DTH interoperability

Article in the Business Standard today about interoperability of DTH receivers.

The interoperability clause in the DTH licensing norms makes it mandatory for all DTH service providers to offer a technically compatible DTH set-top box so that the consumers can easily shift their operator without changing their set-top box.

However, due to difference in technology between Dish TV, Tata Sky (MPEG-2) and the latest technology of new entrants, existing DTH subscribers cannot access the services offered by the new players on their existing DTH boxes.

The TRAI had requested the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to develop standards of interoperability due to a plurality of formats being used by operators.

The BIS has been requested by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), to make recommendations on standards of DTH boxes. A transcoder will cost the new DTH companies about $10-15 (30-40 per cent of the DTH hardware cost).

“A transcoder will help the consumers shift to the DTH services of as many operators as they want. It’s like a mobile consumer shifting from one service provider to another without changing his mobile handset,” said a member of the BIS technical committee.

According to sources, the BIS decided to delegate the responsibility for preparing a detailed paper on interoperability of DTH boxes to its members amid opposition from Tata Sky — Sky opposed this move on the grounds that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) is the deciding body on interoperability and the BIS should not act in the matter till the ministry takes a decision.

While both Dish TV and Tata Sky are using MPEG-2 compression technology, the new DTH entrants are using MPEG-4 technology.

Through MPEG-4 technology, the DTH companies can offer 25 per cent more channels per transponder (a device fitted on the satellite through which DTH transmission takes place) than those using MPEG-2 technology.

What’s on TV? Less surrogate adverts, More Golden Temple Live, more responsible content

So there are three significant broadcast related news items today.
#1) The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed TRAI to regulate the prices at which channels can offer feeds to DTH player. This, after a complaint from TataSky that the channel ETC Punjabi, which telecast live Gurbani from the Golden Temple (oh joy!), offered their feed to TataSky at more than double the rate offered to CAS providers.

#2) The Union Government has reverted to its original ban of surrogate advertisement in all forms through an amendment to the Cable Television Networks Rules (CTNR), 1994. In 2006 a mild relaxation of the ban was introduced which permitted ‘advertisements of products which shared a brand name or logo with any tobacco or liquor product’. See The Hindu report and also in The Indian Express

#3) Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that a Content Code — acceptable to all television channels — would be in place without much delay. (See the Hindu report) The minister has made such noises in the past. (See ALF Comments on the Broadcasting Bill and Content Code)