[TelstraClear] Looking for TelstraClear Digital Cable TV 'Symbol Rate'

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] Looking for TelstraClear Digital Cable TV 'Symbol Rate'

jtarquin

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#15326 16-Aug-2007 13:31

There's been some posts in the past from people who have had success in getting a FireDTV DVB-C decoder to work with their TelstraClear SmartCard.

To review what I've learned thus far:

The TelstraClear Digital Cable SmartCard is encrypted with IRDETO II, and can be decoded by a DVB-C compatible decoder that can decrypt IRDETO II.
While the TelstraClear decoder (ADB 3000) is fixed to only work with the SmartCard, the SmartCard is not fixed to the decoder.
IRDETO II Cams can be purchased from http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/ here in NZ.

Here's my question:

Has anyone discovered the Symbol Rate for the TCL DVB-C cable signal?

My Elgato 610 decoder, which is a re-branded FireDTV, has not been able to get a signal yet from TCL. Based on my diggings, it appears that this is because I need to manually set the Symbol Rate...Not that I understand what a Symbol Rate is, but apparently the decoder needs 2 things to tune into a station: 1) the frequency, and 2) the Symbol Rate.

Any help much appreciated.

Cheers,
James

sbiddle

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#82611 16-Aug-2007 15:22

Try sending a PM to sub or asking on the GB-PVR forums. He is the author of GB-PVR which can be used with TCL cable and appropiate hardware.

jtarquin

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#82784 18-Aug-2007 08:30

I'm surprised so few people have actually tried using computer decoders with their TCL service. The only people who have actually gotten this to work, have claimed to be under non-disclosure with TCL...Time for a brute-force cycling through all symbol rates...See you in a year!

BarTender

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#82881 19-Aug-2007 13:50

If you have watched your decoder bootup it lists all the symbol rates it works on. Perhaps might be worth recording the startup sequence of the STB and playing it back in slow motion to see what rates it works on.

I am looking to do something similar PM me if you are interested in working together :)

lchiu7

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#82885 19-Aug-2007 15:07

As sbiddle notes, sub, the author of gbpvr, has already done this and apparently demonstrated it to TCL. Nothing illegal about it and no hacking required.

I was going to embark down that path also till I worked out I would have to watch all TV via gbpvr (live or recorded) or get another smart card which costs $29.95/month. The third alternative, of slightly dubious legality was to get a card splitter so the one smart card could be used both in gbpvr and also in the cable box.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

jtarquin

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#82887 19-Aug-2007 15:13

Sub responded privately to me that Telstra asked him to sign an NDA. I will take a look at the boot sequence to see if anything interesting shows up. Also trying to get into the admin (tuning) pages.

jtarquin

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#82888 19-Aug-2007 15:47

I agree that there is absolutely nothing illegal (or morally dubious) about this. I am merely looking to use my TelstraClear service (which I pay for) through my Mac Mini -- and have channel changing controllable by the computer.

I have 2 TV tuners: the Elgato Hybrid and Elgato 610.

The Hybrid accepts S-Video input, and this is working perfectly already (except for the channel changing!).

What I really want is to use the Elgato 610, which can decode DVB-C signals with a smartcard reader. This will give me true PVR functionality. There are a few people doing this with Linux and Windows machines -- using GB PVR. However, no one -- to my knowledge -- has yet done it with a Mac. The Mac Mini makes a very elegant and easy-to-use Media Centre.

If anyone is interested, I can provide a detailed breakdown of my equipment list and some photos.

I'm still working on the Symbol Rate (...I also need the frequencies, but those I can brute force if I have the SR).

BarTender

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#82941 20-Aug-2007 10:56

Since you are using a Mac perhaps you could compile DVBSNOOP and see if that will work for you.

Since Telstra is the only crowd on the wire it shouldn't be too hard to figure out what is going on the wire.

When I get my DVB-C card in a few weeks or so I will see what I can do on this.

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tknz

182 posts

Master Geek

#84572 30-Aug-2007 23:27

you mite be able to interface the decoder and chuck some custom firmware on it. i'll look at it tomorrow. no work!!! yay

Matt1

27 posts

Geek

#86337 11-Sep-2007 20:37

On the old Cable Modems the Symbol Rate shows as something like 2.56Msymbols/sec. May be useful?

jtarquin

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#86357 12-Sep-2007 07:14

It may. But I read somewhere (sbaxter post I think) that the Telstra digital cable boxes have a symbol rate range of between 3000 - 7000 / sec.