Tricolor access card: how to insert, service life

A smart card (conditional access) is a plastic plate with a microcircuit. It is an integral part of any satellite equipment and serves to decode the signal. For the equipment to work correctly and be able to watch channels, it is important to be able to insert it correctly. What the Tricolor smart card is and how it works is described below.

What is a smart card

A conditional access card is an analogue of a SIM card for smartphones and performs the same function - it provides access to satellite broadcasting. The Tricolor access card contains a number of information necessary for viewing channels. It helps to decode the signal, carries information for the satellite about what services the subscriber has connected to, and data about the user’s account information, in particular, a unique ID. Without it, watching satellite television is impossible.

Cards from different providers have their own information encoding, Tricolor has DRE Crypt, ADEK. All information is printed on a microchip; it does not have its own power supply, so it operates from the power supply of the receiver or conditional access module, which is inserted directly into the TV. To protect the chip, it is covered with a plastic shell.

What is included in the Tricolor kit

The company produces several types of equipment and offers different tariff plans. Buyers can choose sets for standard and smart TVs.

Most of the kits are equipped with receivers; there are also devices with a CAM module. If we talk about the standard set, it includes the following:

CAM module. It is compatible with television receivers that support the satellite TV standard. This is DVB-S2.
Smart card. It is necessary for the TV.
Satellite dish.
A receiving device called a satellite circular converter.

To connect television it is not necessary to purchase a complete set of equipment. It is enough to buy a smart card and then enter into an agreement with the service provider.

How to insert the card correctly

In order for the television to start working, it is important to correctly install the card in the equipment.

Important! There are two options for Tricolor TV equipment: with a receiver and with a CI module, which is installed directly into the TV.

Regardless of which receiver the subscriber uses, the installation principle is generally the same. To insert a smart card into the Tricolor receiver, you must do the following:

open the cover on the receiver;
insert the card with the chip facing forward and upward;
close the slot;
turn on the receiver and carry out the first setup of the equipment.

The second option involves installing the card in the CI module. You can use this option for accessing satellite television if there is a special slot on the TV body. In most cases, modules are used for Smart TVs, but there are models of simple TVs with similar support. This function is designated in the instructions as CI+. Before buying a TV, you should check whether it works with the receiver, or whether you can install a module. This option is more convenient as it reduces the amount of equipment purchased.

Installation into the module is carried out according to the following sequence.

The card is inserted into the conditional access module with the chip facing forward and down.
The module is installed in the TV according to the instructions for the latter. Options may vary by manufacturer. In some models, the module is inserted directly into the connector; some brands have a special holder that is attached to the TV.

Advice! To understand which side to insert the card in, just look at the device. There are usually installation instructions on the receiver and module.

Instructions for TVs of different models

The procedure for setting up operations will depend on the model of the television receiver. All setup steps are usually described in detail and with illustrations in the instructions for a specific device. We will provide only general information.

Important! Subscribers who have already tried to set the module parameters and have not received results are advised to roll back the TV settings to factory settings before any repeated operations.

Setting up the ci Tricolor module on an LG TV

After installing the CAM module in the corresponding port, you need to go to the TV settings and set the following parameters there:

antenna – satellite;
converter – single;
satellite - Eutelsat 36A/36B;
converter power supply – on (hereinafter set to “LNB”);
transponder frequency – 12226.

Then you should save the settings and check the signal quality. For normal operation it must be at least 80%. If the signal level is insufficient, it is worth checking the connection between the receiver and the antenna and, if necessary, reconfiguring the latter.

Next, go to the “Channel setup” menu item and set it to automatic mode. After the device detects and displays a list of found TV channels, it will need to be saved.

Then go to the “Sound Settings” item and set it to MPEG4 mode. This is necessary so that during broadcasting the sound does not hiccup and goes synchronously with the image. And the final stage is to go to the “CI Data” menu section and roll back to factory settings.

Next, the receiver is turned off for 5-10 minutes, then turned on again, transferred to one of the encoded channels and left for several hours. This is required for the device to receive activation keys from the satellite.

Important! Receiving activation commands should also complete the setup of the ci Tricolor module on a TV from Samsung, Sony, Philips and other models.

Instructions for Samsung TV receivers

Owners of Samsung TV receivers should also go to the device menu and select the “Satellite Channel Settings” section. The active satellite will already be marked in it. The checkbox must be unchecked and then checked at the very end of the list of signal sources, in the “User Sat1” line. This is necessary for the device to receive a signal from the Tricolor operator. Setting up the ci module on a Samsung TV continues by setting the LNB parameters in the corresponding section of the main menu. Here you need to set the value of the lower frequency limit to the same as the upper one.

Read: what advantages does the Cinema Halls service provide and how to watch films on the Kino Tricolor website.
Find out which channels are included in the Night package.

The next section of the menu for setting parameters is “Broadcast”. It requires:

go to the “Channel settings” sub-item;
select manual mode;
find the installed satellite User Sat1;
Click on the word “Create” in the “Transponder” line;
set operating frequencies and transmission speed;
save settings.

Next, you need to click “Search”, evaluate the signal level and start the search again. The equipment must find at least 6 TV channels. To connect the rest of the content, you need to go back to the “Transponder” section, turn on the network search and press the “Search” button again. As a result, the module will find all available channels and make the television interface available to the subscriber.

Setting up the ci Tricolor module on a Sony TV

To access broadcasting on Sony TVs, you must follow the following algorithm:

select the “Settings” item in the device menu;
go to the “Digital Configuration” subsection;
select the line “Satellite auto-tuning”;
in the “Antenna Configuration” window, set “Fixed antenna or DiSEqC”;
leave the default settings in the scanning window;
In the next window, turn on satellite number 1.

Next, the LNB configuration is installed. The upper and lower frequency ranges are set in accordance with the antenna model (the values are written in the instructions or directly on the converter body). Now you can return to the list of satellites and click the “Start” button located below it. After this, the module will automatically start searching for available TV channels. Upon completion, all that remains is to save the list of found content.

We recommend that you find out which buttons on the Tricolor remote control do what.
Read: what to do if Tricolor TV channels are not shown.
We advise you to find out why error 0 may appear on the Tricolor receiver.

Setting up the ci Tricolor module on a Philips TV

Philips currently does not have an agreement with Tricolor on the implementation of their parameters in the software of television devices. Therefore, during auto-search, the CI module of this equipment sees all frequencies of the working satellite, including programs not only of Tricolor, but also of NTV+. To gain access to the desired operator, you will need to do the following:

go to the “Installation” menu item, then “Search for satellite”;
click “Reinstall channels”, then “Start”;
wait until the signal scales are displayed on the screen;
return to the main menu using the back arrow.

Important! There is no need to press the “Set” button at this stage, otherwise the equipment will return to automatic settings.

Next, you should return to the “Installation” section, go to “Satellite Settings” >> “Channel Installation” >> “Manual Installation”. Here the LNB line should contain the previously found Tricolor satellite. Other lines must be filled in manually:

transmission speed – 27500;
polarization – horizontal;
frequencies - in accordance with the equipment.

Then click the “Search” button and wait for the table to appear on the screen. It must be saved and the setup will be completed.

Possible faults

If the smart card is not detected, or the TV does not show after installing it, then there are several possible faults.

If an error appears after installation, there is a high probability of incorrect installation. It is necessary to change the side on which the card was inserted, or check - maybe it was inserted correctly, but not completely. In this case, no effort is needed, everything sits freely. Before reinserting the smart card, you need to turn off the receiver's power (if it is a CI module, you must first remove it).
If the procedure does not help, then the receiver may be broken or the card may be faulty. To check this, you need to insert it into another receiver (CI module). If there is a broadcast, then the problem is in the equipment.
In some cases, the problem is caused by the microchip becoming covered in dust or dirt. It is enough to remove it with a soft cloth soaked in an alcohol solution. It is prohibited to use abrasive substances for cleaning, as well as to rub it with sharp objects.

Possible operational problems and how to fix them

Sometimes users may experience problems. Let's study the main causes of malfunctions and solutions:

You have inserted the card incorrectly. Turn off the equipment and take out the access device. Note the arrow image and reinsert the plastic into the slot.
The chip is damaged. Wipe it with alcohol. If this does not help, then call technical support and leave a request for restoration.
The receiver software and cards are not compatible. The company periodically releases software updates. It is recommended to install new patches immediately. Also, the cause may be outdated equipment, in which case replacement will be required. Remember, older receivers do not support the card.
System failure. You need to reset the settings to factory settings. To do this, go to the receiver settings and select “Reset settings” in the “Reset” tab. If the system asks for a code, enter 0000.

After resetting the settings, you will have to restart the search for TV channels.

Life time

Correctly inserting a Tricolor card into the receiver is easy, but this does not always guarantee the operation of the equipment. Any thing has an expiration date, and Tricolor equipment is no exception. The service life of the conditional access card is 3 years . These operating restrictions do not imply that upon expiration it will immediately fail, but this can happen at any time.

The Tricolor smart card can be replaced by contacting the subscriber at the official office or official dealers. To re-issue, you must have with you documents for the equipment indicating all information about the user, as well as a passport. Moreover, this service is provided only to the official owner - the person indicated in the contract.

Advice! It takes a month to produce a new card, so it is not recommended to wait until it deteriorates, since you will only be able to use the services after a fairly long period of time.

Registration

The next step is to register and activate the smart card. Go to the company's official website and then:

Go to the “Registration” tab.
Select "Viewer" and click on "Activation".
On the next page, fill in the required information.
Click the "Activate" button.

A message confirming registration will be sent to your email inbox.

How to connect Tricolor to 2 TVs

If you need to connect 2 television receivers to Tricolor, you need to do the following:

Connect all equipment into one network. If an antenna has not been installed, this must be done.
Connect the main receiver, television.
When the first TV starts showing a picture, set up the second one in the same way.

You will not have to perform any additional operations. If everything is done correctly, the equipment will configure itself and the owner’s intervention will not be required.

Many people are interested in how to connect a second TV to Tricolor TV without a second receiver. This can be done without additional equipment, but in this case there will be inconvenience. The image on each TV will be the same, so you won’t be able to watch different programs at the same time.

If someone is satisfied with this situation, you can connect the Tricolor dish. In this case, the connection diagram is as follows: the connection is made through the connectors located on the rear panel of the equipment.

TVs are connected to a set-top box; different cables are used for this. You can also buy a splitter in the store, with its help you can simultaneously transmit a signal to 2 devices. But you need to take into account that installing such equipment can affect the quality of the picture.