Canal digital has the measures have been implemented that it had announced against cardsharing. This allows customers on up to four devices at the same time watching tv. Customers are dissatisfied, but the measure must be piracy fight.
Satellite-tv provider canal digital sets with the measure to avoid that people get their tv signal via the internet against payment available to others. The number of clients that one-canal digital smart card can use, is therefore limited to four. The measure is on Tuesday entered, confirms a spokesman for canal digital at TotaalTV.
Customers with a certified canal digital receiver do not need to take action; they have a software update. Who is a Linux satellite receiver, you must update the firmware so that the number of streams is fixed at four; if not, then up to two devices at the same time of the canal digital connection use.
Recording of tv counts as one separate stream, so if there is included, in addition to the three streams at the same time to be viewed. The back of one with a Linux receiver recorded broadcast is also considered as a separate transmission, because the recipient must decrypt it.
Customers of canal digital are unhappy and among consumer organizations, government agencies and media, including Tweakers.net, regarded. They complain that they are in the purchase of a subscription is not the limitation on the height, and that it is in their interests. An additional smart card to purchase they will find no solution, because there is no extra need be paid. In addition, receivers that are not certified by the measure may suffer from interference. Some customers complain, furthermore, that fast switching can lead to unjustified blocking of the signal.
Canal digital was not available for comment. The company undertook earlier action against card sharing and deactiveerde in August fifty smart cards because that with others illegally would have been dealt. Last week, the measure was already introduced by the Belgian satellite tv provider TV Vlaanderen, part of the same group of companies as canal digital.