[Sussex] Heres a Question. not linux but open source related.

Jon Fautley jfautley at redhat.com
Tue Oct 25 15:24:30 UTC 2005


Alan Pope wrote:
> On 25/10/05, Andrew Guard <andrew at andrewguard.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>>>Likewise Sky( or their subsiduary ) could release the code. Theres a
>>>fair chance a developer might be interested enough to inspect it and
>>>spot a potential issue ?
>>
>>I can not rember now which firm did write software for Sky+ box's.  But
>>if memory serves me correctly they are base in northern England.
>>
> 
> 
> NDS used to do the software for them, don't know if they still do.
> They have an office in Eastleigh so may not be the people you're
> thinking of.

I believe NDS are an 'encryption' company and provide the method of 
encrypting TV broadcasts. If you look on the NTL digital cards, they 
have an NDS logo on them too (if I recall).

I think the NDS stuff is more hardware than software, as I seem to 
remember there being 'magic chips' in the sky box to actually decode the 
incoming signal.

Sadly, as far as I am aware, there is no way of 'chipping' Sky(+) boxes, 
or breaking the encryption used :(

... unlike analog signals where all you needed was a nice long hex 
number, and a card burner... or so I'm told.

Jon
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