This 'n' That by Rocky January 1997

Satellite Watch News January 1997 Issue This 'N' That by Rocky

THE IRC #SATELLITE CHANNEL IS STILL THE BEST PLACE ON THE NET FOR NEWS AND INFORMATION

This has been a fast month. My deadline got here before my article as usual, but there has been so much happening this month it is hard to say when to stop and go to press with the news. There have been many ECM's on the DSS system and BG (Big Gun) has keep us running. And, as promised, the new boot strap was released to selected distributors. Some dealers were upset that it was not more widely distributed.
Be careful where you get your upgrade to boot strap v3 (v = version). There was a fake version leaked, known as v2, by some people claiming to be update sites. As far as I know there are 2 sites in Canada and 1 in the USA for the update. The reason for the limited distribution is for security. I guess the way to explain it, is the Boot Strap is like the operating system in your computer that runs the Main files that your local dealer can load into your card. If DirecTv doesn't have the operating system, it is harder for them to design a ECM for the card. This is also why the Boot Strap is not loaded in the L cards, they have a lower security chip than the chip in the Battery cards. BG has been very nice in doing Main files for the v1 battery cards and the v2 L cards while people are upgrading their Boot Strap to v3. The main files for the v1 battery cards and the v2 L cards will stop shortly and you will need a battery card with the v3 Boot Strap or use your card as a door stop. The v3 Boot Strap has been through 3 ECM's as of December 15 without going down.
Again this month I want to thank all the great people on the #satellite channel in EfNet IRC. The following is a short list of the people you can find there and some of their contributions. Any mistakes with this information is unintentional and is all my fault :))) (the sign for smile in IRC). The channel was started by Zimmy and the main operators are HoLo, Agent, and AXA. Questions about plastic can be directed to Agent_89 or ZoRaC. Bat questions can be directed to Vonrat. Questions about or to BG can be directed to AXA, Vonrat, or RonSilver. The bots were set up by Mike-RI, and maintained by Acidflash. The bots perform automatic functions such as DCC a new main file to you when you type @main.
This is only a short list of the helpful people found on the channel. There are many other people that can also help you with your questions. So of the more helpful people that I have met on the channel are JDaniels, Castor, Cappy and more than I have space here to mention. Again thanks guys and keep up the good work.
I have two quotes from members from the channel: AXA says "The #satellite channel is great for all of us. It gives us a more closely knit & united front." JDaniels says "Great source for info.....For both sides" This is the best place on the net for news, but is not the place for the faint of heart. As with any chat area on the net, there is the occasional disagreement and flame war. As I have found out with hackers, there are BIG EGO's which stem from who is the BEST. At this point the Fastest Gun is Big Gun and the old western says "No brag just fact".
Now for some tips for mIRC 4.6. To make the channel more viewable and your log file shorter change the following settings. Click File while in mIRC, Click Options then Click IRC Switches. In the Show Box only check User Addresses and Invites in Active Window. You can try other combinations in this section for best results. There are 2 window layouts on the task bar at the top of the program. If you use the first layout you can have many windows open and view the information in all at the same time. The Cascaded (overlayed) selection is harder to keep up with.

NOW FOR A LOOK BACK.

There have been many questions about the VCII and VCII+ scrambling on the BUD (Big Ultimate Dish). Well, it has been a year since there has been any hope of a break from the Islands. I checked and their web site is now gone. It looks at this time that a fix for the VCII+ is a wash, so be careful of offers of a break. There are still seed keys for the VCII that are producing audio even though they change every 4 hours. I have even seen people in the IRC chat channel #satellite looking for seed keys or numbers to turn on channels. There are a number of scams that have turned up and, with all the breaks for the DSS system, the public is more susceptible to a scam on the VCII. There is a rumor that some of the old seed keys are now used for other channels. This made me take out my VCII collection.
I started my collection with a set of 3 tapes from Shawn Kenney of Green Sheet. They are "The Old Testament", "The New Testament", and "The Book of Revelations". The videos were done by Lee Hadlock. Since Shawn is now deceased, I don't think the videos are available any more. The next items in my collection are Pirate Videos 5, 6, 7 and 8.
These are still available from Morgan Engineering at 517-685-3410. I wish someone could tell me if there are Pirate Videos 1 through 4, and if so, where to get them for my collection. Also available from Morgan Engineering are 3 top quality repair videos Satellite Repair I and II and Videocipher II Repair.
The next items in my collection are from Telecode at 520-726-2833. I have 2 videos from Telecode. They are The Videocipher Video and the Dr. Lee Hadlock's Videocipher II Repair Course. Telecode has the most extensive collection of books on the VCII. They have an 8-book collection called "Videocipher II: Theory Of Operation" that covers everything you would want to know about the VCII and how it's broken.
There is even helpful information on other scrambling methods and how to build special equipment such as a vacuum desolderer for under $30.00. They also have 2 other good books on the VCII, The Satellite Hackers Bible and the VC Primer. The Satellite Hackers Bible covers many forms of satellite scrambling, including DSS. Telecode has a special on the 8-book set with the VC2+ Engineering package, the SuperChip Kit for the price of $199.00 plus $25.00 for shipping and handling. Also, while supplies last, they are adding for free the Dr. Lee Hadlock Videocipher II repair course with Video, which is $79.00 value in their catalog .
The following is a listing from each of the Telecode books to give you a overview of what is in them.
All Telecodes books are printed on high quality 8.5" x 11" acid-free paper and are spiral bound. All software included with books is supplied on IBM-AT, 1.44MB format diskettes.
SATELLITE HACKERS BIBLE, $52.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
The Original Source For Decoding and Decrypting Satellites Data Systems. Covers Most Satellite Transmission Systems except for Entertainment Channels Scrambled with VideoCipher, Oak, and The Newer Digital Decoders Such as RCA DSS. This 171 page book contains information on: How B-MAC Works, Theory & Operation, Bonneville Data Systems, ASCII and ASYNC Formats, Hooking up SCPC Equipment, Pulse Code and Other Modulation Methods, Digital Communications, FSK Demodulator Data Sheets, Telephone Multiplexing Systems, FAX, FDM, DTMF, SCPC, RTTY, WEFAX, SCA, Slowscan TV, Stock Market Systems, Teletext, Voice and Video Communications, Stock Market Quote Systems Schematics: A-100 Pocket Quote and LOTUS Info Net. 12 Decoder Circuits for WEFAX, FAX, Russian Satellite, SCA, DTMF, and CW/RTTY. Software includes: Over 100 files for Decoding FAX, RTTY, SSTV, and Stock Market Quote Signals. Software Compressed on 2 1.44Mb Diskettes, And a Lot more!
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.1, $32.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
1st in an 8 volume series, this book contains detailed engineering knowledge on the VideoCipher II Satellite Descrambler including: Alarm and Stuffing, Analog Section, Audio and Data, Audio Scrambling, Battery, Black Box Solution Plans, Bootleg Descramblers, Buffers, Building Blocks, Cautions, Channels Scrambled, Code Word, Clock, Cloning, CMOS Pinouts, Communications, Component Guide, Cryptology, DAC Primer, Data Generator, Data Multiplexing, Data Read Clock, Decoder Module, DES, Algorithm, Key, Precomputation, DES Primer, Digital Audio, Bit Stream, DPCM Encoded Video and Transmissions, Enable Video, Gaining Access, Hook-up Diagrams, Data Sheets, Multi-frames, MUX, NBS, Gates, P1 Connector Pinout, Schematics, T3 Format, Theory of Operation, Timing, U7, U20, Uplink, Video Control board, Warnings, and Much more. With software.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.2, $32.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
The 2nd in the series of 8, this volume covers: Acronyms from A/D to ZTAT, Cloning, Countermeasures, Full Plans and schematics for The DECIPHER II, 3-Chip Decoder, DES Made Simple Primer, Epoxy Removal Using Methylene Chloride, 27128A Specifications, History of The VideoCipher and Hacking, IBM Computer Compatible Hardware, Low-Buck Repairs, New Chips-DSP, Encryption, Loading into RAM, Receiver Unclamping Primer, Reference, Loading Serial Numbers, Smart ZAP EPROM Burner For Under $99,00, Software Difference Between U30 and Clone and 3M, Technical Tips, TMS7000 Instruction Code Set, U7 & U30 Entrance Points, Underground Publications, Universal Baseband Buffer, Using a Disassembler, Using CAB & FED, Using PC-CODE1, Video Cipher II Setup Screens, Video Sync Separator, and more including software.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol. 3, $42.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
The 3rd volume contains: AGC Problems, Audio Subcarrier Modifications, Last Resort Solution To Battery Failure, "Bomb" in WIZARD Program, repair of "Brain Dead" VideoCiphers. Bulletin Board Numbers, Character Code Table, VC II Character Set, Cooling the VideoCipher, Clamped and Un-clamped Modifications, Cloning a Ver. 2.4, Cooling a 018, Cloning Procedure for 010-106, Data Encryption Standard (DES) FIPS46-1, Data Sheets, DES, Low-Cost Desoldering Station, Electronic Counter Measure (ECM), Epoxy Removal With Heat Gun, Low-Cost EPROM Eraser, Flexi-Strip Jumper Cable, Heat Sinks for U30, History, KEYS-R-US Instructions, Lee Hadlock, INC., VC II Modifications, Monthly KEY Reader Chip, PIGGYBACK U30, P1 Extender Cable, Power Supply Problems, Reader Cable Assembly, Repair Procedures, Socketing U30, Surge Protector Plans, Symptoms, Technical Tips, Tier Masks, U30 Removal, U30 Subroutine Address, Modification-Video, 010 & 018 Data Stream Reader, and more including software on diskette.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.4, $94.95 plus $5.50 p&h.
The 4th volume contains repair information including: Power Switches, Address Control Map, Diagnosis of Analog Problems, Archiving of SEED KEYS, Battery Life Extender, Block Diagram, Cautions, Character Code Table, Chip Diagnosis Without an Oscilloscope, Chip Substitution, Diagnosing Data Problems, DES Sequence, Diagnostics Flow Chart, Disassembly Procedure, Glossary Of Descrambling Terms, Hex Table & Opcode Map TMS7000, Low-Cost Test Tools, Modifications, VideoCipher II Parts List, Reference, Repair Procedures, Repair Sources, Schematics for ALL VideoCiphers, Test Equipment, Texas Instruments Guide To Literature, Beginning to Advanced Troubleshooting, U7 Jumper Cable, U7 Reference Listing, U7 Replacement Modification, U19 Modification, U30 Reference Software Listing, U30 Subroutines, CPU Specifications, and more in 300+ pages, including software on 3 diskettes.
.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.5, $42.95 PLUS $4.50 P&H.
The 5th book covers the hacker's software by including printed instructions for the majority of the software available: ARMDIL.DOC, AUTOWIZ.DOC, BLUELOAD.DOC, BUSTDOC.TXT, CHALL.DOC, CHALLVER.DOC, CLONE.DOC, COMPUKEY.DOC, DESCALC.DOC,DIAG.BIN, DISCOVER.DOC, DISASM.DOC, ENTRCPTR.DOC, FED, FILES.DOC, GENWIZ.DOC, GI-BUS T.DOC, GIBLUES.DOC, GIBUST.DOC, HELP.TXT, KEYSRUS, DOC, LOCATION.DOC, NOTES.DOC, OAK P.ROM, PC-CODE1.DOC, READFST.DOC, READOT.DOC, README.DOC, README.IMP, README1.DOC through README16.DOC, READMEU7.DOC, READOMNI.DOC, REPAIRIT.DOC, SERVICE.DOC, SESAME.DOC, SORCERER.DOC, SPIRIT.DOC, SUPER3.DOC, TBOX3.DOC, TRANS.DOC, TRIFECTA.DOC, U7LODER.DOC, UKEY.DOC, UTIL-1.DOC, VC3DIAG.DOC, VCTECH.DOC, VC-TO-PC.DOC, V6INSTRUCT.DOC, WATCHER.DOC, WBANGER.DOC, WIZZBANG.DOC, WIZPLUS.DOC, AND WIZARD.DOC.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.6, $42.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
The 6th volume contains: 70 MHz Bandpass Filters, B-MAC Satellite Receiver Schematics, Epoxy Knife Plans, EPROM Programmer Schematic, U36 Modifications, Low-Cost Test Tools, PCB Trace Repair, Programming 7742, ROM Emulator Circuit Schematic, RS-232 Circuit Monitor, Schematics for 019, Sync-A-Link Schematics for Both Models, System Clock Modifications, Texas Instruments Literature Catalog, Glossary of Terms, "The Tool" - Automatic Sync Stabilizer Schematics, Trace Repair, TMS 7742 Device Specifications, U7 Kill Routines, VC3DIAG instructions, VC-TO-PC Circuit Schematic, VC II 3/4 Size Circuit Board Layout, VideoCipher Receiver Circuits, Video Polarity Circuits, Schematics, 032 U7 Above Board Test Device Specifications, 018 SEEDKEY Puller Plans and Schematics, 7742 Programming EPROM Burner Adapter, 7742 Electrical Specifications, and software on diskette.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.7, $52.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
The 7th volume covers: Excessive Battery Drain, Rechargeable NICAD Battery for VC2, COPY-QWIK U20 Memory Reader Board Plans, Data Encryption Standard (DES)Complete Including Algorithm, DES Sequence, Diagnosis of Damaged Units, Dual-DAC Conversion, Miniature Fan Modification, Checking Health Byte, 032 Modifications, Module Identification, Adding ON/OFF Switch, Parts Suppliers Address', U20 Repair, 032 Repair Procedures, Schematics for 010-019-029 or VC2+ and 032, Adding ZIF Socket, Technical Tips, U20 Memory Reader Board Plans, Adding Varistors To Videociphers, Wizard Number Conversion 032 Hacker Modifications and more. Includes software on diskette.
VIDEOCIPHER II: THEORY OF OPERATION Vol.8, $69.95 plus $4.50 p&h.
Blackcipher Descrambler, Blue Key Extractor Plans Including: Schematics, Parts Lists, Software Checksum Values, AMD PAL 22V10 Specifications, Chip Layout, PCB Artwork, and Software, Dallas "SIPSTIK" Data Sheets, DECTEC Liberty 1 Descrambler including: Operation, Startup, Clock, AGC, Decryption, Digital Audio, Parts List and DECTEC Software, Fujitsu MB88303 Terminal Display Unit Data Sheets, Interface Card Schematics for DECTEC Liberty 1 Descrambler, MAXIM 7541 DAC Converter Data Sheets, Parts Lists, HEX Conversion and Format Chart, Western Digital Data Encryption Device Including: Description, Features, Applications, Pinout, Organization, Operational Overview, Registers, ECB, and Cipher Block Chaining Diagram, XILINX 2018 & 2064 FPGA Data Sheets, Motorola HC68705 Programming Plans and PCB Artwork for Building Programmer, and more. Software on diskette.
VC PRIMER, $11.95 Postpaid USA "Everything You Wanted To know About VideoCiphers,...But Were Afraid To Ask" 32 page booklet telling ALL about the VideoCiphers. Introduction, What Is The VideoCipher II?, What is an IRD?, Programming Costs and Sources, How To Authorize a VideoCipher, Which Series To Get, Where Do I get a VideoCipher?, Standalone VS IRD, How To Tell Which Model, How To Hook-up A VideoCipher, Can I Build My Own VideoCipher?, Repair Of Broken Units, Problems With The VideoCipher, "It's The Last Box You'll Ever Buy", What About Piracy?, Modifications To The VideoCipher II System, What Is a Clone?, 3-Musketeers, ECM or SAY "Bye, Bye", Here comes The WIZARD, Glossary of Terms, Cross Index to VideoCipher II: Theory Of Operation Books.

Well that is about all for this month. Next month I will cover more on IRC and things to do with the mIRC software. I will discuss DCC and FTP file transfers. I will also be reviewing Telecodes new books DSS SECRETS. If you have any questions send them to Rocky at the Satellite Watch News or drop by the IRC channel #satellite and look for SWNRocky.

Return To January Index
Return to Main Page