A dish TV antenna in the city. Picture by Biju Boro

May 30: Welcome to a “purely digital experience” as Essel group brings dish TV, India’s first direct-to-home (DTH) television broadcast service, to consumers’ doorsteps.

The company has begun aggressive marketing of the dish TV in the city, through authorised dealers. It promises to give the viewers complete control over what they watch and pay for.

“The Essel group now brings to the city cable viewers the next generation of TV viewing — dish TV — India’s first and only DTH entertainment service,” said M. Barooah of Midheaven Support Services, who is one of the dealers of dish TV.

Barooah claims that dish TV will bring home the best in entertainment through the latest digital technology.

“So far we have got a very good response and the demand is expected to soar as soon as the people get familiar with this new concept,” he said.

Barooah said they have decided to market the product with a series of ad campaigns. “It is almost like having your own satellite up in the sky,” he said.

According to him, customer premise equipment (CPE) is required to receive dish TV, which comes with a price tag of Rs 6,650, excluding installation charges.

The equipment has a digital decoder with remote, a KU-band satellite dish antenna (60 or 80 cm diameter) with LNB viewing card.

“The dish antenna is installed at an appropriate location in the customer’s premise. It is then connected to the digital decoder through a cable, which in turn is connected to the TV set,” he said.

The encrypted TV signals are received from the satellite on the dish antenna and transmitted to the digital decoder.

“The customer is also provided with a viewing card, which is inserted into a slot in the digital decoder. The viewing card decrypts the TV signals chosen and paid for by the customer, for better clarity of viewing on TV,” Barooah said.

According to him, some of the advantages of dish TV are DVD-quality video, electronic circuit-quality sound, exclusive movie and international channels, satellite radio channels, electronic programming guide that keep appointments with favourite programmes, one-way short messaging service, video games, control on viewing through parental lock and uninterrupted viewing pleasure.

The service also guarantees instant reach to rural and far-flung areas even where cable does not reach.

He said for a monthly charge of Rs 118, including service tax, viewers can enjoy 38 channels, including Zee Network, Aajtak and NDTV.

On paying Rs 236, the number of channels goes up to 46, which include ESPN, Star Sports and Action Cinema.