Extract all recordings from Sky+/SkyHD (non only the FTA).

[RixNox]

llemt please enable private messages. I need to get in contact with you

 

[satelliteman]

As mentioned in an earlier post, llemt does not have private message privileges just yet.

 

[llemtt]

@RixNox

you can eventually activate your vCard download...

 

[RixNox]

@RixNox

you can eventually activate your vCard download...

Could you explain?

 

[mrmt32]

I must have subscribed to this thread a few years ago and forgot as I just got an email informing me of new posts. The offline decoder method will definitely not work any more (for all the box models I have seen) as the ECMs are removed from the *.str file (the packets are still there but each packet is overwritten with 0xFF). I don't want to go into too much detail, but basically the card transforms the original ECMs into a new form (basically re-encrypting them so they are card specific) and saves them in the meta data files (this was true, even before the ECMs where stripped; the non-transformed ECMs where never used by the sky boxes). The transformed ECMs are sent to the card in the same way as the normal ones.

That is as much detail as I can really go in to, and I don't think anyone would be very comfortable releasing any software which decrypts the recordings as it would require the inclusion of some kind of soft cam which would put it into a bit of a legal grey area (even though it requires a valid card, using them in non-official receivers isn't exactly supported to say the least). It is however definitely possible to do.

 

[llemtt]

@mrmt32

I can't tell about uk boxes but with my box the ECMs that go into the meta files are exactly the ones coming down broadcasted from the transport stream, no card re-encryption.

Long ago in search for solution I recorded few minutes with the box and the whole transponder feed simultaneously, then I crosschecked the ECMs in the files and the ones that where broadcasted packet by packet (dvb/ts packets) and they where identical!

So basically you have to pick the ECMs from the files, put them back in the *.str where they belong (substitute the FF ones...) then offline decoder works! (at least for me)

@RixNox

You can change your profile and make your mail address downloadable

cheers

 

[mrmt32]

Ah, that's interesting, are you also able to view recordings recorded with a different viewing card? (E.g. record an encrypted program with one card inserted & try and play it back with another). This is not possible in the UK, presumably due to the re-encryption. I found out about the tECM process from seeing a patent a few years ago, and it was confirmed by looking at some card logs of a recording (the ecm gets sent to the card with a certain command and it returns with the transformed ecms shown in the meta data).

It should still be possible to insert the tECM in place of the original as they are sent to the card using the same command, when I did it I just created my own soft cam though (its surprisingly easy, even with the new cards). I have some publicly available software which extracts non-encrypted recordings from xtv hard drives (I don't know if I can mention the name here as it is commercial); I may add a feature which re-inserts the ECMs (most of the code is already there, it already parses the records in the meta data files to get the PMT and tECMs, the ECMs are just not used in the public version).

 

[mrmt32]

Hmm scrap that, I just looked and recent uk recordings have tECMs that are a bit too long to fit in a transport stream packet meaning there is no way to re-insert them back into the .str file (the ts payload would be 186 bytes, bringing the total to 190; greater than the 188 byte packets), the only way to decode these recordings seems to be to use a custom soft cam (which does work fine).

 

[mrmt32]

Sorry for the triple post, but I just re-found the patent that describes tECMs if anyone is interested: _http://www.google.com/patents/US6178242.

 

[llemtt]

Interesting! I had no knowledge of tECMs...

UK boxes are always one or two step ahead.

Greater ECM length is bad news because can make the whole process more complicated, but nothing software can't manage.

Yes here recordings aren't locked to the recording card, you just need the correct entitlements i.e. a valid subscription to the channel of the recording.

 

[caesar]

Hello,

I have been reading through the 5 pages, and a lot of this is really old content so I wanted to ask this question on hand and say how could I move SKY One and SKY Atlantic HD content to my desktop computer? What do I actually Need in order to do this? I have been trying to find something worthwhile for the past month, but because I don't have that much cash available I didn't want to spend it on something that wouldn't be a success. So please help. I want to move my HD files to my desktop computer without encryption or 1 day pass codes like Sky Go offers. If other countries can bypass their boxes and upload content then surely I can get my programmes onto the desktop so I can watch them again. If people can help that's great if someone could tell me exactly what I need to buy, a proven product that works with moving files from an HD 2009 edition Pace box to my computer then that would be better.

 

[mrmt32]

Unfortunately there is no public way of viewing the encrypted recordings on a PC as any software to decrypt them would have questionable legality (it requires interfacing with the sky viewing card). The old method of using the offline decoder described in the first post will no longer work as the ECMs (packets of data containing the keys needed to unscramble the video and audio streams) are stripped from the video files on the newer boxes. Unencrypted recordings can be copied and viewed however (any recordings from non-subscription channels), searching google should let you find the software to do this.

 

[mikeerhymes]

Unfortunately there is no public way of viewing the encrypted recordings on a PC as any software to decrypt them would have questionable legality (it requires interfacing with the sky viewing card). The old method of using the offline decoder described in the first post will no longer work as the ECMs (packets of data containing the keys needed to unscramble the video and audio streams) are stripped from the video files on the newer boxes. Unencrypted recordings can be copied and viewed however (any recordings from non-subscription channels), searching google should let you find the software to do this.

Digging up an old thread here! Did anyone manage to make progress with this?

I have an old Sky+ box with recordings saved that will never air again. I do have the original card inserted but the recordings don’t playback, however it will allow me to view live for non FTA. It’s a white card that was also used in a skyHD box after this one was retired.

The channels no longer exist, does this contribute to the issue? MTV One as an example.

I’m hoping decoding methods will have progressed given its so long ago now, any support will be greatly received!

 

[Lazarus]

Digging up?

Disinterring, more like!

 

[Channel Hopper]

Copying programmes to DVD | Sky Help | Sky.com

How to copy / transfer recorded programmes from the Planner to a video recorder (VCR) or DVD recorder (DVDR).

www.sky.com

 

[Analoguesat]

The only way of doing it would be to copy them in real time to a dvd recorder or hard drive system. Encrypted channels would need a subscription card of the same level (eg Sky Sports channel recordings would need a Sports level sub) as the recordings are decrypted on the fly. I think sports or movies would need the card paring to the box to decrypt the recording, lower tier stuff should be ok.

You need to remember a Sky+ box is for timeshifting - its NOT designed as a long term storage or archival system.

 

[Daroo]

It seems to me that there is a potentially simpler way to extract content from the HD. My understanding - correct me if I'm wrong - is that the content of recordings is decoded in the tv (?) rather than before the output from the sky box. If that's true, it suggests there's maybe a way of acquiring at output from the tv. Mine is a fairly new Panasonic LED set with ARC output. If the ARC (or other connection) outputs video as well as audio, it would be possible to connect something like a Cam Link device via USB to a PC and record programmes that way. A bit long winded, but as there are only a few (mainly BBC) programmes I want to keep (I am upgrading to a Sky Q box, and there seems to be no way of transferring content). It may be a simpler though more time consuming way to do it.

Am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[ozumo]

All the decompression is done by the Sky box before it is sent over HDMI to the television. What you are describing is HDMI capture (ARC not required), if you can bypass HDCP you can then record the video. The trouble is the content is already uncompressed so to produce a reasonable file size you have to recompress the video which inevitably degrades the quality although modern codecs are improving that trade off.

 

[Daroo]

All the decompression is done by the Sky box before it is sent over HDMI to the television. What you are describing is HDMI capture (ARC not required), if you can bypass HDCP you can then record the video. The trouble is the content is already uncompressed so to produce a reasonable file size you have to recompress the video which inevitably degrades the quality although modern codecs are improving that trade off.

Thanks for your reply. It seems to verify that, while a recording is being issued from a sky box, an output can be taken from the tv and passed through a Can Link and recorded on a PC - albeit creating a large file. The key question for me is, how do I get the output out of my Panasonic tv?

 

[ozumo]

Thanks for your reply. It seems to verify that, while a recording is being issued from a sky box, an output can be taken from the tv and passed through a Can Link and recorded on a PC - albeit creating a large file. The key question for me is, how do I get the output out of my Panasonic tv?

TV not required as the output can be seen on the computer screen. However I believe the Cam Link itself does not support HDCP so won't work when directly connected to the Sky box, an HDMI v1.3 splitter might help.

Finding an HDMI capture device that outputs 1080i50 correctly or, depending on the content, doesn't just combine 2 interlaced fields into 1 frame is something else to consider. Cheap HDMI capture devices tend to mangle everything into a grotty looking 1080p30.