Direct TV Cards: essential to a Direct TV satellite system...

Direct TV Cards

'Direct TV Cards' synonymous with Access Cards are DirecTV's means of providing certain programming to certain households, depending on what is paid for.

An access card, technically known as a "Conditional Access Module," or CAM comes with each system and is for use on a Satellite descrambler.


It acts as a "license plate" providing security and encryption information and allows you to control the use of your system.

The access card has memory on it, which means it can store the data that determines what programs can be descrambled, and those that cannot.

The access card also allows DIRECTV to capture billing information specific to your account.

What types of DirecTV cards are there?

P1, known as F cards, were used until 1997. F cards have a picture of a satellite on the front.

P2, also known as H cards, introduced in 1996 replaced F cards. H cards look the same as F cards are were in use until 2002.

P3, or HU cards were introduced in 1999 and are still supported. HU cards have a picture of a football player on the front. HU cards were originally shipped with receivers with serial numbers above 0001 700 000.

P4 cards introduced in 2002 are the current standard and are labelled "Access Card: 4."

Links:

DIRECTV.com - Official Site of DIRECTV.
www.directv.com

DirecTV Defense - DirecTV has launched a legal campaign that threatens smartcard researchers and innovators. Over the past few years, the company has sent hundreds of thousands of demand letters and filed nearly 24,000 federal lawsuits. www.directvdefense.org

DIRECTV - DIRECTV DVR with TiVo service, HDTV, Internet Access - DirectTV Products. www.directv.com