The 'DSTV-PVR Hax' thread

Frozenfireside · Post by **Frozenfireside** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:19

Hi
Who is fed u with the limited size of the PVR decoder hard drive and want more capacity?
Well I do and I know it can be done the problem is how.

The PVR uses a normal hard drive, not even a small notebook hard drive, to store your programs so in theory its a sinch to hack.

Only one problem is-Your new hard drive might contain a set of data/instructions that, if removed, could stop the PVR from functioning.
Now is there anyone who knows how to hack the decoder?

Anyones PVR overheating and your out of the warranty?
No problem-The fan used is a small fan the same size as a northbridge fan (I don't know the exact size but I will edit this post with correct details later on)and you can buy this from any decent I.t store and for it yourself. It's not hard. really. It also saves a 3 week wait and R300 (well the fan will be R50/100...ish)

Just remeber to take note of where the fan plugs in as I didn't and had to find the +- voltages of 2 fan sockets that dont look like the usual fan ports which was annoying.

Is your PVR shorting somewhere and sending a mild current through anyone who touches it? If so please let me know.

There was a PVR like recorder available int he US which people imported and hacked for the RSA market-This is the kind of stuf I'm talking about.
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We need to setup some sort of support for these kinds of problems as DSTV will not warrent any hacks.

Hax are cool people-So long as its not a game.
Regards
Frozenfireside

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:22

If anyone has a decoder that doesn't have a warranty anymore, i'll use that one and figure out how to get the videos off.

Frozen have you opened yours? Where are you based?

thEnaileDonE · Post by **thEnaileDonE** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:26

DAE_JA_VOO wrote:If anyone has a decoder that doesn't have a warranty anymore, i'll use that one and figure out how to get the videos off.

Frozen have you opened yours? Where are you based?

If I understand correctly you want to remove copyright material from the PVR's hard drive... hmm...

Spicy-McHaggis · Post by **Spicy-McHaggis** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:27

if there is a script that when removed might stop it from working properly then if im not mistaken u should be able to edit the script and when done right it should keep on working!

as for the hacking part, i support it (only when u not under warrantee) i doubt there will be any like firewall and or anti hax protection on it...

Friggs · Post by **Friggs** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:30

thEnaileDonE wrote:
DAE_JA_VOO wrote:If anyone has a decoder that doesn't have a warranty anymore, i'll use that one and figure out how to get the videos off.

Frozen have you opened yours? Where are you based?
If I understand correctly you want to remove copyright material from the PVR's hard drive... hmm...

It's like sticking a video in your vcr and recording a show. what's the problem?

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:33

thEnaileDonE wrote:If I understand correctly you want to remove copyright material from the PVR's hard drive... hmm...

What's the difference between having it on your PVR and having it on another HDD? Does the storage medium define it's legality?

thEnaileDonE · Post by **thEnaileDonE** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:35

... I know there was a call to have the PVR come standard with a optical writer (dvd etc.) or at least with some sort of eay of connecting it to a PC and that there was a lot of concerns about it being used to pirate shows etc. and thus I am willing to bet that there will be some or other clause that prohibits one from doing this...

@Friggs --> The fact that you capture the show on the hard drive in the first place can be equaled to taping a show... making copies of said show is a different matter... but... I am no lawyer, and people don't always obey the law...

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:45

thEnaileDonE wrote:@Friggs --> The fact that you capture the show on the hard drive in the first place can be equaled to taping a show... making copies of said show is a different matter... but... I am no lawyer, and people don't always obey the law...

Having it recorded on your PVR in the first place is a "copy". How can the amount of media you record (legally) be defined by how much space your PVR's decoder happens to have?

thEnaileDonE · Post by **thEnaileDonE** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:54

DAE_JA_VOO wrote:Having it recorded on your PVR in the first place is a "copy". How can the amount of media you record (legally) be defined by how much space your PVR's decoder happens to have?

... maybe there is a bit of a miscommunication here... increasing the size of the hdd in the PVR wasn't what I initially commented on... removal of the content from the hdd inside the PVR is where I think the problem resides (but like I said... I'm no lawyer... I don't even like shows about lawyers...)

I will however agree that if it is possible it would definitely make a PVR a much more lucrative offering

So good luck with that!

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 22 Jul 2007, 23:14

thEnaileDonE wrote:... maybe there is a bit of a miscommunication here... increasing the size of the hdd in the PVR wasn't what I initially commented on... removal of the content from the hdd inside the PVR is where I think the problem resides

Yes i know, but let me explain why i posted about removal. The only real reason why most people would go to such lengths to get media off their PVR is because it's low on space and they need that space for more media. That's why i said what i said

Post by **Anakha56** » 22 Jul 2007, 23:30

DJV I don't mean to stir (in this case troll) but have you ever read the EULA with regards to the PVR? Does it say that one is allowed to A: Open up the PVR to change HDD size? B: Copy what has been recorded onto another medium? If either one is no then what you are doing is illegal. I don't happen to own a PVR so I cant read the EULA associated with it but I am sure that DSTV does not allow for you to copy what you have recorded.

http://www.dstv.com/pdf-files/11-PVR_viewers_guide.pdf

It does not say much but there are a few things for one to take note of eg: it uses Macrovision copy protection...

naughty · Post by **naughty** » 23 Jul 2007, 00:57

despite it using macrovision protection somewhere in the users guide they say that you can merely copy the stuff on the drive if its full

we had this discussion over at systemshock - and when it was pointed out that DSTV actually allow you to copy the stuff i had to apologise to the parties concerned

heres a link to that discussion

http://www.systemshock.co.za/forums/ind ... c=8409&hl=

beware - its a lively discussion and contains scenes of violence and strong language LOL

heres a quote that shows that you are allowed to copy whats on the hard drive albeit to a video recorder - but nowadays a video recorder is a dvd device normally

How to backup content (this is useful for when you are running out of space on your hard
disk, but want to keep some of the content).
Playback the recording you wish to keep and set your VCR to record at the same time.
You now have the recording on a VCR and it can be deleted from the Playlist.

that is directly from the dstv pvr manual - ive got one of those and read that provision myself

tampering with the decoder to increase the size of the hdd is not allowed however

"All intellectual property rights in the decoder as well as in the content received using this decoder are owned by or licensed by Multichoice. The subscriber shall aqquire no right, title or interest in the intellectual property

No Data, video or audio content received using this decoder and a Multichoice conditional smartcard may be copied, re-transmitted, re-broadcast other than as permitted by Multichoice in the subscritption agreement. Hiring out or selling of any content received using this decoder is STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Hacking of the conditional access system, accessing the hard disk of any decoder or facilitating anyone else doing so is strictly prohibited. Failure to adhere to this prohibition is a criminal offence.

the backup circumstances allowed above is what they allow - any other means of doing it is not allowed nor is opening the unit unless its for repairs

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 23 Jul 2007, 01:17

Anakha56 wrote:Does it say that one is allowed to A: Open up the PVR to change HDD size? B: Copy what has been recorded onto another medium? If either one is no then what you are doing is illegal.

You either phrased that REALLY badly or weren't thinking when you wrote it.

According to YOUR principle, i actually BROKE THE LAW by opening my 22" LCD monitor up, because it did not say in the manual that i'm allowed to open it. I also broke the law by cutting the plexi case i used for my mod because they did not specify in the manual that i AM allowed to.

Sick, i should be on death row

Awesome post Nitin. Exactly what we needed to know

What do these PVR decoders cost?

naughty · Post by **naughty** » 23 Jul 2007, 02:23

Awesome post Nitin. Exactly what we needed to know

no probs Ettienne - we have already been through the drama - so i thought that id just save the arguments being repeated

What do these PVR decoders cost?

they were around R2999 when i got mine - but ive seen them going for around R2499 on special now

i need another one soon since my sister has bought herself a flat and both my sisters have moved in there - and they are busy furnishing the place - shes had a 42" plasma for awhile and the decoder im using is hers - the pvr is useful since you can record the programs you are going to miss - so as soon as the flat is insured she will take her tv and pvr away and ill need to buy one for myself - so i have been keeping an eye on the current going rate therefore im confident that ill be able to find one at R2500 or maybe cheaper

Mow · Post by **Mow** » 23 Jul 2007, 08:47

Look guys if anyone has opened it up and had a look for a manufacturer stamp, label or print. I'm sure we could find out a little more about the PVR I.
It was definitely not made in SA and thus i doubt that it was made specifically for our market. In a country were it has been around a little longer , they might have had more time to play with it.

naughty · Post by **naughty** » 23 Jul 2007, 09:02

Hacking of the conditional access system, accessing the hard disk of any decoder or facilitating anyone else doing so is strictly prohibited. Failure to adhere to this prohibition is a criminal offence

Frozenfireside · Post by **Frozenfireside** » 23 Jul 2007, 09:37

DAE_JA_VOO wrote:If anyone has a decoder that doesn't have a warranty anymore, i'll use that one and figure out how to get the videos off.

Frozen have you opened yours? Where are you based?

I have opened mine and my boss's PVR and we both think that the fan supplied is a wimp and a bigger (say 12cm) fan is needed.

I am based in Jo'berg.
Essentially there might be only one limiting factor in this and that is the use of the same type of HDD as then the drivers are the same although that still might not be an issue as generic drivers do occur on certain decices.

There has to be a way for the PVR to have a bigger hard drive as then DSTV could offer more space and sell it for alot more.

Imagine a 750gig HDD in a PVR!!
I think the point of this hack is not to duplicate the videos but to increase the size.
IF you delete the contents of the old HDD, it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm tired of getting hard ware in RSA that is limited or expensive for what it offers which is why I created this thread.

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 23 Jul 2007, 09:44

Nitin, how big are the HDDs inside these PVRs? nd how much video can you record onto it before it's full?

Post by **Anthro** » 23 Jul 2007, 09:49

I'm tired of getting hard ware in RSA that is limited or expensive for what it offers which is why I created this thread.

Then it should in my opinion not just be for PVR - cause there are MANY devices with these kinds of limitations ?
Good friend rustypup has a awesome link in his sig
DE B0 75 07 20 E3 B3 B8 D8 AD DF 5E D4 30 26 82
Freedom to tinker..

… is your freedom to understand, discuss, repair, and modify the technological devices you own

Enjoy peeps enjoy!

ADV4NCED · Post by **ADV4NCED** » 23 Jul 2007, 10:00

DAE_JA_VOO wrote:Nitin, how big are the HDDs inside these PVRs? nd how much video can you record onto it before it's full?

Its an 80gb harddrive and AFAIK you can get 80 hours of recording on it.

It basically translates to 1gb = 1 hour if I remember correctly

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 23 Jul 2007, 10:03

Wow, that's a lot of recording.. sheesh

Slasher · Post by **Slasher** » 23 Jul 2007, 10:12

Compared to an LG HDD recorder with 160 / 250 gig options, its crap...

That is like only 80 Episodes of Egoli and 7de Laan together... Pffft, no decent collections being made...

When I get something like this I want to be able to store the stuff, show my children some good shows, not the new age crap on tv that is taking over... Good old Classic shows need to be saved forever...

Edited to add:

Imagine being able to delay your TV recording for a full week... The 250 gig LG can record for nearly 2 weeks non-stop... That is the beauty of it...

DAE_JA_VOO · Post by **DAE_JA_VOO** » 23 Jul 2007, 10:17

Slasher wrote:That is like only 80 Episodes of Egoli and 7de Laan together... Pffft, no decent collections being made...

If it was 1000 episodes of Egoli and 7de laan it would still be a useless collection

Slasher · Post by **Slasher** » 23 Jul 2007, 10:26

Yes, but lets say the James Bond Collection is showing? Yes, I know you can buy the DVD's, but then the collection costs over R2000 if you buy them one by one...

Other TV series's are also not always available in dvd version, especially locally... 8 simple rules, who's line is it anyway etc...

Post by **KillerByte** » 23 Jul 2007, 10:32

i have a 80Gb LG DVD HDD Recorder at my Dad's place and the 250Gb version at my mom's place. who needs PVR.

250Gb is more than enough.