Dragon Cam

DogmatixDogmatix Posts: 2,286
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I have a Digibox with a Solus card, and a decent satellite receiver (Topfield), and I have read recently that a CAM known as DragonCam, with latest software, can be used with an activated Sky card and the number of the Digibox to which the card is "married" to see Sky programs with a CAM-fitted receiver.

Does this really work, and would it also work with a Solus card? Has anyone tried it out?
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  • Sunny1977Sunny1977 Posts: 1,110
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    I have Hotbird and my receiver has 2 CAM slots I use one of the slots... can any1 tell me what a Dragon CAM is? will i be able to watch channels if i have a Dragon CAM?

    Sorry to sound silly!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 19,409
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    Dragon cam is one of the new supercams that have appeared in the last year or so. A Sky card will work in a dragon cam BUT it has to have been pre-activated in a proper Sky box, and requires a serial number of a Sky box.

    You HAVE to have a valid card - there are NO FREEBIES.

    @Sunny1977 - cant possibly tell you what a Dragon can do - Id lose my account here on DS! :( Theres plenty of info on them on other sat forums though.;)
  • DogmatixDogmatix Posts: 2,286
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    I get the distinct feeling that the Dragon Cam is regarded as a Subject Non Grata in this forum, and there seems to be an assumption that anyone who wants to know what it is and what it is for is Up To No Good. Is this true? Can this CAM only be used for nefarious purposes?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 19,409
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    Whilst the DC is a tool for use with proper subscription cards, unfortunately it is often used for the nefarious purposes you mention. As this subject is a definite no-no here, its much safer to discourage all discussion of them.

    DS doesnt mind discussion of encryptions as long as it stays within their rules, but sadly, theres always some new muppet comes along asking "Ive heard this wonder toy can be used to open xyz. How do I do it??" At which point the mods lock out the thread - and quite rightly as they dont want such discussions here.

    There plenty of other sites allow discussion of all the new wonder cams, if you want to find out more go for a look at almost any other forum.
  • HarshadHarshad Posts: 5,996
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    Dogmatix wrote:
    I get the distinct feeling that the Dragon Cam is regarded as a Subject Non Grata in this forum, and there seems to be an assumption that anyone who wants to know what it is and what it is for is Up To No Good. Is this true? Can this CAM only be used for nefarious purposes?

    Essentially what you need to know is that the Dragon CAM itself is not illegal and when purchased acts as a subscription to certain porn channels.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 375
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    yes try the den - http://www.toecuttersden.com
  • DogmatixDogmatix Posts: 2,286
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    Right, so if the Dragon itself, on its own, is not illegal, we can safely discuss this point: the latest version can apparently accomodate two legally obtained legal subscription cards, one in normal size, and one in SIM format. Is it possible to reduce a normal-sized card to SIM size using suitable hardware means (scissors, perhaps) whilst retaining full functionality? If the chip is located under the contacts, this should surely work. Has anyone tried it?
  • DogmatixDogmatix Posts: 2,286
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    And if the Dragon itself is legal, and any card it is fed is a legal subscription card, legally obtained, why is it seen as being Not Cricket? Or is that question Out Of Bounds?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 375
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    This is a pro sky forum with mostly pro sky members if they see the word CAM they report it.

    I agree with Dogmatix you are still paying the normal subscription price so really theres nothing wrong. But your not using a sky stb unit with arwful sound and picture quality. Aswell you dont have to use murdocks modem and open.... tv features.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,464
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    The most important thing you need to know about the Dragon cam before buying with regards to the Sky UK card support is that the card will work unaffected for 4-6 weeks without updates(sometimes less) and then it will need to be left in the Sky box for 24 hours after it fails to get the OTA updates which the Dragon cam doesn't do right now.
    So you need a Sky box as back up still.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 19,409
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    You also need to know theres nothing to stop Sky tweaking the encryption which will stop all Dragons working instantly with Sky cards! .
  • DogmatixDogmatix Posts: 2,286
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    Ah. Good point. Thanks, TVDX. Definately something to take into account. Hmmm.... that means that if I were to shrink the Solus card as suggested above, I would need to fix up some sort of adaptor to put it in the Digibox for the update. To quote Fagin, "I think I'll have to think it out again".

    Also a good point from Analoguesat. Presumably, then there would be an update for the Dragon, then Sky would scupper it again, then another update for the Dragon, etc, etc, & so 4th. Question: has this already happened?

    You see, this is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to find out. And as we are talking about a proper, working, paid, legal card, it's still perfectly OK to discuss it here, right?
  • HarshadHarshad Posts: 5,996
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    As long as you talk about Sky then yes.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 14
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    You also need to know theres nothing to stop Sky tweaking the encryption which will stop all Dragons working instantly with Sky cards! .

    My thread about Dragon CAM was closed here the other day for some STUPID reason...I am paying my monthly fee to Viashit...sorry it is of course Viasat, and I am only using the Dragon CAM to see the channels I am paying for on my own receiver...FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!

    Anyways, do you know if Sky (owner of NDS) has done anything with their decryption making the Dragon CAM not capable of receving the signals?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 375
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    Yes these admins think that the only satellite you can get in Astra 2 Sky lol.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 106
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    If you use a dragon cam to enable you to view Sky FTV (eg ITV1, ch4, ch5) services using a PC sat card will you be able to get the 7 day Sky epg ?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 778
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    ibuswell wrote:
    If you use a dragon cam to enable you to view Sky FTV (eg ITV1, ch4, ch5) services using a PC sat card will you be able to get the 7 day Sky epg ?
    No, the two are totally unconnected. Note that the 7 day EPG is available on a Sky box with no card fitted so it clearly is not encrypted.

    I've got a background project on the go to try and extract the 7 day EPG from the data stream from the satellite. Unfortunately this is proving difficult as information on this is about as plentiful as rocking horse dung.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 778
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    Dogmatix wrote:
    Presumably, then there would be an update for the Dragon, then Sky would scupper it again, then another update for the Dragon, etc, etc, & so 4th. Question: has this already happened?
    No it hasn't happened yet. The chances of a fix if Sky do apply an ECM are not particularily good. Nobody outside the team that did it knows how the duplicate encryption algorithm the Dragon uses was developed (Dragon themselves didn't do it BTW) but the smart money suggests that there was some sort of leak out of NDS. If the algorithm changes then it's unlikely that such a leak would occur again.

    On the plus side I believe it's unlikely Sky will change the algorithm anytime soon. This however is just my opinion and certainly shouldn't be the basis of anyone's decision to buy a Dragon CAM!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,454
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    Paul - do you sit the card in the CAM all the time - if so, does it become inactivated? I heard mixed messages - some saying it has to go back into a dodgybox every now and again whilst others say the Dragon guys coded the NDS simulator to accomodate for that.

    My FTV card would be perfect in a Dragon in my motorised system :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 691
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    mod1111 wrote:
    But your not using a sky stb unit with arwful sound and picture quality. Aswell you dont have to use murdocks modem and open.... tv features.

    Since when have Sky boxes had awful picture & sound quality - your just making stuff up.

    They may be unflexable with other satellites, motorised systems etc, but one thing they do not have anything wrong with is the picture & sound quality.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 14
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    Paul - do you sit the card in the CAM all the time - if so, does it become inactivated? I heard mixed messages - some saying it has to go back into a dodgybox every now and again whilst others say the Dragon guys coded the NDS simulator to accomodate for that.

    My FTV card would be perfect in a Dragon in my motorised system :)

    I had to take my Viasat card out of my fantastic Force 536 receiver and have it activated in my shity Viasat receiver to get it to work.

    Anyone know if this problem is solved in the new Dragon software (3.20) - I have the older 3.12 installed and everything works perfectly apart from this activation thing..
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 375
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    tpk wrote:
    Since when have Sky boxes had awful picture & sound quality - your just making stuff up.

    They may be unflexable with other satellites, motorised systems etc, but one thing they do not have anything wrong with is the picture & sound quality.

    I arnt, compare the digibox with your other reciever I use a technomate and the picture is loads better.
  • HarshadHarshad Posts: 5,996
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    mod1111 wrote:
    I arnt, compare the digibox with your other reciever I use a technomate and the picture is loads better.
    It is and quicker to go between channels too.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 375
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    Yes and I mean very quick. By the time you have changed channel on a sky box you could of flicked through 3 channels on the technomate.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 778
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    Paul - do you sit the card in the CAM all the time - if so, does it become inactivated? I heard mixed messages - some saying it has to go back into a dodgybox every now and again whilst others say the Dragon guys coded the NDS simulator to accomodate for that.

    My FTV card would be perfect in a Dragon in my motorised system :)
    First of all I don't have a Dragon Cam, I use newcamd in a Dreambox however as I understand it it's essentially the same piece of software.

    As to your question, the card spends most of its time in the Dreambox. I occasionally (about once a month) swap it back into the Sky box to watch something on that whilst the Dreambox is recording a program but it's only for 2 to 3 hours at most.

    What I have seen occasionaly is the Dreambox complaining it can't decrypt the encrypted channels. However all I've had to do is reboot the Dreambox and everything started working again.
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