Sky server Oscam is a softcam, software that is used to view encrypted digital channels on a set-top box (receiver), as an alternative to a conditional access module (CAM). Let us find more about OSCam in the following.
From the best OSCam server, unlike other soft cams, the source code is freely available or open-source, hence the name Open Source Conditional Access Module.
OSCam server is based on the already existing, but not so well-known MpCS. OSCam can play the role of softcam and card server, in contrast to some pure soft cams.
Basics:
OSCam consists of a number of components, namely:
- Card server
- Softcam
- Web interface
- Monitor interface
- Card server
OSCcam can use providers' smart cards. For this, it is necessary that the receiver or PC has a generic smart card reader. A card that is connected via a conditional access module (CAM) and possibly via the Common Interface (CI) cannot be accessed by a softcam.
For every smart card that is inserted in a card reader, OSCam can be configured as a card server. This means that OSCam can use the smart card for decrypting broadcasts and that OSCam can update the smart card with data from the provider.
Although there are many different types of smart cards and encryption methods, OSCam can now handle most types. Supported encryption methods are:
- Seca (MediaGuard)
- Viaccess
- Irdeto
- Videoguard
- Conax
- Cryptoworks
- Nagravision
The card server from OSCam does nothing but exchange information with the card. Inserting and setting a smart card does not in itself produce an encrypted image, the softcam component must also be set for this.
For each card, a separate card server is started by OSCam, which can be found in the web interface. OSCam serves its own receiver, this is called DVB API and possibly soft cams on other receivers. Both are called "users" in OSCam, little distinction is made between their own recipient and another recipient. For every "user", OSCam starts its own handling agent, which can be found in the "status" page of the web interface.
Softcam:
The softcam component of OSCam ensures that encrypted channels are actually decrypted using a card server on their own device which will then usually also be OSCam or a card server on another device. OSCam calls this a "local card" and a "proxy", respectively.