SSAVI Links and References

As I am so lazy and these links will not be up-to-date for a very long periods I suggest you learn to use the various search engines (Yahoo, Google, Altavista etc.).

Basic cable-tv scrambling system reference and glossary is found at "rec.video.cable-tv FYI" (originally by Jim Cole). The same FAQ and some additions is also "CATV + Wireless cable FAQ". A very videly copied document is p46-10.html, "Phrack Magazine - A Guide to Porno Boxes" by Carl Corey. It can be found at:

Other WWW documents mentioning SSAVI are overair.txt, "Pirating cable TV, Over the air pay-tv scrambling" by LOGIC GOD. and cable2.txt "The SSAVI Cable Scrambling System", by Mad Phone-man.

A descrambler construction (that is claimed to work in Helsinki/Finland at least somehow) descram.zip can be loaded from:

Another SSAVI descrambler construction details (NTSC only so far) is available at Connectrix site. Schematics, Partlist, Placement, and PCB Layout available. There is also old version of Code commented in Polish!.

Original design by Magicboxes has a small PIC card decoding SSAVI. The PIC code ("source code" i.e. disassembly) partlist and PROTEL (+ Shareware EasyTrax) PCB file, and schematics is available. This device is for NTSC only so PAL redesign was necessary.

Jens has 3chip software converted for PAL system (systems B and G). Herr HU has also some interesting information about SSAVI systems. Dave2 has more info about 3chip design. He has also a page about Scrambling systems.

A Dutch version of SSAVI decoder can be found here. This decoder contains all necessary functions but the working of the device is unknown. The zip contains two .bmp files (print.bmp and comp.bmp) for PCB layout and parts placement. The Readme.doc seems to be in M$ Word format. Zip file does not contain schematics though :-(

One document describes the connections and contents of Salora made SSAVI descrambler identification PROM.

A book World Satellite TV and Scrambling Methods mentions SSAVI in a very general discussion. The book discusses mainly about scrambling systems in satellite broadcasting. The scrambling part has been written by John McCormac.

Two U.S. Patents describe system very similar to this:

4222068: Subscription television apparatus and methods (This is the SSAVI description)
4460922: Memory select system for an STV decoder (A Good description of the details of the authorizing signals)

Use e.g. US Patetnt & Trademark Office Patent Number Search.

Earliest reference of SSAVI is: G. Bock, "So funktioniert Scrambling", Funkschau, Nr. 8/1985, pp 58-61, 12. April 1985. The system was named as BBS by names (Bosch, Braun, and Siemens). The name Zenith was also mentioned in parenthesis.

Radio Electronics had a series TV SIGNAL DESCRAMBLING in 9 parts (June 86 - July 87). Parts 4 and 5 discuss about SSAVI:

W. Sheets and R. F. Graf, "TV SIGNAL DESCRAMBLING Part 4", Radio Electronics, vol. 57, No. 9, pp. 54-57, September 1986.
W. Sheets and R. F. Graf, "TV SIGNAL DESCRAMBLING Part 5", Radio Electronics, vol. 57, No. 11, pp. 46-48, November 1986.

The SSAVI is discussed in a further series which adds only very little to the previous series and lasts from August 92 to July 93. The name of the magazine has been changed to Electronics Now. SSAVI is discussed in:

R. Grossblatt, "Let's see what's involved in descrambling a SSAVI signal", Electronics Now, vol. 63, No 10, pp. 88-90, October 1992.
R. Grossblatt, "Let's build our own video scrambler!", Electronics Now, vol. 63, No 11, pp. 84-85, November 1992.
R. Grossblatt, "Let's get back to our SSAVI descrambler", Electronics Now, vol. 63, No 12, pp. 88-89, December 1992.
R. Grossblatt, "Our descrambler starts to take shape", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 1, pp. 83-85, January 1993.
R. Grossblatt, "A PLL circuit will help us generate missing horizontal sync pulses", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 2, pp. 82,84,90, February 1993.
R. Grossblatt, "Our descrambler is almost finished", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 3, pp. 87-88, March 1993.
R. Grossblatt, "Here's how to make sure your SSAVI descrambler uses the correct sync", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 4, pp. 18,84-87, April 1993.
R. Grossblatt, "Detecting video levels and inverted video", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 5, pp. 81-83, May 1993.
R. Grossblatt, "Real-world considerations", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 6, pp. 84-86, June 1993.
R. Grossblatt, "Some reader suggestions considering our SSAVI descrambler ...", Electronics Now, vol. 64, No 7, pp. 84-87,96, July 1993.

Updated: 2002-01-12