DVBCI

DVBCI stands for Digital Video Broadcasting Cable Interface. It is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for the interface between a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) cable receiver and a Conditional Access System (CAS) module. The primary purpose of DVBCI is to provide a standardized way for digital television receivers to access encrypted satellite or cable television channels.

This interface allows manufacturers of set-top boxes and other DVB-compliant devices to use a common plug-in slot for Conditional Access Modules (CAMs). These CAMs contain the necessary decryption circuitry and software to decode scrambled television programs. By using DVBCI, consumers can purchase a receiver from one manufacturer and a CAM from another, provided both adhere to the DVBCI standard. This promotes interoperability and competition within the digital television market.

The DVBCI specification defines the physical connector, the communication protocol, and the data format exchanged between the host receiver and the CAM. It ensures that the receiver can securely pass decryption keys and other necessary information to the CAM, and the CAM can return the decrypted video and audio data to the receiver for display. While DVBCI was specifically designed for cable television, similar interfaces exist for other DVB transmission systems, such as DVB-S for satellite and DVB-T for terrestrial broadcasting.