Directv smart cards

[Claude Greiner]

So over the years I have noticed that Directv has like 5 or 6 versions of access cards that they are using.

So are all these cards identical as far as chips are concerned, or are they upgraded versions to enhance security?

I haven’t seen a Directv card swap in years, where Dish has done 2 maybe 3 complete card swaps.

Just curious.

I think each card has better security features, but since none have been hacked there is no point doing a card swap.

 

[slice1900]

Some of the older cards won't work in newer receivers, they will show up as all 0s if you insert them. I don't know how many generations there are exactly though. I know this was true with cards in D10s & H10s that didn't work in H20s/H24s.

For most people it doesn't matter since residential customers can't move cards around anyway.

 

[Jimbo]

They make you get a new card most of the time anyways.

I'm gonna guess that theres been about 5-6 different ones out there over the years, but I think they probably only have 2 maybe 3 that are working now.
I would imagine all the older ones have been shut down.

I haven't looked at the card in years.

 

[Claude Greiner]

With commercial you can move them around and they don’t seem to care

 

[Jimbo]

With commercial you can move them around and they don’t seem to care

Thats because they are commercial ...

 

[slice1900]

I checked today, I've got two kinds, one like these in the H20s:

Others like these in the H24s:

The ones in the H20s won't work in the H24s. There were an even older card I can't remember what they looked like in the H10s/D10s, they didn't work in the H20s or H24s, so when I sold those receivers I left the cards in them since they'd at least be of use to a buyer with a commercial account.

 

[Jimbo]

I checked today, I've got two kinds, one like these in the H20s:

Others like these in the H24s:

The ones in the H20s won't work in the H24s. There were an even older card I can't remember what they looked like in the H10s/D10s, they didn't work in the H20s or H24s, so when I sold those receivers I left the cards in them since they'd at least be of use to a buyer with a commercial account.

My current card in the HR44 has picture of a Sat on it and say ... The HD Leader ...

My old HR24 has one that looks like your 2nd picture.

 

[Inclined Orbit]

To my knowledge the cards have been upgraded over the years mostly for security issues from hackers. There might have been a point they were upgraded due to needed receiver functionality, but that may have been for the DTVLA Latin American service. I forget the exact cost per card, but I think it was in the $10 to $15 range per card with shipping. Multiply that by 20 million or so customers with multiple receivers and its a very expensive exercise.

I also remember the cards were property of NDS at the time and they may have had to foot some of the bill for card upgrades due to hacking of their stuff. NDS is more than rumored to be behind the huge hack of Dish a number of years ago and is now part of Cisco.

So over the years I have noticed that Directv has like 5 or 6 versions of access cards that they are using.

So are all these cards identical as far as chips are concerned, or are they upgraded versions to enhance security?

I haven’t seen a Directv card swap in years, where Dish has done 2 maybe 3 complete card swaps.

Just curious.

I think each card has better security features, but since none have been hacked there is no point doing a card swap.