FreeKeys FTA Satellite

As in previous discussions about satellite receivers and watching satellite television using free to air (fta) satellite receivers, the topic of signal encryption was touched upon briefly. Essentially, the satellite tv service providers - Bell ExpressVu, Dish Network, and Direct TV (in north america) protect their signals using a complex encryption system embedded into the signal itself. The encryption is dynamic and is frequently changed. What may work now, may not work in five minutes. This is done by changing the decryption keys contained within the signal. They lock the signal, you need a key. The problem is the lock keeps changing, thus requiring new keys to unlock the signal.

The big satellite service providers have the ability to entitle your equipment and channel subscription through the downlink of signal to your receiver. If the serial number, and access card number, and various other system check fail in any way, then your system is not able to decode the signal. Your satellite receiver can also be rendered inoperable, or operable through this very same data stream. Because the equipment is owned by the satellite service provider, they have exclusive access to the hardware itself. They can make changes to the actual firmware (the software in the receiver itself).

FTA receivers have a different design than regular satellite receivers in that they are not as susceptible to changes made through the data stream. The worst case is you will not be able to watch tv because your receiver cannot decode the signal. There are some exceptions, where some firmware updates to your fta receiver can render your receiver inoperable, however, these are considered to be malicious code written by an individual, as opposed to a corporate released anti-hack-hack method. It is no surprise that the satellite companies use counter measures to circumvent hardware hacks and modifications to their equipment, and vice versa. Some even question the tactics and practices of the satellite companies to actually release malicious code to thwart satellite signal theft. That is of course a completely different topic, for another time and place.

Satellite keys are a series of hexadecimal characters stored within your receiver’s temporary memory. These keys are matched against the incoming signal, if they match, you are permitted to watch tv. if they do not match, then your receiver cannot watch the signals. To firther complicate the method, the keys are changed frequently, sometimes several times in a day. Satellite receivers have the ability to accept the updated keys using a built in feature to update the keys stored in their memory. Once again - IF your receiver passes the other security checks ( serial number, access card serial number, subscription information and so on) FTA receivers also have the same ability, however service providers have devised a method to disable auto key updates (called autoroll) in many of these receivers. This requires some additional steps to resolve.

If new keys are required, you first need to knwo where to get them. The internet has many resources for getting the current keys. There are tfa forums, websites, and programs called keygrabbers which are the best sources for the newest keys - almost as good as freekeys fta. many of these other sites require a registration, or a support subscription to be purchase. Buyer beware.

FTA receivers have menu’s and options within them that allow you to update the keys. You simply find the most current keys from the internet various sources, then enter them into the receiver’s memory. They will remain there until you change them. Each clone FTA receiver has a different method of inputting keys, so make sure you familiarize yourself in advance.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 12th, 2007 at 1:05 pm and is filed under bell, fta, dishnet, keys, satellite tv | add this page to Mister Wong. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.