newbie question
 

what exactly does TSOP mean?

I don't know what it stands for, still looking in to it.
Its alot like an EEPROM though. You can read and write from it.

In DishNetwords case, they use it to store info on the IRD, and they some times end dowm ECMs to screw up the TSOP for hacked units. In DirecTV's case its used for the ZKT system.

And thats all I really know about them.