ITV

Category: DTH Operator

  • FreeDish ready to beam 104 TV channels; 24 on MPEG4

    FreeDish ready to beam 104 TV channels; 24 on MPEG4

    NEW DELHI: Doordarshan today formally announced that it is now capable of carrying 104 television channels on its free-to-air direct-to-home FreeDish. 24 channels that are being added to the existing 80 channels will be directly be launched on MPEG4 technology.

    DD officials also confirmed that FreeDish will soon be capable of carrying up to 250 channels.

    In line with the ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’, DD has decided to implement Indian CAS (iCAS) on DD FreeDish Platform. iCAS (which is an initiative of the central government, is being initially introduced in 24 MPEG-4 channels. The introduction of iCAS will provide enhanced viewing experience.

    DD officials said these additional 24 MPEG-4 SDTV channels will be available to viewers in FTA mode. The existing viewers will continue to get 80 SDTV channels, but will have to obtain iCAS-enabled authorised set-top boxes for accessing all 104 channels.

    Although FreeDish will remain free to air with no monthly or periodic fee, the viewers will be required to register with DD FreeDish on getting the new STB from Doordarshan authorised STB dealers.

    Slots on DD FreeDish are allocated to private channels through a transparent system of e-auction. DD earned Rs 980 million in 2014-15, Rs 1800 million in 2015-16, and Rs 1040 million till September in 2016-17. The next auction – the 31st – is slated for 5 October. FreeDish was launched with a modest bouquet of 33 channels in December 2004, and now carries eight TV channels and 32 radio channels.

    The platform has a rich bouquet of channels consisting of 22 Doordarshan channels, two parliamentary channels, seven general entertainment and music channels each, 18 movie channels, 13 news channels, three religious channels and eight channels of other genres.

    DD officials said implementation of iCAS and authorisation of STB original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by Doordarshan will give a major thrust to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’. At present, a majority of STBs are imported. However, the introduction of iCAS will help in standardization of STBs and encourage quality STB manufacturing in India.

    For authorisation of STB OEMs, a series of meetings were conducted by DD DG Supriya Sahu and her team with the Indian STB manufacturers, Department of Telecom and Information Technology, C-DAC, chip set manufacturers and other stakeholders.

    After active consultation with all the stakeholders, DD started the process for rolling out MPEG-4 STBs for its DD FreeDish with iCAS. Doordarshan has invited e-applications for authorisation / empanelment of STB OEMs to sell / distribute DD-approved CAS-enabled DD FreeDish set-top boxes (STB) in India.

    Once the Indian STB OEMs are authorised by DD, they will start manufacturing quality STBs in India. They will set up their distribution network all over India for selling Indian STBs and providing services to Doordarshan FreeDish viewers. Doordarshan DTH has also planned to set up customer care service for DD FreeDish viewers and has planned extensive complaint redressal mechanism.

  • FreeDish ready to beam 104 TV channels; 24 on MPEG4

    FreeDish ready to beam 104 TV channels; 24 on MPEG4

    NEW DELHI: Doordarshan today formally announced that it is now capable of carrying 104 television channels on its free-to-air direct-to-home FreeDish. 24 channels that are being added to the existing 80 channels will be directly be launched on MPEG4 technology.

    DD officials also confirmed that FreeDish will soon be capable of carrying up to 250 channels.

    In line with the ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’, DD has decided to implement Indian CAS (iCAS) on DD FreeDish Platform. iCAS (which is an initiative of the central government, is being initially introduced in 24 MPEG-4 channels. The introduction of iCAS will provide enhanced viewing experience.

    DD officials said these additional 24 MPEG-4 SDTV channels will be available to viewers in FTA mode. The existing viewers will continue to get 80 SDTV channels, but will have to obtain iCAS-enabled authorised set-top boxes for accessing all 104 channels.

    Although FreeDish will remain free to air with no monthly or periodic fee, the viewers will be required to register with DD FreeDish on getting the new STB from Doordarshan authorised STB dealers.

    Slots on DD FreeDish are allocated to private channels through a transparent system of e-auction. DD earned Rs 980 million in 2014-15, Rs 1800 million in 2015-16, and Rs 1040 million till September in 2016-17. The next auction – the 31st – is slated for 5 October. FreeDish was launched with a modest bouquet of 33 channels in December 2004, and now carries eight TV channels and 32 radio channels.

    The platform has a rich bouquet of channels consisting of 22 Doordarshan channels, two parliamentary channels, seven general entertainment and music channels each, 18 movie channels, 13 news channels, three religious channels and eight channels of other genres.

    DD officials said implementation of iCAS and authorisation of STB original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by Doordarshan will give a major thrust to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’. At present, a majority of STBs are imported. However, the introduction of iCAS will help in standardization of STBs and encourage quality STB manufacturing in India.

    For authorisation of STB OEMs, a series of meetings were conducted by DD DG Supriya Sahu and her team with the Indian STB manufacturers, Department of Telecom and Information Technology, C-DAC, chip set manufacturers and other stakeholders.

    After active consultation with all the stakeholders, DD started the process for rolling out MPEG-4 STBs for its DD FreeDish with iCAS. Doordarshan has invited e-applications for authorisation / empanelment of STB OEMs to sell / distribute DD-approved CAS-enabled DD FreeDish set-top boxes (STB) in India.

    Once the Indian STB OEMs are authorised by DD, they will start manufacturing quality STBs in India. They will set up their distribution network all over India for selling Indian STBs and providing services to Doordarshan FreeDish viewers. Doordarshan DTH has also planned to set up customer care service for DD FreeDish viewers and has planned extensive complaint redressal mechanism.

  • DD notifies tenders for FreeDish MPEG4 STBs

    DD notifies tenders for FreeDish MPEG4 STBs

    NEW DELHI: Tenders submitted for set top boxes suitable for MPEG4 upgradation of the country’s only free-to-air direct-to-home platform DD FreeDish will be opened on 25 October 2016.

    In an announcement, the Indian pubcaster Doordarshan said that original equipment manufacturers filing tenders for this purpose would have to be DD authorized OEMs to sell DD approved Indian conditional access system (iCAS) and firmware/middleware-enabled boxes. 

    Those applying would have to buy the form for Rs 10,000 and then give earnest money for Rs 1 million and deliver the STBs within a period of three months.

    A DD official, who did not want to be named, said it was clear that DD will not be paying any money to those who are found suitable but will only approve their bids in accordance with the parameters set for suitability of the STBs. The earnest money was only aimed at getting genuine manufacturers, he added.

    India is expected to have 173 million paid cable and satellite home in India by the beginning of next year and the official added that the exact number of FreeDish subscribers would be known when the Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS) system becomes fully operational. Since any individual can buy a FreeDish antenna and set it atop his house, it is difficult to indicate the number of subscribers.

    A pre-bid conference would be held on 3 October 2016.

    The application form, including technical and financial details, can be downloaded from website www.tenderwizard.com/PB. E-application notice is also available on Doordarshan website www.ddindia.gov.in using the link tender notice (engineering) or from eprocure.gov.in/cppp.

    Earlier, indiiantelevision.com had reported that FreeDish had plans to add 24 new channels, increasing the number from 80 to 104.

    The platform has space for 80 channels altogether, including its own channels and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV along with 24 All India Radio channels.

    Sources told indiantelevision.com that FreeDish is being encrypted through iCAS to keep a tab on the number of subscribers, but it would remain free-to-air.

    Also read: Free Dish capacity to go up from 80 to 104 TV channels before year-end

     

  • DD notifies tenders for FreeDish MPEG4 STBs

    DD notifies tenders for FreeDish MPEG4 STBs

    NEW DELHI: Tenders submitted for set top boxes suitable for MPEG4 upgradation of the country’s only free-to-air direct-to-home platform DD FreeDish will be opened on 25 October 2016.

    In an announcement, the Indian pubcaster Doordarshan said that original equipment manufacturers filing tenders for this purpose would have to be DD authorized OEMs to sell DD approved Indian conditional access system (iCAS) and firmware/middleware-enabled boxes. 

    Those applying would have to buy the form for Rs 10,000 and then give earnest money for Rs 1 million and deliver the STBs within a period of three months.

    A DD official, who did not want to be named, said it was clear that DD will not be paying any money to those who are found suitable but will only approve their bids in accordance with the parameters set for suitability of the STBs. The earnest money was only aimed at getting genuine manufacturers, he added.

    India is expected to have 173 million paid cable and satellite home in India by the beginning of next year and the official added that the exact number of FreeDish subscribers would be known when the Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS) system becomes fully operational. Since any individual can buy a FreeDish antenna and set it atop his house, it is difficult to indicate the number of subscribers.

    A pre-bid conference would be held on 3 October 2016.

    The application form, including technical and financial details, can be downloaded from website www.tenderwizard.com/PB. E-application notice is also available on Doordarshan website www.ddindia.gov.in using the link tender notice (engineering) or from eprocure.gov.in/cppp.

    Earlier, indiiantelevision.com had reported that FreeDish had plans to add 24 new channels, increasing the number from 80 to 104.

    The platform has space for 80 channels altogether, including its own channels and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV along with 24 All India Radio channels.

    Sources told indiantelevision.com that FreeDish is being encrypted through iCAS to keep a tab on the number of subscribers, but it would remain free-to-air.

    Also read: Free Dish capacity to go up from 80 to 104 TV channels before year-end

     

  • Freedish to upgrade on 30 Sept; seek out STB makers shortly

    Freedish to upgrade on 30 Sept; seek out STB makers shortly

    NEW DELHI: The country’s only free-to-air direct-to-home platform, Doordarshan’s Freedish will not be available for five hours on 30 September 2016 ‘due to technical maintenance.’

    The platform, which is slated to carry out its 31st e-auction on 5 October 2016, is understood to be working on increasing its capacity to carry more channels.

    A note on the DD website said: All viewers of DD Freedish may please note that from 00.30 Hrs to 05.30 Hrs on 30.09.2016 Doordarshan DTH service DD Freedish Channels will not be available due to technical maintenance.​”

    Earlier last month, indiantelevision.con had reported that Freedish is increasing its capacity to carry around 104 channels within the next few months.

    A senior Doordarshan official had told indiantelevision.com that the process of switching over from MPEG2 to MPEG4 had been completed and was being tested. This had already taken the headend capacity to 112.

    Freedish at present carries 80 television channels including its own, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV, and private channels, apart from 32 channels of All-India Radio.

    The official said the platform had been encrypted by adopting the Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS) developed by Design India Pvt. Ltd. of Bangalore. But, he clarified that the platform would remain free-to-air and the aim of iCAS was only to keep track of the number of households that were using Freedish and keep a check on quality of set top boxes.

    (It is also learnt that Doordarshan is expected to issue an Expression of Notice within a month for manufacture of compatible STBs for Freedish.)

    Also read:  Auctions on 5 Oct for Freedish licence renewal

    Also Read:  Free Dish capacity to go up from 80 to 104 TV channels before year-end

  • Freedish to upgrade on 30 Sept; seek out STB makers shortly

    Freedish to upgrade on 30 Sept; seek out STB makers shortly

    NEW DELHI: The country’s only free-to-air direct-to-home platform, Doordarshan’s Freedish will not be available for five hours on 30 September 2016 ‘due to technical maintenance.’

    The platform, which is slated to carry out its 31st e-auction on 5 October 2016, is understood to be working on increasing its capacity to carry more channels.

    A note on the DD website said: All viewers of DD Freedish may please note that from 00.30 Hrs to 05.30 Hrs on 30.09.2016 Doordarshan DTH service DD Freedish Channels will not be available due to technical maintenance.​”

    Earlier last month, indiantelevision.con had reported that Freedish is increasing its capacity to carry around 104 channels within the next few months.

    A senior Doordarshan official had told indiantelevision.com that the process of switching over from MPEG2 to MPEG4 had been completed and was being tested. This had already taken the headend capacity to 112.

    Freedish at present carries 80 television channels including its own, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV, and private channels, apart from 32 channels of All-India Radio.

    The official said the platform had been encrypted by adopting the Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS) developed by Design India Pvt. Ltd. of Bangalore. But, he clarified that the platform would remain free-to-air and the aim of iCAS was only to keep track of the number of households that were using Freedish and keep a check on quality of set top boxes.

    (It is also learnt that Doordarshan is expected to issue an Expression of Notice within a month for manufacture of compatible STBs for Freedish.)

    Also read:  Auctions on 5 Oct for Freedish licence renewal

    Also Read:  Free Dish capacity to go up from 80 to 104 TV channels before year-end

  • Big B jingalalas on Tata Sky

    Big B jingalalas on Tata Sky

    MUMBAI: After a successful run of 10 years in India, Tata Sky has rolled out its latest Family Jingalala campaign with its brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. Rolling out on 24 September, the campaign features Big B in seven unique avatars. Conceptualized by Ogilvy and Mather and directed by Shoojit Sircar, the campaign intends to highlight Tata Sky’s two key elements — quality content and entertainment for all.

    The DTH player has also unveiled its new brand logo as it has tries to reach out to more subscribers outside metros.

    Produced by Rising Sun with Sukesh Kumar Nayak as the executive creative director, the campaign is the story of a regular family where each member has vastly different entertainment and content needs. Bachchan explains how these can be met through Tata Sky, highlighting the expansive breadth of the brand’s offerings and its significance in a family’s everyday life.

    The campaign sees Bachchan playing the role of a showman in an unconventional bohemian look, (himself) singing the story of a regular family. He reveals how all their needs can be met by subscribing to Tata Sky.

    With 85 per cent viewing from outside big towns and 90 per cent consuming general entertainment, the DTH player plans to attract both, urban and rural, markets with this campaign. “We will continue to take our business a notch higher and will continue to focus on the rural markets. Now is the right time for us. With the campaign, we are targeting cable, FTA as well as first time TV users.

    “Amitabh Bachchan is our common thread. He has a mass appeal from anyone in the metro to a home which does not have a TV or has not become a subscriber yet. There could have been nobody better than Bachchan to bring this vision to life,” said Tata Sky chief communications officer Malay Dikshit.

    Each puppet was worked upon extensively by a specialized team from the Czech Republic to make him or her look like Bachchan.

    “There is no other entertainer like Bachchan. And when there are seven of them in never-seen-before roles, telling you a very entertaining story, then it is very tough to miss the point that nothing entertains better than Tata Sky,” added Nayak.

    “People want good entertainment in their house. TV forms the most important source of entertainment for the entire family. But, they have got used to the stale and inferior entertainment on offer just because it is cheap or free. The idea is to show what a wide world of entertainment and good quality service awaits them if they subscribe to Tata Sky. O&M presented us with a heart-warming story of a family of seven puppets, each in love with their TV shows,” added Dikshit.

    The campaign will also be dubbed in five languages — Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil — by 4 October. It will be
    extensively promoted on FTA channels followed by pay-TV channels. The TV campaign will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign including sketches on bus-backs, wall paintings, vernacular print, OOH and cinema halls

  • Big B jingalalas on Tata Sky

    Big B jingalalas on Tata Sky

    MUMBAI: After a successful run of 10 years in India, Tata Sky has rolled out its latest Family Jingalala campaign with its brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. Rolling out on 24 September, the campaign features Big B in seven unique avatars. Conceptualized by Ogilvy and Mather and directed by Shoojit Sircar, the campaign intends to highlight Tata Sky’s two key elements — quality content and entertainment for all.

    The DTH player has also unveiled its new brand logo as it has tries to reach out to more subscribers outside metros.

    Produced by Rising Sun with Sukesh Kumar Nayak as the executive creative director, the campaign is the story of a regular family where each member has vastly different entertainment and content needs. Bachchan explains how these can be met through Tata Sky, highlighting the expansive breadth of the brand’s offerings and its significance in a family’s everyday life.

    The campaign sees Bachchan playing the role of a showman in an unconventional bohemian look, (himself) singing the story of a regular family. He reveals how all their needs can be met by subscribing to Tata Sky.

    With 85 per cent viewing from outside big towns and 90 per cent consuming general entertainment, the DTH player plans to attract both, urban and rural, markets with this campaign. “We will continue to take our business a notch higher and will continue to focus on the rural markets. Now is the right time for us. With the campaign, we are targeting cable, FTA as well as first time TV users.

    “Amitabh Bachchan is our common thread. He has a mass appeal from anyone in the metro to a home which does not have a TV or has not become a subscriber yet. There could have been nobody better than Bachchan to bring this vision to life,” said Tata Sky chief communications officer Malay Dikshit.

    Each puppet was worked upon extensively by a specialized team from the Czech Republic to make him or her look like Bachchan.

    “There is no other entertainer like Bachchan. And when there are seven of them in never-seen-before roles, telling you a very entertaining story, then it is very tough to miss the point that nothing entertains better than Tata Sky,” added Nayak.

    “People want good entertainment in their house. TV forms the most important source of entertainment for the entire family. But, they have got used to the stale and inferior entertainment on offer just because it is cheap or free. The idea is to show what a wide world of entertainment and good quality service awaits them if they subscribe to Tata Sky. O&M presented us with a heart-warming story of a family of seven puppets, each in love with their TV shows,” added Dikshit.

    The campaign will also be dubbed in five languages — Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil — by 4 October. It will be
    extensively promoted on FTA channels followed by pay-TV channels. The TV campaign will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign including sketches on bus-backs, wall paintings, vernacular print, OOH and cinema halls