# smart card problem (free channels)



## ginahoy

I have PVR 508. Since canceling subscription, I continue to receive 'free' channels (shopping, DISH internal channels, NASA-TV, free preview channels, etc.). I received a new smart card about a year ago prior to canceling subscription.

A couple of days ago, I started getting an error message on some of the free channels: 

"Your smart card does not currently have authorization to view or purchase this program. Please wait or channel up or down" (005)

I've not seen before. It occurs on channel 102 (free preview listing) as well as the current free preview channels. Also on channel 265 (CCTV).

Not surprising no one else has posted about this -- I don't imagine many people reading these forums watch DISH without a subscription! 

Does anyone know if this is an encryption keys glitch or a change in policy? It's not like I can call DISH to complain. Most first-tier CSR's aren't even aware some channels remain unblocked when a subscription is canceled.

BTW, the above message is different from the standard messages I get when selecting a non-free channel:
"This channel is available for immediate upgrade..." (371)
"This is a subscription channel which has not been purchased" (014).


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## LesGrossman

ginahoy said:


> Since canceling subscription, I continue to receive 'free' channels
> 
> I received a new smart card about a year ago prior to canceling subscription.
> 
> I started getting an error message on some of the free channels:
> 
> "Your smart card does not currently have authorization....
> 
> Not surprising no one else has posted about this -- I don't imagine many people reading these forums watch DISH without a subscription!
> 
> Does anyone know if this is an encryption keys glitch or a change in policy? It's not like I can call DISH to complain. Most first-tier CSR's aren't even aware some channels remain unblocked when a subscription is canceled.


Let me see if I am understanding you correctly:

1.) YOU are no longer a Dish Network customer and still have (in your home) all of the hardware still connected) -DVR, receiver, dish....correct?

2.) Up until recently you were receiving *FREE CHANNELS* YET, somehow, some way you are wanting to know a way to circumvent paying for a service YOU have just admitted to canceling...Correct?:nono::nono2:

Here, let me help you out:
NO.

The change you have witnessed is a department within Dish recognizing you were reaping free programming without paying for it, so they fixed the issue...

Go here for FREE satellite stuff:
Justin.TV

Other than that I can't stand free-loading people who feel they are owed FREE things *US* regular tax-paying Americans* HAVE *to pay for...

This message was brought to you by:
Common Sense.


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## ginahoy

Les, you are either overreacting or misinformed. There's nothing illegal or inappropriate about watching unblocked channels. If DISH changed its policy regarding which channels remain unblocked, it wasn't targeted solely at my receiver. 

Others have reported in this forum over the years the full list of channels that remain active after any customer cancels. The majority of the unblocked channels are shopping networks, PPV promos and other in-house DISH programming. Sirius also has a promo channel that's unblocked. And then there's NASA TV and CCTV (the English version of China's main government channel).

I canceled my programming package about four years ago. I keep my receiver connected because I enjoy following shuttle missions on NASATV. My receiver, the PVR 508, included lifetime DVR service, so I can record mission briefings, pause, etc. Last summer I turned on the locals to watch the Olympics and kept it active through the election. I also turn on one of the programming packages when my in-laws visit :grin:

Several years ago, a 2nd-tier CSR explained that DISH prefers to leave all the promotional channels active to keep ex-customers engaged so they will hopefully become subscribers again. You can guess why they leave the shopping channels active! Interestingly, the rep said they cannot legally block the NASA channel because it's provided by the government. Obviously, you first have to have a valid smart card.

At this point, I can only speculate as to why CCTV and the free preview channels are now being blocked, which is why I posted here. In any case, I have no interest in watching LMN or whatever garbage is being previewed this month. But I do miss CCTV.


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## BattleZone

If you have a yellow smart-card, that's likely the issue; they are no longer valid. If you have a newer purple access card, then something else is going on.


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## P Smith

You just gave us the explanation in pieces:
- dish want you back any time
- dish changed encryption to N3 and forced to change to corresponding smart cards [G3]
- dish cut purposely support of old blue/yellow cards, because of above.


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## ginahoy

P Smith said:


> You just gave us the explanation in pieces:
> - dish want you back any time
> - dish changed encryption to N3 and forced to change to corresponding smart cards [G3]
> - dish cut purposely support of old blue/yellow cards, because of above.


I have purple card. I received it in Nov 2008. I happened to be subscribed to the locals at the time.


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## P Smith

Then the card not communicating at basic level (perhaps lost 'marriage' to the receiver) because other functions requiring only for encrypted channels.


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## ginahoy

P Smith said:


> ...other functions requiring only for encrypted channels.


Not sure what you meant by this?

In any case, if card were to lose its marriage to receiver then I would think that there would be no signal at all. In fact, the only change I've noticed is that I no longer receive channels 102, 265 and the free preview channels (as listed on channel 102).


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## P Smith

Signal is not a function of the card - try insert it upside down.
As to your other question, that was a look back to your _"Does anyone know if this is an encryption keys glitch or a change in policy?"_.

What channels you CAN see right now ? 101 ? 500 ?


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## ginahoy

If I insert card upside down, I get error message: SmartCard is not inserted correctly. Same if I insert card backwards. Were you expecting something different?

I made an error in my earlier post. All but a couple of the shopping channels are now being blocked. Not that I really care. Here is a list of what I can now receive:

85 SRN
99 AXETV
100 Interactive Application
101 DNFYI
125 SUAVE
213 NASA-TV
223 SRN
240 INFO
262 ANGEL
298 ONPPV
480 ALOCK
500 PPV PROMO
829 DNFYI
9645 AXETV
9649 SRN
9900 D500
All PPV channels

So you still think there's a problem with my card?


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## P Smith

No. If it's the list of channels you're receiving now, you could watch, actually.

Then I see your card working properly. Same as my old 811 box.


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## jsk

Call E* and ask for the free PI pack. You should get those channels back.


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## shadough

I too have an old receiver still online, my doorstop 721. I still sub on other box's but leave the 721 connected (for some reason, I guess so I can use channel 0 - the aux input channel). I havent really noticed which channels come in an which dont, I know I can get 101, 240 an the Nasa channel, and I still have the old Yellow card in there. 

The channels you are receiving are NOT illegal so no worries there. lyngsat.com is a good place to look, most noticibly the encryption for each channel, the ones that say NONE are the ones you should get, the ones listed as Nagra3, obviously not.


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## ginahoy

shadough said:


> I know I can get 101, 240 an the Nasa channel,


Thanks for posting. Could you check to see if you get 102 (free preview list) and 265 (china tv)?
thanks

EDIT: I just checked Lyngsat. The above 2 channels are noted as having Nagravision 2/3 encryption. However, an online archive of lyngsat.com from 2008 shows these channels were previously listed as encrypted, at a time when I was able to receive them.

Just because a channel is encrypted doesn't mean DISH can't authorize the channel on non-subscriber receivers. OTOH, perhaps these channels were previously in the clear, which would mean Lyngsat was wrong.


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## Jhon69

Dish is also switching their tuning to 8PSK don't know if that maybe part of your problem?.

http://www.dishuser.org/rcvrcompare.php


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## shadough

I cannot get 102 or 265. Only 240, 101 an Nasa.


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## RMichals

I turned off a secondary receiver a few months ago but like the original poster left it hooked up to watch the free preview channels on it, after about 30 days it started to get the your smart card does not have current authorization to view message on all the channels except 101, even the test cards on 9901-9905 are blocked which is just stupid, so we can assume that the deactivated receivers are not kept in the stream anymore to issue rehits periodically to refresh the card. But if you still have a primary on your account you could use online chat to swap the receivers every couple months to keep them all updated.


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