Conditional Access System for Satellite Outdoor Unit

A method and apparatus is disclosed to restrict the delivery of video, audio, and/or data to unauthorized end users in a satellite communications system. The satellite communications system includes one or more satellite receiving antennas, commonly referred to as a satellite dish, to receive downlink communications signals from one or more satellites. The transmission received by the one or more satellite receiving antennas is converted by an outdoor unit (ODU) for transmission to one or more indoor units (IDUs). The ODU receives control information from one or more satellites from the downlink communications signals, commonly referred to as in-band, and/or from out-of-band communications signals. The ODU may use the control information to restrict access to one or more communications channels embedded within the downlink communications signals to the unauthorized end users.