C.A.M. Access for for Sky subscriptions

[CyberFriday]

So this may not be the best place for this question. But there doesn't appear to be a more relevant topic. So, my tv had a conditional access module (cam) slot. And with all the in built apps on the tv it would seem that an obvious choice would be to have a cam module that would take my sky q card and I can cut out the need for the q set top box. Yes I don't get the recordings in one place and perhaps my TV guide looks a bit messier. Any plans to provide a cam capability for Sky subscriptions (and that could be a cheaper option for customers - no set top box overhead 😉 ) Or is this down to Sky's concerns about the security provided in the cam solution ?

[bob1234]

@CyberFridayI doubt it, they don't even need the cam slot they could provide Sky go to add to Android TVs and other OSs but they don't.

[nigea99]

Hi @CyberFriday if SKY were going to consider such a route it would have happened a long time ago. 

CI Modules have been around for a long time & longer in Satellite TV equipment than included in TVs & SKY never went down that route preferring to retain dedicated boxes that they had more control over. Whilst in the early days IIRC there were a couple or more  suppliers for SKY boxes , SKY still very much worked with them to ensure encryption was the generally stronger than others used.  

In the analogue and early digital TV days the encryption used in such modules was more hackable  -as I say  SKY have always done their best to stay ahead of the hackers. 

I have no idea if current use of CI modules is still easier for the hackers to crack - I know encryption in general has moved on but as I say SKY have always avoided them

[TimmyBGood]

@CyberFriday 

Aside from branding concerns (Sky want those boxes out in the open advertising their product) a significant proportion of Q functionality comes from having the UHD satellite feed, hard drive and multiple tuners available to the system. As indicated above, for lesser functionality Now TV or stand-alone Sky Go would be enough, and those don't use card-based security/authentication.

[GD1]

@CyberFriday  In the UK Cable & TV services have never embraced the "customer buys own receiver and then obtain official cams from the service provider" model that is prevelant across Europe. 

[simon194]

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@GD1 wrote:

@CyberFriday  In the UK Cable & TV services have never embraced the "customer buys own receiver and then obtain official cams from the service provider" model that is prevelant across Europe. 

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Even back in the old days of Sky's analogue satellite broadcasting just about all recievers available in the UK had Videocrypt decoders built in. The exception was the Amstrad SRX 100 and SRX200 models which were the original sat boxes for Sky which had a slot for addon decoder modules.