From:	Mark -(4DTV)	TO:	HARLEY1955

Date Posted:	201999-15-10 4:24:00
Message: Body:	VCII (or VideoCipher II) was the original VideoCipher technology, which was compromised very early on. Many people modified the VCII module in order to watch subscription programming without paying for it. This technology was no longer manufactured after 1989, and was completely replaced by the VCII+ technology in 1993. VCII modules were black. VCII+ (or VideoCipher II Plus) was a more secure technology mainly because GI integrated a bunch of separate chips into a single secure chip. The VCII+ boards also supported more scrambled channels than the VCII (256 tier bits instead of only 56). VCII+ modules were originally the lighter color blue, and then changed to pink to denote that they were covered by the Consumer Security Protection Plan (CSPP), which guaranteed a free upgrade to VCRS if the VCII+ security was compromised within the first three years of ownership. These began shipping in 1990 and stopped shipping in 1992. VCRS (or VideoCipher Renewable Security) was an enhancement to the basic VCII+ technology, but added the security card (known as TVPassCard), which is the replaceable security. The VCRS is shipped without a TVPassCard, but is designed to accept a card if the base module becomes compromised. In that event, all base modules without a card would no longer be able to decrypt the singals. VCRS boards are navy blue or purple to denote that they can be exported out of the US. The purple modules were known as VCRSi, but were functionally the same. All VCRS boards were covered by the three year CSPP. They began shipping in 1992, and stopped being manufactured in 1998.

Date Posted:

201999-15-10 4:24:00

Message:
Body:

VCII (or VideoCipher II) was the original VideoCipher technology, which was compromised very early on. Many people modified the VCII module in order to watch subscription programming without paying for it. This technology was no longer manufactured after 1989, and was completely replaced by the VCII+ technology in 1993. VCII modules were black.

VCII+ (or VideoCipher II Plus) was a more secure technology mainly because GI integrated a bunch of separate chips into a single secure chip. The VCII+ boards also supported more scrambled channels than the VCII (256 tier bits instead of only 56). VCII+ modules were originally the lighter color blue, and then changed to pink to denote that they were covered by the Consumer Security Protection Plan (CSPP), which guaranteed a free upgrade to VCRS if the VCII+ security was compromised within the first three years of ownership. These began shipping in 1990 and stopped shipping in 1992.

VCRS (or VideoCipher Renewable Security) was an enhancement to the basic VCII+ technology, but added the security card (known as TVPassCard), which is the replaceable security. The VCRS is shipped without a TVPassCard, but is designed to accept a card if the base module becomes compromised. In that event, all base modules without a card would no longer be able to decrypt the singals. VCRS boards are navy blue or purple to denote that they can be exported out of the US. The purple modules were known as VCRSi, but were functionally the same. All VCRS boards were covered by the three year CSPP. They began shipping in 1992, and stopped being manufactured in 1998.