Setting up the GI S8120 tuner: CCcam and OScam

If you are setting up the GI S8120 tuner for cardsharing, you have probably already encountered the fact that most instructions on the internet are either outdated or written for another model. Here is the specifics: paths to files, config formats, ports, and what to do when nothing works.

The GI S8120 runs on Linux, which is good in itself — CCcam and OScam emulators run on it without any hassle, if you know where to look.

Brief answer: what you need to set up the GI S8120 for cardsharing

The GI S8120 receiver is a Linux device, and it natively supports both main emulators: CCcam and OScam. Access to the file system is done via FTP (port 21) and Telnet (port 23). For the setup from the server provider, you will need: hostname or IP address of the server, port, login, password, and protocol (CCcam or newcamd).

This is the minimum set. Without any of these elements, nothing will work — don’t even try to guess the port.

Compatible firmware and emulators

The GI S8120 supports both official firmware from the manufacturer and custom Linux builds — for example, based on Enigma2. Both options work with CCcam and OScam. Custom builds usually provide more flexibility: easier plugin management, no unnecessary restrictions on paths to configs.

Emulators are installed either through the receiver's plugin menu (if the firmware supports an online repository) or manually uploaded via FTP. The second method is more reliable — you know exactly what has been uploaded.

What to prepare in advance (server data, access via FTP/Telnet)

Before opening any config, make sure you have an FTP client. FileZilla will do. Connect to the receiver's IP (you can find it in the network menu on the device itself), port 21, the default login and password are usuallyroot/root, but depending on the firmware it may be different.

Telnet is needed for restarting emulators and viewing logs in real time. PuTTY is the standard tool, port 23.

CCcam or OScam — which to choose for this receiver

CCcam is simpler. One server, one line of config, started — works. If you have one source and you don’t need diagnostics — go for CCcam.

OScam is a different level. Web interface, detailed logs, support for multiple servers simultaneously, flexible protocol settings. If something doesn’t work, OScam will show exactly why. For the GI S8120 in the long term, OScam is preferable, but the entry threshold is higher.

Setting up CCcam on the GI S8120: step by step

First, you need to understand where exactly the config file is located. This depends on the firmware build, and this is where most instructions fall silent.

Installing the CCcam emulator via menu or plugins

In Enigma2 firmware, CCcam is installed through the "Plugins" → "Download plugins" section. If the repository is unavailable — download the CCcam binary for the ARM architecture and upload it via FTP to/usr/bin/, after which you make it executable with the commandchmod 755 /usr/bin/CCcam.

In older official firmware, the emulator may already be built into the system — check through the conditional access menu.

Editing the CCcam.cfg file

The path to the config is either/var/keys/CCcam.cfg, or/usr/keys/CCcam.cfg. Open it via FTP, edit it with any text editor. Important: the file must be in UTF-8 encoding without BOM, otherwise the emulator may not read it correctly.

If the file is not there — create an empty one with that name and place it in the required directory.

C-line: format and parameters

Connection string format:

C: hostname port username password [no|yes]

Example of a real string:

C: server.example.com 12000 mylogin mypassword no

The last parameterno means that local cards are not shared on this server. If you do not have a physical card — always setno. The parameteryes is only needed if you are a node yourself and are sharing cards upwards.

Multiple servers — multiple C-line entries, one for each. CCcam will try them in order if the first is unavailable.

Restarting the emulator and monitoring the connection

After saving the config, the emulator needs to be restarted. Through the receiver menu: “Settings” → “Conditional Access” → select CCcam → “Restart”. Or via Telnet:

killall CCcam&& sleep 2&& CCcam&

Check the connection status in the receiver's info menu. If you see ECM time around 300–800 ms and server activity — everything is working. Zero ECM time or status “no connection” — there is a problem with the data or network.

Configuring OScam on GI S8120: configs and protocols

OScam uses several configuration files instead of one — this can be a bit daunting at first, but each file is responsible for its own part.

Structure of the files oscam.server, oscam.user, oscam.conf

The main files are usually located in/etc/tuxbox/config/oscam/ or/var/keys/oscam/. Depending on the firmware, the path may be different — check via Telnet with the commandfind / -name oscam.conf 2>/dev/null.

• oscam.conf — global settings, including web interface and DVBAPI
• oscam.server — description of sources (readers), that is, cardsharing servers
• oscam.user — local users, needed for binding to DVBAPI

Configuring reader for the newcamd/cccam protocol

Example of a reader block inoscam.server for the CCcam protocol:

[reader]

For the newcamd protocol, the config is slightly different:

[reader]

Fieldkey for newcamd is the DES key provided by the server provider along with other data. Without it, newcamd will not start.

Web interface of OScam and monitoring port

Inoscam.conf add the block:

[webif]

After restarting OScam, open in the browserhttp://<IP_receiver>:8888 — there is a complete picture: status of readers, ECM time, number of requests, active connections. This is really useful for diagnostics.

Binding DVBAPI to the tuner

This section is often skipped, but without it, OScam on GI S8120 does not decrypt channels, even though the server may be connected correctly. Inoscam.conf:

[dvbapi]

The parameterboxtype = dreambox is used for most Enigma2 receivers, including GI S8120 on the appropriate firmware. If you have a different firmware — tryboxtype = pc orboxtype = dbox2.

The user inoscam.user must be named the same as inuser = in the dvbapi block:

[account]

Solution for typical problems and errors

Most problems when setting up the GI S8120 tuner boil down to three things: incorrect data, incorrect time on the receiver, or CAID that is not available from the source. Let's break down each case.

Channel does not open (black screen, ECM does not pass)

The first thing to check is the time on the receiver. It may not be obvious, but a desynchronization of more than a few minutes leads to the server rejecting ECM requests. Check in the settings menu, set the correct time zone, and enable NTP synchronization. This is done via Telnet as follows:

ntpdate -u pool.ntp.org

If the channels do not open after time synchronization — check the OScam log, look for lines with your CAID. If you seenot found (0 readers) — the source simply does not have the required card.

The emulator does not start or crashes

CCcam crashes with a broken config. A typical error is Windows line endings (CRLF) instead of Unix (LF). Open the file in an editor that can convert, save it with Unix endings.

OScam does not start if the port is already occupied by another process. Check via Telnet:netstat -tulpn | grep 8888. If the port is occupied — change the httpport or kill the competing process.

Important: never run CCcam and OScam simultaneously. They both try to capture the DVBAPI socket, conflict, and as a result, neither works properly. Choose one emulator.

Unstable connection and freezes

Freezes are most often a result of high ECM time. A normal value is up to 1000 ms. If it is constantly above 2000 ms, the server is overloaded or poorly connected to your network. In OScam, you can set several readers with fallback: if the main one does not respond for 1500 ms, the request goes to the backup.

Also checkreconnecttimeout in oscam.server — a value of 30 (seconds) is usually optimal.

Problems with DNS and provider ports

If the provider issued a DNS name instead of an IP, and the channels do not open — the problem may be that the receiver cannot resolve the name. Check in Telnet:nslookup server.example.com. If it does not resolve — manually enter the DNS servers in the network settings of the receiver (for example, 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1).

Non-standard ports are sometimes blocked by the user's internet provider. Try connecting from another device on the same network to the same host and port — if it does not work there either, the problem is in the network, not in the receiver.

How to choose a reliable server for cardsharing

Technically, everything can be set up perfectly, but if the server itself is unreliable — there will be no result. Here’s what to look for when choosing a source.

Criteria for a stable server (uptime, ECM time)

ECM time is the main indicator of server quality. A good value in OScam logs is consistently below 500 ms. If during the test period the ECM time fluctuates from 200 to 3000 ms — the server is overloaded or has an unstable channel to the card.

Uptime is checked only in practice. Test for at least 24–48 hours, preferably during prime time (evening, weekends) — that’s when the server load is maximum.

Support for required CAID and packages

Before payment, clarify the specific CAID and Provider ID for the packages you are interested in. The server may open 500 channels, but the specific package you need may not be there — different channels are encrypted by different conditional access systems.

In OScam, the web interface shows which CAID the reader provides. Compare it with what your package requires — and it’s immediately clear whether the source is suitable or not.

Trial period and technical support

A normal server always provides trial access — at least for 24–48 hours. If a trial is not provided, it’s a reason to be cautious. During this time, run a full diagnosis through OScam logs: check ECM time, the number of successful decryptions, the presence of errors likedecode error.

Technical support is important precisely when something goes wrong. Check how quickly they respond — send a question before payment.

Risks and what to pay attention to

Choosing a cardsharing server is entirely the user's responsibility. The server may disconnect, change data without warning, or simply stop working. A good practice is to always have a backup reader in OScam with a lower priority that automatically activates when the main one is unavailable.

Do not store connection data in plain text where outsiders can access it — especially if the receiver is accessible from an external network.