Technological progress does not stand still, and new devices appear almost constantly, and devices that have already become familiar are equipped with additional devices. This applies to almost all types of activities, but the entertainment industry and related devices are always at the forefront of updating. However, sometimes this process happens so quickly that even fairly tech-savvy users experience difficulties. For example, among the owners last generations LG TVs often raise the question of what a PCMCIA card slot is, which can be seen on the back wall of the device. The answer will be both complex and simple, but first things first.

Smart card and PCMCIA card slot

What is a smart card and PCMCIA card slot

The answer to the question posed above should begin from afar, namely, consider such an innovation as a smart card for cable television. The familiar form of television broadcasting is gradually becoming part of history, and its place is being taken by cable channels. This process is completely natural and natural.

In this case, there is a need to organize address broadcasting and an appropriate security system that excludes the possibility of unauthorized connection. Laying cable networks to the user and maintaining them in working condition requires significant financial investments on the part of supplying companies, which directly affects the cost of tariffs. At the same time, there must be certain protections to ensure that the person who paid for the service will use it. This is one of the few cases where both the client and the company are on the same side. The only question is how exactly to organize the possibility of limiting broadcasting. The answer to this was the development and implementation of smart cards and PCMCIA card slots in LG TVs.

Smart card and adapter

Smart card represents small device(and in fact, a card), which serves as a pass. That is, certain information is entered on the card regarding the owner, the tariff he purchased, connected additional services etc. This card is connected to the TV using a slot in the PCMCIA card slot format.

Initially, the technology was developed for use in laptops and its intended purpose was to connect various additional peripheral devices, such as additional memory storage devices, network cards, modems for Internet access. However, over time, application was found in cable television. I think you understand what a PCMCIA card slot is and why it is needed.

Using smart cards for access allows you to achieve a number of advantages:

• Possibility of direct management of connected tariffs and channel packages.
• Increased security of use - no one will be able to access channels if the card is not physically installed in the slot.
• If the equipment is compatible, you can take your channel package with you, which is very convenient.

Smart card installed in the slot

Moreover, if the LG TV is equipped with a built-in PCMCIA card slot, then all actions for using a smart card are reduced to simply installing it in the designated slot.

Conclusion

What is a PCMCIA card slot and what is it for? So, the PCMCIA card slot in the LG TV is not at all a useless connector, as it might seem at first glance. Due to the not very widespread prevalence of such technology, we do not often encounter the need to use smart cards in our country, but it is only a matter of time. It is almost certain that in a few years, the presence of this extension format will be a necessary standard.

More recently for viewing satellite television leading providers required an additional “set-top box” for the TV – digital receiver. Task of this device consists of decoding closed paid channels, access to which is available only to authorized customers in accordance with the terms of their package plan. In other words, this receiver, or as it is often called a decoder, provided uninterrupted access to all information content.

Nowadays technological process is rapidly moving forward, thanks to which users of digital satellite television from leading providers (such as TV Tricolor, NTV Plus, Raduga TV, TeleKart) can enjoy watching their favorite TV programs without using a receiver. This is possible if you have a modern TV with a built-in digital tuner, as well as a special CI connector for a CAM module.

What is a CAM module?

Modern TV models are equipped with built-in digital TV tuners that are capable of independently decoding closed-circuit television programs without the use of an external receiver. But in order for the built-in tuner to function, there is a mandatory requirement - the presence of a special signal matching module, that is, a CAM module.

According to the definition, a CAM module is electronic device, which is used as an adapter when decoding paid media content supplied with encryption. It can support work with one coding system or several at once. In addition, such a device has a special slot designed for a smart card, an individual access key, which is received by each subscriber of digital satellite television providers.

In turn, the smart card has a unique number and allows the service provider to control the degree of access to encrypted TV channels for each specific user.

How exactly does the conditional access module work?

In practice, everything looks simpler and clearer than in theory. Each new satellite television subscriber receives a smart card containing access keys. It looks like a simple plastic card with a small electronic chip. The card is placed in the CAM module slot, after which it is inserted into the CI connector on your TV.

As you know, any TV channels that are broadcast on your satellite TV are divided into two groups, namely:

Free (open). These are the simplest and most common channels that are always open to all users;

Paid (closing). These include the most interesting, high-quality and informative TV channels. They can be dedicated to sporting events, show the life of wild animals, or they can broadcast good domestic and foreign films, for example, in HD quality. Naturally, it makes no sense for the provider to provide them for free, so they are encrypted.

The built-in digital tuner reads access codes from your smart card and decodes all closed channels according to the conditions of your package, as a result of which you can always enjoy high-quality and interesting TV programs.

An important advantage of the built-in digital tuner and CAM module is that there is no need to use additional equipment, namely a separate external receiver in the form of a set-top box. This is very convenient, because everything you need is already on your TV. While a separate receiver takes up space, collects dust, and uses a whole bunch of wires to connect it. In turn, a TV with a conditional access module is much easier to mount on vertical surfaces, for example, on a wall. Minimum wires and maximum space saving.

What TV models are suitable for using the CAM module?

It is worth noting that not all models of television devices can be used with a conditional access module. It is important that the TV has a built-in digital TV tuner, and also supports the appropriate digital satellite television standard (for example, DVB-S or DVB-S2).

There may be a connector for a CAM module on the back of the TV, but the TV may not have a built-in DVB-S or DVB-S2 tuner, and to ensure that your TV can work with a CAM module to receive satellite TV, there must be a special one on the back of the TV threaded connector for connecting a satellite dish. If there is a connector for the CAM module but there is no threaded connector as in the photo, then your TV does not have a tuner for receiving satellite channels and, accordingly, the CAM module will not work for you!!!

In general, almost everything modern models TVs from popular global brands (LG, Samsung, Philips and many others) are equipped with built-in digital tuners, as well as a special CI connector designed for the CAM module. If you do not know whether your TV meets the requirements described above, you can determine this by examining specifications device or by consulting the seller.

How is the CAM module configured?

Using the conditional access module, you can configure satellite channels digital television. To do this, you just need to first make sure that the device is installed correctly and that your TV “sees” it and also reads the data from the smart card.

Some modern television devices are capable of processing digital signals without the help of special set-top boxes. The article will tell you why the CI slot, CAM module and Smart card are needed and what to do if the error “there is no CI module in the LG TV” suddenly appears.

(the abbreviation means “Common Interface”) is a special connector into which an access card to pay digital television is inserted.

Using this interface, the video stream received from the provider is decoded and the signal is matched with the TV system.

The device connected via the CI slot is called a CAM module (Conditional Access Module), and it is this device that performs the function of unlocking encrypted channels: CI is just a port for CAM, which in turn is an adapter between the TV and the Smart card.

The smart card contains a special password that allows a person to access cable television. It is worth saying that manufacturers claim support for CI and CAM only in those TV models that also have their own DVB tuner.

Among the advantages of purchasing such a Smart TV:

1. Saving Money. If the TV device is equipped with a CAM module, then the user will not have to additionally purchase an external digital set-top box to access the broadcast of TV channels in high resolution You will need to pay for the selected TV package and receive a free Smart card from the provider.
2. Easy equipment setup. The process of connecting a Smart card to an LG or Samsung TV is similar to installing a regular microSD into a smartphone, and setting up the equipment usually takes no more than 2 minutes.
3. Compactness of the system. Externally, CAM resembles bank card several centimeters thick, which is significantly smaller than a conventional digital set-top box. Also, to use this module there is no need to connect additional wires to the display.
4. Easy management of TV programs. When using CAM, television viewing is controlled through the television rather than the DVB-T2 remote control.

The operating principle of the CI-card smart card adapter for Samsung and LG TVs will be described in a little more detail in the next section of the article.

Principle of operation

The Smart card contains a special microchip that allows the provider to identify the customer of a particular paid package TV programs

The card is inserted into the CAM module, which in turn is connected to the TV device via the CI interface. After installing the assembled system, the user needs to configure a playlist of channels.

A device with its own CAM module, like a special digital set-top box, is capable of playing video in high resolution and recording offline TV programs that the user, for one reason or another, did not have time to watch on air. The Conditional Access Module also allows you to manually set content display parameters.

What to do if you receive the error “There is no CI module in the LG TV”

You can download instructions for setting up a list of TV channels for TVs with a CI module from the provider’s official website. If the user is sure that his device is equipped with a CAM module, but when trying to set up an LG TV, the error “No CI module” appears, then it is recommended to check the selected signal source - the password stored on the Smart card can only be read in the “ mode Cable TV" To avoid repetition system error, the new parameters must be saved into the memory of the television device.
The crash may also occur due to an outdated version software television apparatus.

To update the firmware, the user will need:

• download from LG official website latest version webOS;
• transfer the downloaded file to a USB drive previously formatted in FAT32;
• connect the flash drive to the TV and run manual update BY.

When webOS is updated, all that remains is to complete the playlist of pay TV channels. Another solution to the problem is to change the region where the user is located in the TV settings - when editing account It is recommended to select “Germany” or “Finland” as the host country. It is worth noting that setting a new parameter will not affect the functionality of webOS in any way.

Conclusion

Now the user knows what CAM and CI modules for a TV are. To successfully install a Smart card, you must use only the network parameters proposed by the provider - otherwise the microchip will not be read, and the TB device system will definitely generate an error.

Nowadays, the buyer of a satellite television system who has modern TV with CI+ standard support and built-in DVB-S2 tuner, you have a choice - to purchase a CI+ CAM module from one of the satellite TV operators for viewing, placed directly into the TV, or buy a full-fledged satellite receiver. We have been working with both solutions for watching satellite TV for a long time and I must say that both solutions have its advantages and disadvantages. These are what we will consider in this material.

CAM module CI+ for satellite TV - pros and cons.

In order for satellite channels to be viewed directly from the TV, the TV itself must be equipped with a built-in DVB-S2 tuner. The module itself, placed in the TV, performs the function of decoding the stream received from the satellite.

Pros of using the module lie in the fact that the resulting image is processed directly on the TV. And the resulting image is immediately displayed on the screen. Thanks to this approach, there is no loss of image quality during transmission. Such losses in image quality are typical for a satellite receiver-TV combination.

Another advantage of using the module on a TV is the ability to perform all actions with just one remote control remote control— turned it on with one remote control, used it to set the sound volume, and used it to switch channels.

Another plus of the module- this is the compactness of the solution. There is no need to come up with a shelf for the receiver, or how to mount the receiver if the TV itself is hung on the wall. There is also no mass of annoying connecting wires - connecting the receiver to the power supply and connecting from the receiver to the TV.

Now about the disadvantages of using the CI+ CAM module

1. It is not possible at all (or convenient) to view the EPG - electronic program guide, i.e. satellite channel program, which is transmitted from a satellite and received by your antenna.

2. There is no way to call up a large and convenient list of channels like on a satellite receiver. On the receiver for Tricolor, using the “OK” button you can call up a list of 32 channels and conveniently scroll through it. The TV menu does not allow such a convenient display of a list of satellite channels.

Plus, only on a satellite receiver is it possible to create a list(s) of favorite channels and navigate only through these selected channels.

Among other things, both on the receiver from Tricolor and on the receiver for NTV+ it is possible to apply a thematic filter to the channel list - i.e. display, for example, only federal or only educational channels. A TV with a module cannot do this. By at least This functionality is not provided on 2013-2014 models.

3. Satellite channels It’s more difficult to register on a TV using a module. When you buy a receiver for Tricolor or NTV+, the channels are already registered on it or are registered automatically in 2-3 simple steps.

If you are using a module, then You must register the channels on the TV yourself - the TV is universal- it allows you to add channels from any sat TV operator - Tricolor, NTV+, Telekarta, Continent. And at the same time he doesn’t know what to add to you - you do this yourself. The exception is LG smart TVs with the latest firmware.- they differentiate different operators TV and in the step-by-step setup wizard you are asked which operator’s channels to register on your TV. Samsung and Philips TVs are lagging behind in this regard by the end of 2014.

4. If a sat TV operator makes changes in the list of channels (one was added, others were removed), then on a satellite receiver it is enough to rescan the channels in two steps, but on a TV this action will take longer and require more adjuster skills from you.

In case of NTV+ Humax 3100 receiver, then this receiver itself, every time it starts, rescans the channels and adds new ones, removes those that have left the broadcast list - we really like and are impressed by this functionality.

These are the difficulties and pleasures that satellite TV lovers will encounter using compatible TV and CAM module CI+

Using a satellite receiver to watch satellite TV - pros and cons

In the case of the receiver and its pros and cons, everything is exactly the opposite.

Let's consider the disadvantages:

1. Dimensions of the receiver and the need for its convenient installation. There is not always a convenient place to install the receiver.

2. The need to use two remote controls - for the TV (turn on/off, select TV input and adjust the volume) and for the receiver (volume, program guide, channel selection)

MYSELF-module – a device that provides user access to paid digital content. The module is needed so that you can watch unique programs from pay TV channels, selections of exclusive news releases and specific films ordered by the provider. The system decoding TV signals is contained and reads using a CAM adapter.

What is CAM - module

CAM module – adapter for access cards to toll television channels. Abbreviation CAM Means conditional-access module. MYSELF-the module catches streaming video, decrypts the content and sends the signal to the TV.

The card is received by a digital TV subscriber after signing up for a paid subscription to the channel. You can order a card from your television operator. Each card has a special number associated with it. You can receive temporary channel access keys to this number. These keys are needed to CAM-the module decrypted the TV signal and transmitted it to the TV. Keys remain relevant only for a limited period of time. The frequency with which access keys are updated is determined by the encryption algorithm.

The card is installed in the slot on CAM-module To CAM-the module worked, it must be placed in C.I.-slot on the TV or receiver. What's happened C.I.?

C.I.-module is a kind of intermediary between the TV and CAM-adapter, specialized. C.I. can be designed for 1 or 2 access cards. Modern version interface – CI+, technologically complicates piracy and sets many restrictions for the content user. Some content owners make it impossible to skip ads or prevent you from downloading videos.

C.I.-module is Common Interface on the TV, it is equipped with a slot for smart cards. Since this is an interface, it is used to connect the television device to the plastic card adapter.

What your TV must have so that you can install a CAM module in it:

• C.I.-slot;
• Built-in DVB-C tuner;
• Support HD Ready and Full HD formats.

The common interface on the TV is installed to protect the interests of pay TV content providers.

Principle of operation

The client purchases from the operator plastic card with a tiny chip. The so-called “Smart card” plays the role of an identification document. Each card is assigned its own number and the operator undertakes to notify the client about changes in encryption keys. Access to paid subscriptions It opens via a smart card.

The smart card is placed in MYSELF-module. MYSELF-the module is sent to C.I.-slot on the TV. Next, the card owner configures the list of channels he needs and enjoys the subscription. The setting also allows the device to play videos various quality or extensions. Using special modern technologies, the image will be processed and enhanced to meet certain standards.

Now MYSELF-modules can be programmed to schedule a recording of a program in order to play it back later.

IMPORTANT! Slot for CAM-adapter for TVs Samsung And LG shortened CAM the module will not fit into LG more than half. If the device cannot be easily pushed deeper into the slot, you should not even try - there is a risk of damaging the module or its connector.

What are there MYSELF– modules

CAM adapters are:

• Universal;
• Single-system;
• With the possibility of additional programming functionality.

Single system

Single system MYSELF-the module is designed for only one specific signal encoding system. Many operators provide MYSELF-module along with a pre-installed map, after subscribing. This system is used by Tricolor, MTS, DomRu companies. In case of concluding an agreement with NTV-plus, the user will be required to install the received card into an empty module.

CAM-the adapter can be provided by the operator free of charge or purchased separately by the client. Rostelecom, for example, sold an adapter along with a card for a thousand rubles. If you change service provider, you may need to get another CAM-module.

Universal

The universal adapter decrypts encodings for several modular systems at the same time. Such an adapter itself can change the signal and program settings, adapting to the card installed in its slot.

The price range for universal KAM modules ranges from approximately 1,500 to 6,000 rubles. Adapters from 1500 to 3000 rubles are inexpensive, but are already somewhat outdated. Adapters in the range of 5-6 thousand are adapted to modern broadcasting standards and the latest technological advances, so they will be usable longer.

Benefits of use

Why buy a TV with a CAM adapter input:

• CAM-module cheaper than a set-top box;
• Ease of operation and configuration;
• Compactness;
• Teams on CAM-the module can be sent via a regular remote control;
• Consumes electricity directly through the TV;
• If available on TV CI-cam, there are no hassles with a cable and an external decoder;
• Built-in digital tuners by default equipped with a decoder for HDTV-systems.

Important! To the benefits of use CAM One can also attribute an improvement in the image due to the absence of an extra step in the video processing process. U CAM-adapter, unlike an external decoder, there is no need to translate digital signal to analog.

How to install a CAM module in a TV

So, you purchased a TV device with a CI slot. How to start using it:

• Face the card with the operator’s logo facing you;
• Place the card into the adapter. The card chip should face up when installed in the slot;
• Then the adapter with the card is placed in PCMCIA slot on the TV. In this case, the television receiver should be turned off, and the adapter should be turned facing outward;
• Only then turn on the device. On its screen you will see a warning that a new device has been connected;
• To make sure it works correctly CAM-module, go to automatic search according to programs. You will see the connection status in the device menu.

IMPORTANT! only possible after installing the module in PCMCIA slot