Piccard II (Silvercard) files

There are 2 different types of files available for Silvercards:
- dedicated files that will decode only 1 type of coding
- DS9 files that are able to decode multiple coding systems

Dedicated files:
The most characteristic feature of dedicated files is that they work much the same may as an original card does. You could say that dedicated files are built in such a way that they simulate being a MOSC.

A sample of a dedicated file is the Secanix file set, described in the opening page of this chapter.
Dedicated files will decode only 1 type of coding (Irdeto or Seca or Viaccess etc.). In most cases, dedicated files support Auto Updating, just as a MOSC would. In some cases though, you will find file sets, not supporting Auto Update. That's when the file set contains a built-in blocker facility. The blocker will not allow any changes to be made to the eeprom file on your card. That ensures that your card will not be vulnerable to ECM attacks, but at the same time it prohibits your card to Auto Update.

Generally the PIC type dedicated file sets consist of 2 files: PIC- and Eeprom file.
- The PIC file contains the Software Program
- The Eeprom contains the Variables that the Software has to work with

Some well known files for use with Silvercards are Moscas (Seca), Pic2RD (Seca), DarkMOSC (Seca) and USS Enterprise (Viaccess). These are all files that use a software structure which makes them look like a MOSC more than any other file type. They can even be edited using most dedicated MOSC editing software. There are still some differences with real MOSC, but it is the closest you can get for now. That's why these files are also sometimes called clone files.

In some cases the "excess" space in the Eeprom is used to store logged data. That way, when a provider disables a card by using a specific ECM, the log can be used to analyze the ECM and then change the software for the card. For more detailed information on the purpose and possibilities of card logging, I advise you to take a good look at the Funmagic pages in the Software chapter. More specific, the part about the Funmagic internal log function.

DS9 files:
The most characteristic feature of DS9 files is that they do not behave like a MOSC at all. They don't simulate a MOSC, they emulate. DS9 files only work in combination with an Allcam patch.

DS9 file sets consist of 2 files: PIC- and Eeprom file.
- The PIC file contains the Software Program
- The Eeprom contains the Variables that the Software has to work with

Although there are many people that offer DS9 file sets, there are only very few distinct authors of DS9 Software. Most people just use the same PIC file and only create a modified version of the Eeprom file. That means that when one file set contains a bug, all others based on the same Software, will contain the same bug. That's why you will very often see that when a bug is discovered in one file set, switching to another file set doesn't solve the problem. You would need to look for a file set, based on another Software.

DS9 files can be divided into several sub types:
- DS9-401 Lite (for the 16F628 processor and 24C16 eeprom)
- DS9-401 (for the 16F628 processor and 24C64 eeprom)
- DS9-501 (for the 16F876/877 processor)

The DS9-401 files, whether or not in Lite version, are destined to disappear completely. The cards with the 16F628 have never been a great commercial success. It is my guess that future developments will concentrate on the DS9-501 versions only, due to the popularity of the Silvercards.