (although it may have been the CAMs) I eventually gave a got 2 of hisat already programmed and I have now sold the programmer!

 

[neathdrew]

Is there any other way to program the CAM other then using a cas 2 programmer as I have tried this before and could not get it to work (although it may have been the CAMs) I eventually gave a got 2 of hisat already programmed and I have now sold the programmer!

there's a funcard method but it never worked for me.....

View attachment 44082

if u have no luck u can send it to me and i'll give it a go on my cas 3 for u

cheers

 

[elyl]

The best tip I can give for flashing the Zeta CAMs is use as much pressure as you can to squeeze the CAM against the JTAG connector - literally more pressure than you think you should be putting on it.

I had no end of problems flashing my CAMs until I stopped being so precious with them and the JTAG and put real pressure to make sure the connection went through during the flash.

 

[Blade]

Do you know what software I can use to try the funcard method? DVBViewer does not give me any info on the CAM when I try!

 

[koni55]

I also tried the file uploaded by elyl with a cas 3 but it didn't report anything back in any CI interrogating software (FireDTV player, firedtv CI, Cas 3 CI) Is that the correct file?

Cheers

Koni55