Well, now the time is gone, when we all were planning to move to digital TV viewing, from Analogue. Technological advancements have helped us demand more than just digital. This is High-Definition(HD), the new age TV viewing. HD is available via some Digital Cable operators as well as IPTV in India but here we’ll have a look at HD via DTH platform in India – A platform that has gained immense popularity since it’s inception and is still growing for it’s effective and quality delivery of TV and interactive services.
HD DTH
Now the question arises : What is HD ? HD basically means 720p, 1080i picture resolutions as against 480p of Standard Definition(SD) or 576i/576p of Enhanced Definition(ED). Basically, HD offers around FIVE times picture quality than SD or around FOUR times picture quality as ED. Also, there is 5.1 channel surround sound Audio via HD as against 2.0 Stereo Audio of SD and 2.1 Channel Audio of ED. Basically, 5.1 channel Audio means high quality sound from all four directions, giving a theatre-like effect, right at your home. There are true HD Channels, which show content that is filmed in HD Format and Upscaled-to-HD Channels, which are actually filmed as SD or ED but later manually converted to HD Format by addition of more pixels.
So, here is a short listing of various features of HD Services by various DTH Operators in India :
SUN Direct HD – from SUN Direct :
Inception : SUN Direct HD was introduced sometime around mid-2009, the first DTH operator to offer HD in India.
STB details : SUN HD at present provides HD STB of Samsung, which has been reported to be very stable by most users.
Sun Direct HD STB
Price : SUN HD STB (installation Rs. 1250 extra) costs Rs. 9990. The price also includes 12 months subscription of Metro/South Metro Pack + 12 months North HD/South HD Pack as per your location, which together costs around Rs. 2700. But at times certain discount offers are also available for which, you need to contact their Customer Care.
Package : SUN HD currently has 6 HD Channels i.e. NGC-HD, Discovery HD WORLD, Colors(upscaled), SUN TV(upscaled), Tamil HD(upscaled )and Telugu HD(upscaled). HD Pack of three channels costs Rs. 100 per month for 3 channels and has Add-on packs for HD Channels too.
Quality : As per reports of users, SUN HD offers truly HD quality Picture and 5.1 Ch. Audio for the true-HD Channels.
Sun TV HD
Reliance BIG TV HD-DVR :
Inception : Reliance BIG TV HD-DVR was introduced in May 2010, the second DTH to offer HD in India and first to offer a HD-DVR which not just provides HD viewing but also recording of TV content ,at max. upto 200 hours(for SD content, for HD content it maybe upto 80 hours at max.) It also allows you to Pause/Rewind Live TV. There is also a universal Remote which helps you remote both STB, TV and Audio System with a single remote. Reliance BIG TV HD DVR is only service provide who offers dual features Voice Recorder and HD viewing in single STB.
STB/Remote details : BIG TV provides a HD-DVR of Hyundai, which has been reported to be good by few but also to have few glitches/unstable software(esp. with respect to recording functions) by some users. There is an urgent requirement of a firmware upgrade for this STB.
Reliance BIG TV HD DVR STB
Price : BIG TV HD-DVR costs Rs.7490 without any free pack but includes free installation. But there is a better offer as per which it will cost you Rs.7990 and includes 3 month Diamond + NGC-HD Pack(at just Rs. 500, you are getting benefit of around Rs. 1000).
Package : BIG TV-HD has only one HD channel i.e. NGC-HD as of now, which costs Rs.25+taxes per month.
Quality : As per reports of users, BIG TV-HD offers even better Picture Quality than SUN HD but has only 2.0 Stereo Audio in NGC-HD as against 5.1 Channel Audio in SUN-HD.
Nat Geo HD On Reliance BIG TV HD DVR
Dish TruHD – from DishTV :
Inception : Dish TruHD was introduced in end of May end.
STB details : Dish TruHD provides HD STB of Zenega. Not many reports about performance of STB as it has come to market just now but the few reports so far are positive.
Dish TruHD STB
Menu in Dish TruHD
Price : Dish TruHD STB costs Rs. 5990 with installation charges of Rs 200. Exciting Dish TV user can upgrade their Connection to Dish TruHD with 1,000 off.
Package : Dish TruHD offers five HD Channels, as of now – NGC-HD, Discovery HD WORLD, ZEE TV(upscaled), ZEE Cinema(upscaled) and ESPN HD. The HD Pack including all five HD Channels costs Rs. 150 per month. ESPN offers FIFA World Cup – 2010 in HD.
Quality : As per reports of the few users, Dish TruHD offers truly HD Quality but has only 2.0 Stereo Audio in the True HD Channels instead of 5.1 Channel.
Zee TV HD On Dish TruHD
Airtel digitalTV HD – From Airtel digitalTV
Currently testing NGC-HD. Expected to launch services commercially max. by end of August 2010, most probably in July.
Airtel Digital TV HD
TATA Sky HD – from TATA Sky
Currently testing 3 unnamed HD Channels. Expected to launch services commercially max. by end of July 2010, most probably in early July. We already have some images which claims that Tatasky is testing NGC HD.
Tatasky HD
In overall, CommonWealth games 2010 in October is expected to provide a boost to HD in India with launch of DoorDarshan HD Channel by Prasar Bharati.
* Some Images Taken From SaveOnDish.com Forum
* Research done by our reader A Mohapatra
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
“2.0 Stereo Audio in the True HD Channels instead of 5.1 Channel.”
By default it should be 5.1, why did they downgrade it?
Thanks Admin and Mohapatra for the heads up about the HD services from others who will start it..
I was planning to take either Reliance BIG HD or SUN HD. But Now I will wait for others to start and see their quality and price and then decide.
Thanks again,
–Sriram
Hello Kiran,
Well both Reliance BIG TV HD DVR and DishTV TruHD not offering 5.1 Sound system, so in Audio Sun Direct HD is best among all 3 HD service provider.
dear admin
Well yes at-least Sun HD providing true 5.1 sound system.
I thought 5.1 is default in HD service
but in India its not, so both reliance & dish is what cheating it!
Yes only Sun Direct HD provide 5.1 Sound system while both new HD DTH operators providing Stereo sound system.
actually tamil HD and telegu HD in sundirect are not upscaled.they are HD channels with incredible quality.
Hello jeganneesh,
Yes Both Channels have stunning picture Quality but as from our information both are not true HD Channels but from you and other people’s correction, I change the information.
Thanks for point out it.
Well First i Would like to point out a few error’s in Dishtv True HD.
Rs.150 is not the installation charge, Its the Charge of HD Pack- which includes 4 HD channels (Zee HD, Zee Cinema- HD, NGC HD and Discovery HD). And also giving FIFA world cup free of cost live in Tru HD broadcasted by ESPN.
Also just to point out that FIFA cup feed from ESPN is not upscaled in Dishtv …….Dishtv is telecasting Tru HD feed of FIFA world cup for their customers.
Further i think to experience 5.1 audio you need to connect it to your home theatre with SPDIF given on Dishtv HD STB.
@Saurabh :
1. Mr. Amitsrivastava has already confirmed in saveondish.com that installation charges of Rs. 150+taxes is applicable. Admin has only left out +taxes.
2. Please read correctly. It’s clearly written that ‘ESPN offers FIFA World Cup – 2010 in HD.’
3. Users, who have connected to HT/have used SPDIF have already said it’s not 5.1 Channel
Please read the Article with an impartial thought in mind and you’ll see all apparent errors pointed by you are not Real errors.
Dear Admin,
I am about to buy DTH for the two new 42 inch LCD TVS that I bought. Now considering the availability of HDTV in the market and that only few players have launched it. What should be a good choice for DTH?
I had focussed in on Airtel considering the quality of images it provides. Cost is not a issue but I know I would be loosing some channels by not choosing Tata Sky.
I have been looking into this for a while and am at that stage where help would be sincerely appreciated. My only two requirements are best quality and future ready. Please help!
Thanks a ton!
Dear Admin,
Need your advice sincerely. Can you please advice which DTH should one go for considering two parameters primarily – Quality and future ready. Please advice.
Thanks a ton
hi, wasn’t Sundirect HD claimed that Rs.9990 will include installation + Activation + STB + HD channels + Other channel for a year’s Subscription???
Anyways,but its always better to wait for sometime I guess…
If more clarity needed, I came accross this post in hifivision, I hope it helps:
http://www.hifivision.com/digital-cable-dth/10181-now-dishtv-goes-hd-3.html#post141796
Hello Rahul,
Well if you have picture quality is your main point then Reliance BIG TV HD DVR is a product for you as it’s known fact that Reliance BIG TV have best picture quality in DTH industry and their plans are excellent for long term future as their new HD Channels are ready to beam in India including PPV model. It also have DVR function which non of HD DTH operator offering so it will be plus point for me.
Hello Sir,
Can non-HD TV user watch also HD channels on general tv set?
Thanks.
Hello Yogesh,
No you can’t watch HD Channels with normal HD TV, for that you have to buy Full HD or HD Capable TV to watch HD Channels!
How many of you are aware that it would take quite a lot of time before you get a reasonable number of channels in HD in India…atleast 1-2 years…How much time as a % of total time spent watching TV is spent on watching Discovery and National Geographic? Hence it would be worthwhile to wait atleast a year to see how things stand before buying HD DTH in my humble opinion…
PS: I have done a quick research on how many channels are offered in HD in the US and Europe…as of now approxiamately 50% only. And they switched to HD around 3 years back
Hello AJ,
Yes I agree with you! In India HD content is new and only informative providing full HD feeds so I think we should need at least 2-3 years to see more HD Content specially for entertainment channels! I also advice to all readers that better wait for few more months before jump to HD Connection.
Dear Admin, Please be informed that Airtel and Tata Sky both are launching HD-PVR STBs in October – November period. Rahul
Dear Admin,
Could you please suggest the best between Dish HD and tatasky HD in terms of cost and picture quality and audio quality..?