Decrypting service in DVBStreamExplorer using CI capable hardware

A little known feature in DVBStreamExplorer is the ability to decrypt DVB services using hardware that supports common interface (CI). You will need a TechnoTrend tuner card with CI support. This includes devices such as TT-connect CT 3650 CI and TT-connect S2 3650 CI. TT Budget cards with CI add-on card will also work. Cards with CI option from manufactures other than TechnoTrend will not work. Also this will only work with DVBStreamExplorer x86 version. CI and DiSEqC features are implemented in a proprietary DLL from TechnoTrend, ttBdaDrvApi_Dll.dll. Apparently this DLL is only available in 32 bit version.
You will also need a conditional access module (CAM) and a valid subscription smart-card. See picture below. It shows TT-connect CT 3650 CI, Conax CAM and subscription smart-card.

Insert your CAM and do a SI scan in DVBStreamExplorer. When completed switch to service view and DVBStreamExplorer should look similar to below.

Note that in lower right corner it can be seen that no service is currently selected.
To select a service for decryption locate an encrypted service in service view and double-click on it.
Lower right corner will now show that a service has been successfully selected.

Note this does not necessarily mean that service will be decrypted successfully. It just mean that tuning and selection of service was executed successfully.

You can check the DVBStreamExplorer log file for CI related entries. The log file can be found from options / preferences / logging.

Here is some logging from when CAM was inserted and initialized. The CA ID 0xb00 is for Conax.

 213 - Apr 25 09:25:51.189 - (9.842) - <4> - CI_OnSlotStatus(0,1)

 214 - Apr 25 09:25:51.189 - (9.842) - <4> - CI_SLOT_MODULE_INSERTED

 215 - Apr 25 09:25:57. 63 - (15.716) - <4> - CI_OnSlotStatus(0,2)

 216 - Apr 25 09:25:57. 63 - (15.716) - <4> - CI_SLOT_MODULE_OK

 217 - Apr 25 09:25:57. 63 - (15.716) - <4> - CI_SLOT_CA_OK

 218 - Apr 25 09:25:57. 63 - (15.716) - <4> - CA:  219 - Apr 25 09:25:57. 63 - (15.716) - <4> - supported CA ID[0]: 0x0B00

And here is some logging from when a service was selected for decryption.

1222 - Apr 25 12:10:11.524 - (9870.177) - <4> - Selecting service 'Discovery Channel'

1223 - Apr 25 12:10:11.623 - (9870.276) - <4> - CI_OnCAStatus(255,14,0)

1224 - Apr 25 12:10:11.623 - (9870.276) - <4> - CI_SWITCH_PRG_REPLY

1225 - Apr 25 12:10:11.623 - (9870.276) - <4> - ERR_NONE

Again this does not not necessarily mean that service will be decrypted successfully. It just means that connection to CAM is in good state.

To check that service is actually decrypted open DVB TS Monitor. Make sure that "Options / Parse A/V elementary headers" is enabled. Start the scan. In current service tab, services node locate the service selected for decryption. Verify that it looks something like below.

If you see details about A/V streams as tagged above, it means that service is successfully decrypted. That is unless the service was not encrypted at all to begin with. Note that it can take up to a minute or in rare cases even more for the header details to appear. This is because each stream in TS is scanned one by one for some time looking for header information.

Once decryption is verified you can save TS to disk. You can then view decrypted service in VLC. You can also stream service over UDP. Other clients can then pick up the decrypted service.