Newbie question on SA 4200 DVB

[Joppy]

Hiya all

Having never delved into cable boxes before I am totally lost with all the threads I have been reading, so I have a couple of simple questions to ask to point me on the right path to reading up the relevant info I need.

1) What can I do with a Scientific Atlanta 4200DVB? (Was given to me well over a year ago from a house clearance)

The box just has the basic channels but for some reason allows me to watch tv and music on demand too.

2) What would I need to purchase to be able to do more with it?

Im not asking for specifics as im quite happy to figure it out for myself and from what I understand newbies like myself asking for this info is frowned upon

So far I think I need to buy a card programmer of some sort but clarification would be nice!

Thanks in advance

[tdubman]

take the box off stream asap.......hope the card has the details still....u need to get an unlooper ......and a progger

[Joppy]

Thanks

Having read some more tutorials I see that the chip has to be programmed and the card changed too and what you said backs it up.

While I can see the process now, I dont understand what each part does. What does changing the code on the chip actually change? And the same with card?

[tdubman]

you need to change the network id ..to your area ....chip is under the board on that model .......then you need to unlock the card.ie with an unlooper ..then you need to get the info off the card then you can write back to the card with an image for your provider ..ie telepest or n\L.... hope this helps......the thanks button is bottom right

[Joppy]

Ahh, thanks for explaining why you have to modify the chip. As the box came from a house only a few roads away I am assuming it already has the correct ID for the area. So seems I can skip that part

I am in a Telewest area and it has a telewest card in it. So basically what I would be doing when unlooping is taking some info off the card and putting a new modified image back on it using some of the info I took from it?

Thanks again, I think I am close to understanding it now

[Joppy]

Found a usb infinity programmer for £15, would this be suitable for the job?

[Mozza912]

I Have the same Box and i am wanting to program this also, so you have to take the chip out? and then do what with it exackly? and what exackly is a unloper? What do you use to program the Chip? I Already invested in a card writer so i have that.

[Joppy]

There is a tutorial in the download section which shows you where the chip is and how to remove it and connect to it to a programmer.

I was thinking it was only to change the network location but if im not mistaken it also contains the BK (Box key) which you need so you can that info into a new image to put on the chip.

Im new to this too so still trying to work it out myself, so dont take anything I say as gospel :P

[Mozza912]

I know this is a silly questions but were is the download section?

[benson79]

Alright lads
Have you got anywhere with your box's???
I am in the process of doing SA 4000 DVB, just got the U50 and U48 chips off and am trying to get them onto the eeprog card, new to this to going slow.
my box's have never been paired, not even been used before!!