Module for receiving digital television. Modules for digital television. What is better to choose - a cam-module or a TV set-top box

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Modern TVs provide their users with great opportunities, including watching TV channels in high definition with excellent sound, but this requires additional equipment as a module for a TV and a subscriber's personal smart card. It should also be taken into account that not all models provide a CI slot, therefore, in order to be able to connect digital television with a large selection of TV channels, it is necessary to purchase and install a TV receiver, into which a smart card with a module will be installed.

Many TV models from leading manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Sony have long had a number of built-in designs that provide TV screens with advanced features. Developers are trying to equip their TVs with convenient devices, thereby freeing the user from having to connect additional equipment that takes up space. For example, built-in tuner or in another way, a digital receiver allows you to receive streaming video and decorate a signal of a different broadcast format. However, in order for it to cope with its tasks, it definitely needs external signal support - this is provided by the CAM module.

This device resembles a small computer that first conducts digital stream decoding, and then sends a signal to match it with a specific TV model. This electronic device, equipped with a special card, is designed to play digital signal and pay channels in high definition. And, if the TV model has a built-in DVB-C tuner, the device in question will save users from additional wires, installing a separate set-top box and a second remote control.

How does he work

In order for a technical device to independently read the information it receives (meaning, for example, paid media content), the service provider's client needs to purchase a Smart card. This is a plastic card with a microchip that identifies the subscriber and provides him with access to digital TV and paid channels. It is inserted into the CAM module. After the adapter with the card inside is installed in the TV. The user only needs to configure the list of received TV channels.

The configured equipment makes it possible to receive media content with various expansion and quality options, while the image will be automatically adjusted to certain parameters. The latest models of the considered electronic devices can independently record streaming video and play it back at the time necessary for the subscriber.

What are CAM modules

According to technical specifications, the entire range of manufactured conditional access devices for coded channels is divided into types. The simplest modules are T2 and single-channel modules with support for only one coding system. Multi-channel and universal models are also offered.

Single channel module is able to decode pay channels broadcast only by the selected provider (satellite). If you change the service provider or satellite with a different broadcast system, the module becomes inoperative.
Multichannel Models devices allow you to switch from one coding system to another using SIM cards from different providers. The device automatically recognizes the inserted SIM card, rebuilds and updates the software.
Universal module manufacturers are flashing to work with several signal encoding systems. The device can automatically correct signal parameters, configure programs, work with SIM cards of any provider. Suitable for working with paid software packages.

If speak about module cost, then in specialized stores you can see a fairly large range of prices. As a rule, the cost of the first option ranges from 1500 - 3000 rubles. The price of more modern models varies in the region of 5000-6000 rubles. Experts recommend not to opt for too cheap options. Otherwise, this will lead to an early replacement, as they will not cope with the latest technology, and the purchase will be much more expensive than planned.

The advantages of such equipment

Before buying a new LG, Philips or Sony TV, you should consider purchasing a model with a built-in receiver and a slot for a CAM module, since such electronic equipment has undeniable advantages.

More profitable for the price. Purchasing a conditional access module will cost less than a regular TV set-top box or Smart set-top box.
Easy to install and set up. It is enough to simply insert it into the slot along with the subscriber's card and carry out a simple equipment setup.
Doesn't take up space. This device is slightly larger than a plastic card, which is inserted into the CI slot on the TV panel. It does not require additional shelves, especially if the TV panel is mounted on the wall, as for an external set-top box. In addition, such wireless equipment does not take up an extra outlet, since it is powered by TV.
Simple control from the TV remote control.

How to install a CAM module in a TV

Connection and configuration does not require special knowledge. The main thing is to make sure that this is a suitable device for the TV before purchasing the module - there is a CI-slot. The installation algorithm is identical for any TV, be it Lg or Samsung.

First you need to correctly install the smart card into the adapter. i.e. insert a card electronic chip up, while holding the module facing you (the provider's logo is placed on it).
The adapter, complete with the card, is inserted into the PCMCIA slot of the turned off TV, facing outward.
Now you can turn on the TV. A corresponding inscription about connecting new equipment should appear on the screen.
Often you don’t have to configure anything, just start an automatic search for programs.

If nothing happens after you turn on the TV, the hardware is most likely installed incorrectly. You should turn off the TV and do all the installation steps again. Health Status can be checked in the TV menu, depending on the manufacturer, the name of the corresponding item in the interface may be called “CA Module”, “CA Interface”, “CAM”, “CI Interface”, “Common Interface”.

If the equipment is connected, the TV sees it, but the channels are not tuned, you should contact your service provider.

Precautions for use

When operating the CAM module, the user is required to comply with the following recommendations:

avoid serious mechanical impacts: falls, squeezing;
when installing the module in the TV receiver, strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions;
make sure that the module does not overheat;
do not store the SIM card near sources of electromagnetic radiation;
if you need to remove the SIM card from the module, strictly follow the instructions;
in order to avoid damage to the connector, do not unnecessarily remove the module from the TV.

Protection of providers from software hacking

Paid content is offered by a large number of providers. Each service provider protects their channel packages with one or another coding system. To make it more difficult for attackers to break into program codes, providers systematically change the control key in the code combination. The receivers of subscribers who have paid for the service receive a code combination via satellite to decrypt coded channels.

The CAM module is designed for owners of LCD or plasma TV models that are equipped with a built-in receiver and support HD Ready or Full HD digital formats. Such an electronic device, equipped with a smart card, provides the opportunity to watch paid TV channels. Simple installation does not take much time and does not require special knowledge. The main thing is to make sure that the TV has a built-in DVB-C tuner and a CI slot for such an adapter before purchasing.

Some modern television sets are capable of processing digital signals without the help of special set-top boxes. The article will tell you what the CI slot, CAM module and Smart card are for, and what to do if the error “there is no CI module on the LG TV” suddenly occurs.

(the abbreviation means “Common Interface”) is a special slot into which a digital pay TV access card is inserted.

Using this interface, the video stream received from the provider is decoded and the signal is coordinated with the TV system.

The device connected via the CI slot is called a CAM module (Conditional Access Module), and it is this device that performs the function of unlocking encrypted channels: CI is just a port for CAM, which in turn is an adapter between a TV and a Smart card.

The smart card contains a special password that allows a person to access cable TV. It is worth saying that manufacturers declare support for CI and CAM only in those TV models that also have their own DVB tuner.

Among the advantages of buying such a Smart TV:

Saving money. If the TV device is equipped with a CAM module, then the user does not have to additionally purchase an external digital set-top box - to access the broadcast of high-definition TV channels, you will need to pay for the selected TV package and receive a Smart card from the provider for free.
Easy hardware setup. The process of connecting a Smart card to an LG or Samsung TV is similar to installing a regular microSD card in a smartphone, and setting up the equipment usually takes no more than 2 minutes.
The compactness of the system. Outwardly, CAM resembles a bank card a few centimeters thick, which is much smaller than a conventional digital set-top box. Also, to use this module, there is no need to connect additional wires to the display.
Easy TV program management. When using CAM, TV viewing is controlled through the TV remote control, not the DVB-T2 remote control.

A little more about the principle of operation of the CI-card Smart-card adapter for Samsung and LG TVs will be described in the next section of the article.

Principle of operation

The Smart Card contains a special microchip that allows the provider to identify the customer of a paid TV program package.

The card is inserted into the CAM module, which in turn is connected to the TV set via the CI interface. After installing the assembled system, the user needs to set up a playlist of channels.

A device with its own CAM module, like a special digital set-top box, is capable of playing high-definition video and recording offline TV programs that the user, for one reason or another, did not have time to watch on the air. The Conditional Access Module also allows you to manually set content display options.

What to do with the error "No CI module in LG TV"

You can download instructions for setting up a list of TV channels for TVs with a CI module from the official website of the provider. If the user is sure that his device is equipped with a CAM module, but when trying to set up the LG TV, the “No CI module” error occurs, then it is recommended to check the selected signal source - the password stored on the Smart card can only be read in the “Cable TV” mode. To avoid repeating a system error, the new settings must be saved to the TV's memory.
The failure may also occur due to an outdated version of the software of the television set.

To update the firmware, the user will need:

download the latest version of webOS from LG official website;
transfer the downloaded file to a USB drive previously formatted in FAT32;
connect the flash drive to TB and start the manual software update.

Once webOS is updated, all that's left to do is complete the pay TV playlist. Another solution to the problem is to change the region where the user is located in the TV settings - when editing an account, it is recommended to select "Germany" or "Finland" as the country of residence. It is worth noting that setting a new parameter will not affect the functionality of webOS in any way.

Conclusion

Now the user knows what CAM and CI modules are for a TV. For successful installation of the Smart-card, it is necessary to use only the network parameters proposed by the provider - otherwise the microchip will not be read, and the TB-device system will definitely give an error.

Until recently, to watch satellite TV from leading providers, it was required to have an additional “set-top box” to the TV - a digital receiver. The task of this device is to decode closed paid channels, access to which is open only to authorized customers according to the terms of their package plan. In other words, this receiver, or as it is often called a decoder, provided uninterrupted access to all information content.

Nowadays, the technological process is rapidly moving forward, thanks to which users of digital satellite television from leading providers (such as Tricolor TV, NTV Plus, Raduga TV, TeleKarta) can enjoy watching their favorite TV programs without using a receiver. This is possible if you have at your disposal a modern TV with a built-in digital tuner, as well as a special CI connector for the CAM module.

What is a CAM module?

Modern TV models are equipped with built-in digital TV tuners that can independently decode closed television programs without using an external receiver. But in order for the built-in tuner to function, there is a mandatory requirement - the presence of a special signal conditioning module, that is, a CAM module.

By definition, a CAM module is an electronic device that is used as an adapter when decoding paid media content supplied to the encryption. It can support work with one coding system or several at once. In addition, such a device has a special slot designed for a smart card, an individual access key that each subscriber of digital satellite television providers receives.

In turn, the smart card has a unique number and allows the service provider to control the degree of access to encrypted TV channels for each specific user.

How exactly does the conditional access module work?

In practice, everything looks more simple and clear than in theory. Each new satellite television subscriber receives a smart card containing access keys. It looks like a simple plastic card with a small electronic chip. The card is placed in the CAM module slot, after which it is inserted into the CI slot on your TV.

As you know, any TV channels that go on your satellite TV are divided into two groups, namely:

Free (open). These are the simplest and most common channels that are always open to all users;

Paid (closing). These include the most interesting, high-quality and informative TV channels. They can be dedicated to sports events, show the life of wild animals, or they can broadcast good domestic and foreign films, for example, in HD quality. Naturally, it makes no sense for the provider to provide them for free, so they are encoded.

The built-in digital tuner reads access codes from your smart card and decodes all closed channels according to the terms of your package, so you can always enjoy high-quality and interesting TV programs.

An important advantage of the built-in digital tuner and CAM module is that there is no need to use additional equipment, namely a separate external receiver in the form of a set-top box. This is very convenient, because everything you need is already on your TV. While a separate receiver takes up space, collects dust, and a whole bunch of wires are used to connect it. In turn, a TV with a conditional access module is much easier to mount on vertical surfaces, for example, on a wall. Minimum wires and maximum space savings.

Which TV models are suitable for using the CAM module?

It should be noted that not all models of television devices can be used with a conditional access module. It is important that the TV has a built-in digital TV tuner and also supports the appropriate digital TV satellite standard (eg DVB-S or DVB-S2).

There may be a connector for a CAM module on the back of the TV, but the TV may not have a built-in DVB-S or DVB-S2 tuner, and in order to make sure that your TV can work with a CAM module for receiving satellite TV, there must be a special threaded connector for connecting a satellite dish. If there is a connector for the CAM module but no threaded connector as in the photo, then your TV does not have a tuner for receiving satellite channels and, accordingly, the CAM module will not work for you !!!

In general, almost all modern TV models of popular world brands (LG, Samsung, Philips and many others) are equipped with built-in digital tuners, as well as a special CI connector designed for the CAM module. If you do not know if your TV meets the requirements described above, then you can determine this by studying the technical characteristics of the device or by consulting the seller.

How is the CAM module configured?

With the help of the conditional access module, you can tune the channels of satellite digital television. To do this, you just need to first make sure that the device is installed correctly and your TV "sees" it, and also reads data from the smart card.

To use the cam module, you need:

connection to a digital television network
TV presence:
- built-in digital tuner that receives a signal in DVB-C format;
— built-in MPEG-2/MPEG-4 decoder;
- CI (Common Interface) slot for installing a CAM module.

As a rule, all TVs older than 2013 allow you to install a cam module (for Samsung TVs - starting from 2009, Philips - from 2011). Setting up the cam module to receive a signal from any digital television operator is identical, since you are not setting up the cam module, but the TV itself. Below are the cam-module settings for the main brands of TVs.

Installing the CAM module

Disconnect the TV from the power supply.
Carefully insert the CAM module without the access card. Make sure the module is fully seated in the slot.
Insert the access card into the CAM module with the TV logo. The side of the card with the chip must face the CAM module. The edges of a properly installed access card must not extend beyond the CAM module. For MTS television, the card must be activated.
Plug in your TV.
After switching on, information about the presence of the CAM module will appear on the TV screen.

Setting up the CAM module

Setting up a cam module on a SAMSUNG TV
Enter the menu (green button) - "Channel" (pictogram "Satellite dish") - "Auto tuning" - signal source - "Cable" - "Digital" - "Start"
Setting up a cam module on a PHILIPS TV
On the back of the TV, you need to find a sticker where, for each tuner (DVB-T and DVB-C), there is a list of countries in which, according to Philips, digital TV is available (at the time the TV was released). If Russia is not there, then it will be necessary to put another one.
House Icon - Configuration - Setup - Reinstall Channels - Country Labeled on Rear Panel - Digital Mode - Cable - Automatic - Start
2011 Philips TV models:
"Home" - "Installation" - "Search for channels" - "Reinstall channels" - "country indicated on the sticker on the rear panel" (usually France, Finland or Germany) - digital mode "Cable (DVB-C)" - in the line "Network frequency" we drive in the frequency - in the line "Transfer rate" we drive in the speed - select the line "Scanning frequencies".
Setting up the cam-module on a SHARP TV
If the “DTV MENU” item is not on your TV, then you need to select another country - France, Switzerland, Sweden or Finland.
Button - "DTV" - "DTV MENU" - "Installation" - "Auto installation" - "OK"
Setting up a cam module on a SONY TV
Not all SONY TVs are equipped with a digital TV (DVB-C) tuner, so first check if your TV is receiving a signal: models with a DVB-C tuner are marked KDL-**EX*** or KDL-**NX** *. For models KLV-**BX*** etc. no DVB tuners.
Button "MENU" (or "HOME") on the remote control (green) - "Settings" - "Digital configuration" - "Auto search for digital stations" - connection type "cable" - type of scanning "full scan" or "manual" - enter the frequency - Access code "Auto" - enter the symbol rate - "start" - wait for the channel search to finish.
Setting up a cam module on a Panasonic TV
"Menu" - "Settings" - "Menu analog. settings" - "Add TV signal" - a tick on the line "DVB-C" - "Start auto tuning"
After the channel search is completed in the main menu in the "Settings" item, the line "DVB-C Tuning Menu" will appear, where you can correct the setting in manual mode (set the frequency and speed). If your TV asks for a search step, enter 8MHz.
Setting up a cam module on a Toshiba TV
Language "Russian" - DTV tab manual tuning - OK - enter the frequency, modulation, symbol rate - OK - the search for channels will start
Setting up a cam module on an LG TV
"Menu" (Menu) - "Options" - the country Finland or Germany - the menu "Settings" - "Auto search" - the method of connecting to the TV "Cable" - "Settings": search type is fast, Frequency (kHz), Speed. Characters, Modulation, Network ID: auto - save all settings.
Be sure to turn off "Automatic Channel Update", otherwise the TV will periodically reset the channel list you have configured.