[postmankev]

just bought a samsung with freeveiw and it says about a common interface card can anyone help me with this and where could i get one from
many thanks

[nwhitfield]

CI is more properly the term used to describe the slot, into which you then put a Conditional Access Module, or CAM.

The CAM will usually have a slot in it for a subscription card; this then enables you to subscribe to pay services - in the UK, that means TopUp TV at present.

So, you put a TopUp TV card into a TopUp TV CAM, and put the whole lots into the CI slot on your TV or receiver box.

www.topuptv.com for details of the service they offer.

It's essentially a way that the TVs (or PVRs, digiboxes etc) can be made to work with any sort of encryption, so the same model can be sold for different countries and subscription systems; all you have to do is get the appropriate CAM for the service you want to watch. Or you just don't bother, and leave the slot empty.

Nigel.