# Receiver without smart card? Sooo what?



## Driver_1

What's the smart card for? What can you not do if you don't have one?

Some ebay receivers have none, and check out zero balance when cross checked at Dish...

AND, are old cards good? I have one in an old box (301 or 311, not sure), and I have an old DTV model DRD502RB with card, and a Hughes HIRD-D1, with card.


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## garys

Smart cards are for security, all new Dish receivers have one built in, when hackers start having success getting their programing for free, Dish sends out new smart cards thus making hackers lose the stolen programing. Depending on the model receivers you have with older smart cards, they can still be reactivated with Dish supplying you with a new card in order to get the receivers to work. I cannot confirm Direct tv's procedure, but I'm sure they upgrade their cards as well.


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## boba

If you buy a used receiver without a smart card you will have to buy a new card from DISH or the receiver is a boat anchor. If you have a 301 it has a smart card inserted if you have a 311 the smart card is built into the circuit board. The blue cards were replaced with the yellow smart cards and are worthless, the yellow cards are almost replaced with purple cards and could be shut off at any time.


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## paulman182

Isn't it true that you can get NASA, a few other public service, and the barker channels with no card?

I'm pretty sure last time I tried my deactivated Dishnetwork receiver I got those channels. The receiver did have a card, just no subscription.


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## coldsteel

Yes, those are always available, since they're public interest and Dish gets paid by the 'barker's (nice term, BTW. Will blatantly steal it.  ) to always show those channels. That's why you still have some programming, even when suspended/cutoff.


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## JohnH

Since DiSH is doing the "barking" they do not get paid except by themselves. 

BTW: Some of those receivers will stop functioning after a predefined period without a valid subscription.


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## tnsprin

paulman182 said:


> Isn't it true that you can get NASA, a few other public service, and the barker channels with no card?
> 
> I'm pretty sure last time I tried my deactivated Dishnetwork receiver I got those channels. The receiver did have a card, just no subscription.


It use to be impossible to use the receiver without a card. I am not sure that you can use the receiver with say an expired built-in card, but it may work.


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## garys

tnsprin said:


> It use to be impossible to use the receiver without a card. I am not sure that you can use the receiver with say an expired built-in card, but it may work.


Once Dish replaces cards on a particular model. You need a new card to get it to work. You may be able to view some of the FTA channels Dish has, but you will get the frequent "You need to update your smart card." messages.


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## peano

Carded receivers will not work for any channels without a card. They will come up "Smart Card Not Inserted Correctly"


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