[myavu]

Originally Posted by mac187

2. Animal Planet HD is available

Animal Planet HD is not available in Tata Sky!

Quality is top-notch.

Cheers!

Vinu

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

Not confirming, but there could be some merit in what you have heard. Our building has a common dish installed by TataSky and one of their engineers recently came by to do an inspection. On being questioned why, he mentioned that they are trying to determine the capabilities to run additional cables off that dish.

Yes this is correct. Both my TATASKY HD connections have had this new extra cable added on. Painless process overall.

[VKS]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Yes this is correct. Both my TATASKY HD connections have had this new extra cable added on. Painless process overall.

I already have a bad experience with this , When i shifted to the new premises last year Jan .

Tata Sky team wanted to install a second set of wire for the HDPVR box but the internal wiring duct had no space for the second set of wire and building association didn't permit external wiring.

TS installed a splitter at that time after much follow up as a work around , but they will be starting using a new satellite from next month so the second set of wire will be necessary . Not sure what will be the solution this time

Please note the above is only for the HD recording box .

[esteem_lover]

Guys, Airtel has introduced a new HD recorder for 2,790/- WITHOUT the HDD but with USB support for 4GB plus Pendrives and external HDDs. I think this is an awesome deal considering you will have all the recorded programs on an external media. Well, of course it has its cons. 1. Cannot watch another channel while one is being recorded. 2. Cannot record 2 programs simultaneously.

A good option for a second box in the house, I guess.

Here http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect...lus/PG-HD-Plus

Another catch : Rs.25 pm for the recording feature

[sa_kiran]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Guys, Airtel has introduced a new HD recorder for 2,790/- WITHOUT the HDD but with USB support for 4GB plus Pendrives and external HDDs. I think this is an awesome deal considering you will have all the recorded programs on an external media. Well, of course it has its cons. 1. Cannot watch another channel while one is being recorded. 2. Cannot record 2 programs simultaneously.

A good option for a second box in the house, I guess.

Here http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect...lus/PG-HD-Plus

Another catch : Rs.25 pm for the recording feature

Can the program recorded on the USB drive/external HDD be viewed on a PC or TV directly? If yes, it may be piracy! If not, there is no use of recording on USB drive/external HDD.

Can not watch another program while recording, can not record two programs simultaneously and 25/- per month - airtel seems to be 5 years behind times. Reading your post made me feel that I made the correct decision to go with Tata Sky over 4 years ago.

[aim120]

Originally Posted by sa_kiran

Can the program recorded on the USB drive/external HDD be viewed on a PC or TV directly? If yes, it may be piracy! If not, there is no use of recording on USB drive/external HDD.

Can not watch another program while recording, can not record two programs simultaneously and 25/- per month - airtel seems to be 5 years behind times. Reading your post made me feel that I made the correct decision to go with Tata Sky over 4 years ago.

None of the DTH allow content to watched on any other device other then their STB and they are recorded in a proprietary encrypted format.

This is this just the regular HD STB which has one input from LNB and now has the ability to record probably via a firmware update ,existing customers will have to buy a new remote with DVR buttons for Rs 400.
Where as the more expensive HD-DVR with internal recorder has two inputs from LNB and can record a channel while you watch another.

[S_U_N]

Does anyone use ICC cable in HD? The charges are around Rs. 420 per month and include some 17 HD channels plus a whole bunch of SD channels. They charge Rs. 2500 as security deposit for rental homes (and zero) for self-owned homes.

SD quality is good, but I have not seen HD so far.

Perhaps they do not have recorder facility.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by sa_kiran

Can the program recorded on the USB drive/external HDD be viewed on a PC or TV directly? If yes, it may be piracy! If not, there is no use of recording on USB drive/external HDD.

Can not watch another program while recording, can not record two programs simultaneously and 25/- per month - airtel seems to be 5 years behind times. Reading your post made me feel that I made the correct decision to go with Tata Sky over 4 years ago.

I am not sure I agree with you here, airtel is in no way 5 years behind, do you know the cost and features of a recorder 5 years back ? This is a cheaper alternative for people who don't want to spend 6k upfront and also a nice opportunity to have your favourite programs on an external media. And for the moral brigade, copying contents on your own media without selling them for a profit does not constitute piracy, guess we have lived too long in the pirated DVD culture.

[k2max6]

Originally Posted by sa_kiran

Can the program recorded on the USB drive/external HDD be viewed on a PC or TV directly? If yes, it may be piracy! If not, there is no use of recording on USB drive/external HDD.

Can not watch another program while recording, can not record two programs simultaneously and 25/- per month - airtel seems to be 5 years behind times. Reading your post made me feel that I made the correct decision to go with Tata Sky over 4 years ago.

Can the program recorded on the USB drive/external HDD be viewed on a PC or TV directly? If yes, it may be piracy!

An external HDD connected to the stb ,playing is as good as playing directly unless you want to share the recordings.

I don't say that choosing tatasky was wrong but i strongly disagree to your statement that airtel is 5 years behind.

Does Tatasky's standard HD STB allow you to copy the recorded programs on an external disk to a PC?
No.

Does Tatasky's standard HD STB allow you to record two channels simultaneously?
No

Will Youtube be available on Airtel soon?
Yes

Airtel/Tatasky/dishtv are offering a cheaper option by providing recording facility on a standard HD STB. So that those who have limited recording needs or are on a budget can benefit. One can even use a 300rs pen drive to record.

Buy a HD DVR and you don't need to pay anything per month extra and record two channels simultaneously.

Airtel is not 5 secs behind. No offence.

PS: I am using both Airtel & TataSky.
(HD DVR's & HD STB's)

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Guys, Airtel has introduced a new HD recorder for 2,790/- WITHOUT the HDD but with USB support for 4GB plus Pendrives and external HDDs. I think this is an awesome deal considering you will have all the recorded programs on an external media. Well, of course it has its cons. 1. Cannot watch another channel while one is being recorded. 2. Cannot record 2 programs simultaneously.

A good option for a second box in the house, I guess.

Here http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect...lus/PG-HD-Plus

Another catch : Rs.25 pm for the recording feature

Yes its a great option. Its actually the same existing hd stb with the recorder remote. I also have one HD STB and had the recording function activated months ago.I was in the early birds to get it active. I am not being charged anything. The remote is available for 400 bucks for existing customers but i have a universal remote so saved money!
It works nicely. Although if one considers to cost of the hdd as well then its better to buy a HD DVR.

[skumare]

I have Reliance HD at home and noticed that the audio of HD channels is PCM only? Any idea on when they may upgrade to 5.1 Dolby?

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by k2max6

Will Youtube be available on Airtel soon?
Yes

Does this mean that we can watch youtube videos directly through the satellite?
This is splendid. When is it getting launched? Extra charges?

Yes its a great option. ....... The remote is available for 400 bucks for existing customers but i have a universal remote so saved money!
It works nicely. Although if one considers to cost of the hdd as well then its better to buy a HD DVR.

I agree. Good alternative without changing STB.
8 GB pen drive costs Rs. 300+.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Does this mean that we can watch Youtube videos directly through the satellite?
This is splendid. When is it getting launched? Extra charges?

I am not sure how they are going to do it, but DTH service is a one way service. So, while browsing on computer, you can select a video and it plays out. But to play it on TV, one has to send the play instructions to service provider then only it will stream through set top box. In the US, this has been achieved by connecting the set top box to telephone line which acts as carrier of play requests. I am not sure if Airtel STB has this provision.

You can also think it from the persepective of VoD service that is there right now. You can only place the request using mobile, internet, sms, which are nothing but send/play requests.

[k2max6]

Originally Posted by shipnil

I am not sure how they are going to do it, but DTH service is a one way service. So, while browsing on computer, you can select a video and it plays out. But to play it on TV, one has to send the play instructions to service provider then only it will stream through set top box. In the US, this has been achieved by connecting the set top box to telephone line which acts as carrier of play requests. I am not sure if Airtel STB has this provision.

You can also think it from the persepective of VoD service that is there right now. You can only place the request using mobile, internet, sms, which are nothing but send/play requests.

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Does this mean that we can watch Youtube videos directly through the satellite?
This is splendid. When is it getting launched? Extra charges?

It will work without an internet connection most probably.Thats the beauty of it.
Airtel has tied up with BrizzTV and would be launching this first of a kind service.
Its not only youtube but we would be able to access Facebook,yahoo,flickr,picasa and many more. Google brizzTV for more.

It is already quite late and hope its launched very soon. Expected in another 3 months.

Lets see how it is priced. Expected around 100-150 INR max.

[shipnil]

I was just browsing the current offers. Most of these are priced upwards of 6k. Has the prices gone up recently? About a year back, I think the prices for HD DVR were around 4k. Any additional benefits offered or just that inflation has caught up with DTH companies as well?

[VW2010]

No DVR in Videocon DTH in chennai. WHat a shame that they are losing potential customers due to non availability of hardware.

Having said that the HD Set top box with a 1 year south gold connection is actually the cheapest option across all DTH operators.