Video DTH Guide with Indian perspective

tarun

Adept
DTH Guide with Indian perspective

This is a basic guide which I have come up with for the people who are looking to go for DTH. I have tried to keep it simple so that everyone can understand it.

I had been working on this for last couple of days. Any comments/suggestions are welcome.

In the first section it explains the basic terminologies behind DTH and the second section talks about the DTH providers and their services available in India.

Section A: Basic Terminologies Explained

What is DTH?

DTH (Direct to Home) is also known as Satellite TV. It works by delivering video and audio signals from geostationary satellites to the dishes installed at viewer’s house. The transmission is done via radio signals. The satellites carry a number of transponders which are responsible for sending signals to Earth. Each transponder has the capacity to hold number of channels but compression technology can be used to accommodate more channels. The signals transmitted are then received by the dish installed at viewer's house.

What is Dish?

A dish is a parabolic shaped antenna. They come in varying sizes and designs and are most commonly used to receive satellite television. The purpose of the dish is to act as a collector and a reflector. The dish collects the signal and reflects it towards the feedhorn. The feedhorn receives the reflected signal and sends it to the LNB.

What is LNB?

Low-Noise Blocker is fitted on the front of the dish and acts as an amplifier which receives the radio signal from the satellite after it has been reflected by the feedhorn. The LNB amplifies the signal and converts it to a frequency more suitable for transmission over a cable.

What is STB?

Set top box also known as receiver/decoder is used for accepting the program signal (transmitted by lnb over the cable) and converting it into a format that can be viewed on your tv. The encrypted channels are decoded with the help of decoder card which is inserted in the stb. Receivers are also responsible for displaying the EPG (Electronic Programming Guide which shows all the channels schedule, synopsis etc), setting up reminders etc. There are some advanced receivers which act as dvrs (digital video recorder) which have the ability to pause live tv, record programs etc.

What are FTA channels?

FTA stands for free to air channels which don't require any decoder (card) for viewing and they can be seen with just a stb and dish installed without needing any subscription.

What are Pay/Encoded Channels?

These are the channels which need to be decoded before they can be viewed. For viewing these channels we need a card which acts as the decoder.

Section B: DTH Providers available in India

Dish TV India (»DishTV - India's first DTH entertainment...)

Dish TV is the service provided by Essel Group which owns the Zee Group. It has the largest user base of DTH customers in India. After getting all the Star bouquet channels in August it has gained lot of popularity as it offers almost all the channels which are provided by local cable operator.

Dish TV is currently offering all its channels out of 7 transponders on NSS-6 satellite. As the additional transponders are not available they are using Scopus Video Networks compression technology to accommodate more channels.

Satellite Used: NSS-6

Number of transponders available to Dish TV: 7

Installation Charges (including hardware and 3 months free subscription to 125 channels) : Rs. 3,490/-

Subscription Charges: Depends on the chosen package. Dish Maxi which contains all the channels is available for Rs. 300/-

Multiroom Option: No option available other than a new installation. You can go for a parallel line but with that both the tvs will see the same channel at the same time.

Video Channels: Zee Cinema, Max, Star Gold, Cartoon Network, Zee Trendz, Fashion TV, ESPN, Star Sports, Zee Sports, Ten Sports, Zee News, Aaj Tak, CNN, Headlines Today, IBN 7, Total TV, Animal Planet, Discovery, National Geographic, Zee Music, ETC Music, B4U Music, MTV, MH1 Music, Balle Balle, Zee Arabiya, Zee Jagran, Aastha, GOD TV, Sanskar, TV5 Asia (French), Zee Smile, Siti Channel, Play TV, Sab, Star Utsav, ABC Asiapac, ETC Punjabi, ARY Digital India, NE TV, N TV, SS Music, Jaya TV, AsiaNet, Akash Bangla,

ETV Marathi, Kairali, English Movies, HBO, Zee Studio, TCM, PIX, MGM, Star Movies, VH1, Trace TV, Channel V, Pogo, Animax, Nick, Boomerang, Toon Disney, Disney Channel, Hungama, The History Channel, Zoom, Zone Reality, AXN, Zee Cafe, Travel & Living, Star World, Break - Free Hindi Movies, Zee Premier, Zee Action, Zee Classic, Euro News, Zee Business, CNN Aawaz, CNBC TV 18, NDTV 24X7, Star News, Times Now, Zee TV, Sahara One, Zee Punjabi, ETV - Rajasthan, ETV - UP, ETV - Bihar, ETV - MP, ETV - Urdu, Geo TV, Sahara Samay, India TV, NDTV India, Sony, Star One, Star Plus, DD1, DD India, DD News, DD Sports, DD Lok Sabha, DD Rajya Sabha, DD Kashir, DD Punjabi, DD Bharathi, DD Sapthagiri, DD Bangla, DD North East, DD Gujarati, DD Sahyadri (Marathi), DD Oriya, DD Chandana (Kannada), DD Podigai (Tamil), DD Malayalam, DD Gyandarshan, Jain TV, Akash Bangla, ETV

Marathi, Kairali (Malayalam), TV 9 (Telugu)

Interactive Channels: Zee News, Zee Sports (coming soon), Movie on Demand

Radio Channels: Punjab Radio, AIR VBS, AIR Telugu, AIR Marathi, AIR Tamil, AIR Gujarati, FM Rainbow, Om Shanti, AIR Kannada, AIR Bangla, AIR Hindi, RA ELP, AIR NE, AIR Punjabi, FM Gold, RA FLP

Tata Sky (Tata Sky Satellite Television)

Tata Sky is a 80:20 joint venture between the Tata Group and STAR Group.

It currently doesn't have any of channels available in Zee Turner bouquet and talks are going on about it.

Zee Turner Bouquet includes Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee News, Zee Studio, Zee Bengali, Zee Gujarati, Zee Marathi, Zee Punjabi, Cartoon Network, Reality TV, CNBC, CNN, Zee Café, Zee Trendz, ETC, ETC Punjabi, Zee Jagran, Zee Smile, Zee Telgu, Zee Music, Pogo, Awaaz, VH1, Zee Sports, Zee Business, Zee Action, Zee Premier and Zee Classic.

Satellite Used: INSAT-4A

Number of transponders available to Tata Sky: 12

Installation Charges (including hardware) : Rs. 3,999/-

Subscription Charges: Rs. 200/- for all channels

Multiroom Option: Tata Sky can cater upto 4 televisions in a house and for each addition television it requires a Tata Sky digicomp which costs Rs. 2999 + Installation plus Activation plus One year comprehensive warranty charges for Rs. 1000 + Multiroom Subscription fee: Rs. 100 (This is in addition to your primary subscription cost)

Video Channels: Star World, Star Utsav (Hindi), Star Movies, Star Gold, Star Plus, Star News (Hindi), Star Vijay (Tamil), Star Sports, ESPN, Star One (Hindi), Channel V, MTV, National Geographic, AXN, Ten Sports, History Channel, Sony Entertainment Television (Hindi), SAB TV (Hindi), Sony PIX, SET MAX, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Discovery Travel and Living, MH1, ETV Bangla (Bengali), ETV Gujarati, ETV Kannada, ETV Marathi, ETV Oriya, ETV (Telugu), Nickoledeon, Fashion TV, Animax, Toon Disney, Disney Channel, Hungama TV, Aastha, Jaya TV (Tamil), Aaj Tak (Hindi), Headlines Today, NDTV Profit, NDTV 24x7, NDTV India (Hindi), DD News, Times Now, Asianet (Malayalam), Asianet news (Malayalam), Kairali (Malayalam), DD 1, DD Bangla, DD Malayalam, DD 8 Telugu, DD Sports, DD 5 Tamil, DD Marathi, Sahara One (Added on 08/09/2006), Sahara Filmy (Added on 08/09/2006)

Interactive Channels: Active Newsroom, Active Star News, Active Khabar, Active Wizkids (coming soon), Active Games, Showcase

DD Direct + (What is DD DIRECT+ ? - [url]www.ddinews.com[/URL])

DD Direct + is the DTH service provided by Doordarshan. The only FTA service providor in India. It only provides the free to air channels which don't require any monthly subscription charges and requires one time installation cost.

Satellite Used: NSS-6

Installation Charges (Including hardware) : Rs. 2000 - 2500/-

Subscription Charges: NIL

Video Channels:

DD-National, DD-News, DD-Sports, DD-India, DD-Bharati, DD-Bangla, DD-Chandana, DD-Gujarati, DD-Kashir, DD-Malayalam, DD-North East, DD-Oriya, DD-Podhigai, DD-Punjabi, DD-Sahayadri, DD-Sapthagiri, DD-Gyandarshan, DD-Lok Sabha and DD-Rajya Sabha, Sun TV, Star Utsav, MH1, Jain TV, Akash Bangla, Kairali, BBC World, ETC Punjabi, Smile TV, Zee Music, Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, TV9 & ETV Marathi

Radio Channels:

AIR Gujrati, AIR Kannada, AIR Bangla, AIR Hindi, AIR NE, AIR Punjabi, Vividh Bharati, AIR Tamil, AIR Tegu, AIR Marathi, FM

Rainbow & FM Gold
 
hmm good guide,

we are also all set for entry of reliance into this field. They have been given a letter of intent yesterday so we should be seeing another DTH player withing a couple of months.
 
Safin said:
hmm good guide,

we are also all set for entry of reliance into this field. They have been given a letter of intent yesterday so we should be seeing another DTH player withing a couple of months.
Yes. Letter of intenet has been given to Blue Sky Magic. But they haven't got space on transponders I think so it's gonna take some time before they launch their services.
 
Multiroom Option: Tata Sky can cater upto 4 televisions in a house and for each addition television it requires a Tata Sky digicomp which costs Rs. 2999 + Installation plus Activation plus One year comprehensive warranty charges for Rs. 1000 + Multiroom Subscription fee: Rs. 100 (This is in addition to your primary subscription cost)

i dont kind of get this part ,is it like 3,999+200+2999+1000+100
or only 2999+1000+100
:|
 
techno_funky said:
i dont kind of get this part ,is it like 3,999+200+2999+1000+100

or only 2999+1000+100

:|
For first tv you will initially pay 2999+1000

For second tv you will initially pay 2999+1000

then 200 for first tv + 100 for second tv monthly as subscription
 
^^ not in HD, to watch programming in HD, the broadcaster needs to have a HD setup.

superb guide,..very helpful and nicely compiled.
 
Nss 6 satellite does not have any adult channels on it. so forget abt watching any. u will have to get seperate dish and align it to the satellites that air these channels
 
chic_magnet said:
bah and the quality of the cable operators suck.. damned..

what abt dth servicers..? hows the quality??
The quality is supposed to be of MPEG-2 standards. The same which you get in DVD.
 
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