N3 questions/changes explained

[dannyzzz]

N3 questions/changes explained thanks to: tyson01

N1, N2 and N3 are Control Word(CW) encryption/decryption methods, they are not about the scrambling of a digital channel.
The way digital channels are scambled hasn't changed since the first digital channels started to be scrambled, it is an unbreakable method, in realtime, you could unscramble a digital channel if given the time, say 1 year for a 2 hour show, so not really a practical argument that it can be unscrambled by brute force, lol.
All providers use the same method of digital scrambing, DN, DTV, StarChoice, and Digital Cable companies, thats because it is unbreakable.
A digital channel is scramble by applying a random 8 byte number to it, this random number is called the Control Word(CW), it is saved and sent out to subscribers.
An 8 byte number has:
256 x 256 x 256 x 256 x 256 x 256 x 256 x 256
possible combinations, this is why it is unbreakable, lol, in realtime

So there is no change in scrambling between N2 and N3, what is changed is the way the provider sends out the 8 byte Control Word to all its subscribers.
There is one CW per channel and each CW is changed every 2 to 5 minutes on each channel, this is the problem with "realtime" brute force methods.
Each CW packet is small and sent out every second on its channel, has to sent out every second so you can channel surf, each time you select a channel the receiver must get the encrypted CW packet for that channel, decrypt it then apply it to the scrambled digital Video/Audio packets to unscramble them.
So the Control Word encryption/decryption is what the SmartCards(smartchips) are for, they never see any audio or video just the CW packets.

N1 is a method of CW decryption
N2 is a method of CW decryption
N3 is a method of CW decryption

A Smartcard only has 1 method inside, its either an N1, N2 or N3 card, there is no "cross decryption", no reason for it.
The encrypted CW packets are small, N2 and N3 packets can be sent out on all channels at the same time, they do not slow things down.
An N2 and N3 packet will have the same decrypted CW inside, for the same channel.
Once all subscribers to a channel have their N3 cards the encrypted N2 CW packets are dropped from that channel, so no N2 cards can get that channel, nor could any N2 based CW decryption software, i.e. FTAs or EMUs.

There is no way to reverse the math on a Control Word decryption, meaning you can see the packet numbers as encrypted and then see it decrypted, but can not duplicate the process to decrypt it simply by knowing the answer, the type math used in this type of decryption is used because it is not reversable.
So the only way to "break" a new CW decryption is to open a card that uses that decryption and get the info from inside, the reason you can decrypt DN N2 CW packets is because a DN N2 sub card was opened and the info inside was made public, FTA coders then applied that info to use in their "bins".

So the only way an FTA coder can make an N3 "bin" is if a "card hacker" can break into a DN N3 card and read the info inside.
"Card hacking" and coding are different things.
"Card hackers" are all about getting around the security of the cards hardware, getting the info from inside is a by product, it just proof that they did it.

So in general FTA coders are not "working on N3", they are "coders" not "card hackers", once/if an N3 card is opened, then and only then can the "coders" go to work.