CCcam is a software protocol designed for this purpose. It acts as the communication language between the server (which holds the card) and the client (the set-top box). When a user selects a channel, their receiver sends a request to the server via the CCcam protocol, and the server responds with the necessary keys to open the channel.

Oscam (Open Source CAM) is a more complex and versatile piece of software. It is an open-source emulator that supports multiple protocols, including CCcam. Oscam is often preferred by advanced users because it can be configured to read different types of cards and manage complex network sharing structures.

Free servers are oversaturated. You might get 5 minutes of decoding before the server freezes. During prime time (football matches, movie premiers), the server either goes offline or lags so badly that the picture breaks into a mosaic every 10 seconds.

Most "free" servers are actually commercial servers offering a 24-hour or 48-hour free trial. After that, you must pay. The keyword stuffing of "free" is simply a marketing tactic to rank in search engines.