How to view coded channels using tvheadend on RPi4

[Bosse_B]

I am looking at a new RPi4 project:
Building a RPi based PVRT for DVB-T and DVB-T2 using the Raspberry Pi TV HAT
So far I have found a good HOWTO at PiHut, so it looks like it will be doable at least.
But what I would like to know is if there is a way to use a provider's PCMCIA card to decode protected channels too?
Has this been done yet? I did not find anything except how to handle Freeview channels without a code card.

[topguy]

I don't know for sure but, I would be really surprised if there was hardware and software support for a CAM.

[6by9]

Generally I've seen the CAM built into the tuner where appropriate, eg https://www.tbsiptv.com/tbs5881-dvb-t2- ... ci-usb-box(*).
I've never seen a standalone CAM. It's not one that I suspect the content providers like as it leaves the decrypted streams easily accessible on the host. Generally speaking you do everything in your power not to expose those without some form of protection (eg buried inside your TV or DVD/Bluray player).

(*) This not a recommendation as TBS device support has always been a bit patchy in Linux, requiring building out-of-tree modules. Looking at the drivers they provide for it, they don't provide scripts for ARM either.

[Bosse_B]

The reason I am looking at this is that my HUMAX digital TV PVRT box (Swedish version BXR HD+2 with 500GB disk) is beginning to act up and there are no such devices available for sale anymore I have found.
Everything seems to be geared towards the Internet nowadays so we who are living (part of the year at least) outside areas where fiber is available are left out to dry.
Mobile broadband is not an alternative given the cost of data and the amount of data used by a HD stream...
So we want to be able to record off air instead and we need to be able to decode the data (the TS stream) on coded channels...

[6by9]

You'll have to do some searching to try and find a standalone CAM with suitable CI interface for your access card. I'm not aware of any, and there aren't (legal) software only alternatives.

The TVHat doesn't support a CAM at all, so that is FTA only.

Having a quick search on https://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB-T2_USB_Devices lists the "TechnoTrend TT-connect CT2-4650 CI" as a fully supported DVB-T2 USB tuner with CI interface. Whether you can find one is a totally different question - USB tuners seem to be a dying product for reasons that aren't totally clear.
There's one listed on Ebay at present - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TechnoTrend- ... 1658302735 or
https://dvbshop.net/GEBRAUCHT-TechnoTre ... T-Viewer_1 also lists it (looks like the same seller).
Again please don't take this as a strong recommendation for the product, but at least something supported by the mainline kernel will mean you can get future support should it not work. (A brief browse implies that TechnoTrend may no longer be trading).