DTH vs Digital Cable TV Comparison: Which One is Better?
DTH vs Digital Cable TV comparison is here to guide viewers of 38 cities across 15 states of India with a population of over a million, who have been given a deadline of March 31, 2013 to switch to digital TV viewing in Phase II. As a consumer, you should choose your service provider wisely which will benefit you in the long run. So, if you are confused & thinking that which is the best, digital cable TV or DTH, then here is a clear & an impartial comparison between DTH & Digital Cable TV.
Also read: DTH Services Comparison in India: Which is Best DTH in India?
DTH vs Digital Cable TV comparison:
1. Economical point of view:
a) Set top box: Set top boxes of most of the leading DTH companies cost around Rs 1600/- (including installation charges).
Whereas the set top box of a cable TV should cost around Rs 800/- to 1000/- (including installation charges).
b) Packages:The cheapest base packages of most of the DTH companies start from Rs 150 for South Indian packs & Rs 200/- for rest of India which obviously does not include all channels.
But the cable operators will charge only Rs 100/- for their cheapest base packs as soon as CAS (Conditional Access System) comes into effect & now they charge a nominal rate of Rs 200/- to 250/- for all the channels which varies in different areas.
2. Disruptions:
The DTH vs Digital Cable TV comparison would have been incomplete without discussing the issues that cause disruptions.
Due to bad weather: The most severe drawback of DTH service are that signals don’t reach the set top box & pictures go off when there is slight to heavy rainfall in your area or even in very cloudy conditions.
There is no such drawback in Digital Cable connection.
Due to power cut-off: If there is power cut-off in your area then also you will be able to watch TV with DTH if you have a personal generator or inverter as the DTH service providers beams pictures 24/7.
The pictures in Cable TV fade off when there is power cut-off in your area most of the time. This may vary from place to place.
3. Managing packages:
All the DTH operators have 24/7 customer care & their own websites which gives you a clear idea of the package rates & channels included. You can even manage your own DTH account, drop/add/change a channel or package anytime at your will.
The cable TV operators lack this robust infrastructure. Most of them don’t have a 24/7 customer care or a proper website till date.
4. Quality:
Another inevitable point in this DTH vs Digital Cable TV comparison is Quality.
a) Set top box: The set top box of the DTH companies comes with a 1 year warranty & both the firmware & hardware are of very good quality.
The set top box of the cable TV operators also comes with a year warranty, but are not of such a good quality.
b) Video/Audio: The picture & the sound quality of both DTH & Digital Cable TV are more or less same. In fact DTH can be put a little bit ahead in the race, but only just.
5. Service:
The service & response to customer problems & grievances of most of the DTH companies are quick. They have 24/7 customer care to help you & addresses most of the problem within 24hrs. However, the quality/effectiveness of service & response time varies from one DTH company to another.
The cable TV operators lack such organized service & are also not available to hear you 24/7. In case of cable operators, the quality of service/response varies from place to place.
6. Portability:
The DTH providers provide relocation services all over India. In case you shift from one place to the other, you don’t need to buy a new set top box or any accessories of your DTH. This is useful for people who have a transferable job.
The cable TV operators do not provide any such services & you may even have to buy a new set top box for your new place.
7. Payment:
DTH is a prepaid service. So you can choose not to recharge your account if you are out of station. This is useful for people who mostly have to stay out for work or other purpose.
Using Cable TV you have to pay irrespective of the fact that you were at home or some other place.
8. Regional channels:
DTH has got much less regional channels than cable. But you can watch your own regional channels even if you don’t stay in your own state. So this is beneficial for those who don’t stay in their native place.
Cable TV operators provide many more regional channels. But if you are a person who doesn’t stay in your native place then you won’t get much of your own regional channels as cable operators mostly beam the local regional channels.
9. Pause/Record/Rewind live TV:
This makes the DTH vs Digital Cable TV comparison more interesting.
DTH companies provide these services at no extra cost. You just have to buy a set top box with storage capacity, which is a bit costly.
Cable TV operators are yet to provide such services. So, here was a vivid idea of the DTH service providers & Digital Cable TV. Now you have to weigh the pros & cons and make the ultimate decision to choose the medium that suits you the best. In case, you have any more queries, feel free to write to us & it will be our pleasure to help you.
In a nutshell, the conclusion reached from the above DTH vs Digital Cable comparison article is given below:
|
Quality |
DTH |
Digital Cable |
|
Economical |
Less |
More |
|
Disruption due to bad weather |
Yes |
No |
|
Disruption due to power cut-off |
No |
Yes |
|
Easy managing of packages |
Yes |
No |
|
Quality of set top boxes |
Good |
Normal |
|
24/7 Helpline |
Yes |
No |
|
Portability |
Yes |
No |
|
Payment |
Pre-paid |
Pre/Post-paid |
|
Regional Channels |
Less |
More |
|
Pause/Record/Rewind |
Yes |
No |
If you have decided to get a DTH connection for your TV, then I’ll recommend to check out this article DTH Services Comparison in India: Which is Best DTH in India?
P.S: The facts posted in this DTH vs Digital Cable TV comparison article are approximated facts of our personal survey & rates are the latest rates till date which are subject to change. You are advised to verify personally before you make a decision. Neither the writer of this post nor the owner of this blog advertises or endorses any cable or DTH company.
With a population of over one million will be digitized by 31st March, 2013
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I watch yours articles about DTH & Digital Cable, congratulation to you, go on go on for need.
Thanx!!!
Bhai picture qualty kiska theek hota he dth ka ya Digital Cable ka
pls email kijiye ga main sayad fir is side pe na pahuch paun
[email protected]
pls fast ruply
Hello Aziz,
DTH ka picture quality better hota hai mere khayal se.
good write-up and in short well explained, will help consumer to take right decision as this article will help them to compare plus minus of both plus if anyone requires 2 + connection can make both combination. please put such informative articles in future. all the best
Thanx 4 the appreciation!! That was exactly my intention to give an impartial outlook to the whole scenario.
Fantabulous!!! proud of you brother… wish you all the best.
Thank u very much!!!
Very Nice & useful compare between DTH & Digital Cable, it very detailed post, i like your post, thanks for sharing useful post.
Thank u very much 4 your valuable comment. Its a pleasure that u liked the post!
Actually In clarity Cable TV is far ahead.Actually if you are a photoshop artist you can trace this very quickly. Cable TV is exactly what is filmed and what you see.But in case of DTH,they post process the film ( Dust and scratches filter like in photoshop).
If you want to see this live : go and watch some indian serial ,you will be able to see fine texture on skins of actors not in DTH which is cleaned up like chinese skin.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Really appreciate your observation.
I have even observed that if you watch cricket or football in a big screen LCD TV then the ball loses its shape in case a DTH connection is used. However the shape remains more intact in case of cable connection.
Bro, very useful article. you compared both options nicely. I wanna know one thing , is there any solution to connect 2 tv with single line.
Thank u very much! Your appreciation means a lot.
Well, unfortunately u can’t connect 2 televisions with single line, because if you do so both the tvs will show same channel just like it is done in the tv showrooms. And as they send encrypted signal, so u will need a set top box for each tv.
Unless, your DTH operator adopts SCR(Unicable) LNB for your dish antenna as well as DTH Set-To-Box can support that.
Good article, effective and very crisp.
I’d like to know one thing…. Can we purchase digital box for cable TV separately or should we buy it from cable operator? Will that box work with all cable networks whenever we change to new place? like we connect wireless modem internet cable.
If it can be purchased separately and fixed the please provide some good digital box names.
Thanx a lot!!
For now cable set top box are not available in shops, u have to buy it from your cable operator.
No, Cable set top box will not work with all cable networks. Just like a TataSky box will not work with Airtel connection. For example, if you are having a Siti Cable set top box & u go to a new place where Siti Cable connection is available, then u need not worry. But if your new locality provides Digi Cable or some other cable connection, then you have to buy a new Digi Cable Set top Box and the old one will be of no use.
Hello Sourav,
Thanks for the article. I was looking for a similar comparison. But Is it not a disadvantage to have different Set top boxes for different cable operators.
Also I have another question, Are the Set box from DTH and from digital cable are different.? For example., I already have a DTH connection from Airtel. Do I still need to purchase a separate Set top box for local cable operator? If the technology about encrypting the signals is common why cant the set top box..?
Thanks & Regards,
Anand.
Hello Anand, Thanx for ur appreciation!
Yes, u r right. Its a big disadvantage that the set top boxes of every DTH & Cable operators are different.
No, U cant use ur Airtel STB for a cable connection. Yes, i agree that the technology is about encrypting the signal, but the encrypting algorithm for every DTH or Cable operators are different. So, u cant use one’s STB for the other!!
Thanks for the information Saurav. But it seems you missed out on one point..Digital cable should need one STB for any number of tv sets in a home whereas you might require as many STBs as your tv sets in case of DTH.Besides concealed connections for the cable tv will go waste. Am I right ?
Hi Sushil, Unfortunately NO. Once digitalization gets compulsory after October 31, 2012, u will need 1 STB per TV in your house even for digital Cable which is same for any DTH connection as well. For example : 3 TVs will need 3 STBs even for Cable connections.
This is the main reason why digitalization is happening, so that Govt. comes to know exactly how many viewers r there & get the tax for each viewer from the cable operators, who earlier could have easily tampered the number of viewers to save tax!
Thanx 4 going through our article Sushil. Yes, u r right about the fact that if some one has a concealed connection for cable Tv before hand, that might go waste
I think of getting a cable set top box.i mostly watch all channels and sports.so i want cable set top box to be sold quickly as possible to four states.plz i request you to do this.
is set top-box and led TV require voltage stabilizer or not ? which is the best voltage stabilizer? Whether there are any norms from Govt for minimum news channels based on language for dth or cable ? What is the radiation released by the set top box?What are the norms for set top box radiation?
Normally set top-box and led TV does not require voltage stabilizer. If the voltage in your area is too low & flactuating, then you can use a stabilizer.
No, there are no norms from Govt. for minimum news channels based on language for dth or cable! I don’t have the answer to your questions about STB radiations. You can google them!
Very good and informative article. Thanx
Thank u! Your appreciation is an inspiration!!!
Hi Regarding the Set up Box Quality. I don’t agree that DTH made Boxes are of perfect Quality. The Quality of making is almost Same. Like Hathway gets it from Humax and Even Tata Sky Boxes are Produced by Same Company.
I’ve Heard less STB’s Failing of LCO’s than DTH one’s.
Hello Sachin, Thanx for sharing your experience!
Well firstly i never said that DTH STB’s are of perfect quality, I meant to say that all DTH STB’s are of a standard/satisfactory quality which is not the case with all cable operators. Hathaway is a famous & renowned cable connection which provides good quality STB’s/service as u said, but this is not the case with all cable connections. I have come across many cable STB’s from small cable connection providers in kolkata which are not up to the mark!
HI,Sourav,I am running a cable TV network in Kerala .I have a doubt,whether the rate of dth and digital cable will be same after digitalisation?
Hello Renjith, Well after digitization, charges of digital cable might increase as cable companies have to pay exact taxes to Govt. for every subscriber they have & build an infrastructure for CAS system but still it should be less than DTH as DTH companies have extra expenses like satellite transponder charges etc. But we have to wait & watch till digitization comes into effect to know about the exact scenario!
DTH boxes are to be Returned to the Company Back if they are not used for long time. Read the Conditions. You buy Box for 3k and still the Box is owned by the company a Recent case: http://bit.ly/RiM3dp
Thanks a ton Sourav…..exactly what i was lookin for to help me in selection
This is what we write for. Ur appreciation means a lot!!
tks , but i need comparisoon between All DTH service provider. If with you plz mail.
Unfortunately we don’t have any article on DTH comparison yet. If there is any question you have in mind about anything related to DTH operators, you can ask me here.
To get clear & impartial comparison between all the DTH services in India. Visit the following link :
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
Sourav, this is a really good article.
You mentioned at the start about CAS. Could you tell how its gonna work ? And will this be provided only by Cable operators ?
Thanx a lot..
CAS means Conditional Access System which means user should be able to watch & pay only for the channels of his/her choice & discard the channels he/she doesn’t want. (A customer will not have to pay for the channels they don’t subscribe to.) This facility is already provided by all DTH operators. Now, Cable operators will also have to start this service.
Whether you take a DTH connection or a digital Cable connection, each customer will have a subscriber ID & will have to choose the channels of their choice against their ID. You can add/remove channels whenever required.
Thanks for the info on CAS.
If we buy DTH then it would come with an antenna whereas in case of Digital Cable there is no antenna. If my understanding is correct can you tell us if there a risk of TV getting damaged due to lightening during rains in case of DTH?
Hello Amit, Yes your understanding is fully correct.
No, in case of DTH there is no extra risk of your TV getting damaged during lightening. There is always some risk though whether you use Cable or DTH. But in my opinion DTH is safer!
Hi Sourav your view for risk of TV getting damaged during lightening some how wrong. cable Boxes and DTH boxes are runs by 18 volt which is LNB Voltage . So risk is same for both and for your knowledge there is A Diode called TVS ( transient-voltage-suppression)DIode used in maximum BOXES either DTH Or Cable Box for High surge voltage.
Good Presentation….
Can u provide rating, then it would help more.
And also provide your view for the same
Thanx Deepesh!!
What rating do you want? Rating of DTH service providers? If yes, then in short, i can advice you to choose between Airtel or Tata Sky. Both are almost same in terms of quality & service, just see their packages & choose the DTH whose packaging suits you the best.
My personal preference in decreasing order would be :
Airtel -> TataSky -> Videocon -> DishTv.
If u r from south, then u can go for SunDirect.
Hello Deepesh,
To get clear & impartial comparison between all the DTH services in India. Visit the link given below :
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
Thanking you for a good informative article
You are most welcome!!
Thnaks Sourav,
it provides relevant info, especially helpful as i am making a decision to buy DTH or digital cable..
it was so confusing reading various other sites / bogs…thnaks again for this impartial neutral info.
keep up the good work.
Thanx!! & most welcome bro!!!
How about the channel switching speed, i am annoyed by the channel switch speed on my airtel DTH takes around 2-3 seconds to see the picture on the next channel while on cable i can quickly go through very fast b/w the channels seeing the picture ??
Hello Kalyan,
Even the cable STBs take lot of time to switch from 1 channel to the other (same as your Airtel DTH). Tata Sky is the fastest in this case. Channel switching in TataSky takes less than 2 seconds.
It is mandatory to fix set up box before 31st Oct.2012 even than most of the consumer has not taken decision till 27th Oct. 2012. Actually all consumers should boycott TV for 15 days. Let them loose their TRP. They should be more
worried rather than consumers. All TV channal should be free to the consumer who are earning crores of rupees by way of advertisement.
Hello, Mr. Ajay.
Actually its the Central Govt. of India, who has made Digitization compulsory. The TV channels are not responsible for this!
Dear Mr. Sourav , I am a kolkata based subscriber . I had seen that most of the regional channels r not being broadcasted (bengali) like TARA MUZIC, TARA NEWZ ,OM Bangla etc.. on DIsh TV. When govt .of india had made decision for compulsary digitalization either by CAS (set top box) or By DTH then what is wrong with DTH companies who r not broadcasting channels. every viewer has right to view channels whether it is broadcasted in cable tv STB or DTH ?
Pl. reply.
Partiality keno ?
Hello, Mr. Ankur. In Point no. 8, i have already mentioned the fact that Cable has got much more Regional channels than DTH. I totally agree with you on this.
But the fact is every DTH company or Cable operators have the sole right to add/drop any channel. Govt. can’t interfere in this. DTH companies broadcast channels after considering many things like, the viewership, the business background of the channel etc. whereas Cable operators instantly add new regional channels as soon as they are launched. And this is not just the problem with Dish TV, its with every DTH service. All the DTH services have less regional channel than Cable.
Hi Sourav,
Awesome article!!! Why doesn’t the search engine rank your article high (had to go through but of idiotic articles 🙁 ).
I am planning to go with Airtel DTH and have got a LCD. Is there any relation between the type of connection (DTH, Cable) and television (CRT, LCD, LED etc)?
Regards,
Pritesh.
Hello Pritesh, Thank you very much!!
No, there is no relation between the type of connection & TVs. Any type of connection (DTH or Cable) can go with any type of TV (LCD, LED, CRT).
Nice post & comparison … God Bless !
Thanx a lot…!!
Good job yaar ! Like your approach regarding spreading computer literacy for some reason .
Thank u very much!!
Just found that people really lacks knowledge about digitization & are being fooled by service providers. Whenever i hear such things, i feel cheated myself! So, thought of writing this article. Actually am very passionate about this!!
Superb Article!!!!!
I recently bought a LED Full HD 3D TV. So planning to shift from normal cable TV to Digital cable TV or DTH HD STB.
Have below queries in making decison:
1) As you are saying some of the local cable operators HD STB’s are not up to mark, is buying DTH a safe approach or is there any way to check the clarity of Digital Cable Box before buying it.
2) Reliance says all its 250 channels are upscaled and are HD like quality. So I want to confirm from you whether this would be an added advantage as i would be watching on Full HD TV.
3) Most of the DTH Setup Boxes are 3D ready. I am not aware whether Digital Cable STB are 3D supported. If 3D comes in future, whether this would be an advantage?
Thanx!!
1) All DTH STBs are of good quality, in case of Digital Cable, some cables have good quality STBs, some don’t. So, if you buy Cable HD STB, then ask for a demo from your local cable operator first. If you are satisfied, take it. HD in Cable will be cheaper, but i feel DTH HD quality is a bit better than cable.
2) Yes, up scaled HD will be better to watch compared to normal channels in your full HD TV, but it will not be of “TRUE” HD quality.
3) No, even I haven’t heard of any cable HD set top box being 3D ready. Its difficult to predict future, but yes 3D ready DTH boxes will be advantageous if 3D channels come in future!
If you are confused about which DTH to choose, you can visit the link below :
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
Thanks for the reply….
But Whether Digital Cable HD STB’s would have true HD channels like DTH guys…If yes how many true HD channels would cable operators would be having?
Yes, Digital Cable also have true HD channels.
The number of true HD channels being shown by a Digital Cable provider varies from one provider to another. You have to check with your local cable operator to know the exact number of true HD channels they telecast.
For DTH providers, you can check their websites. Like Videocon gives 22 true HD channels, Tata Sky gives 11 etc.
DUDE @Sourav !
you’re wrong in many parts let me explain
I have experience with TataSky& Reliance their Customer Care SUCKS ! their employees in Customer care Don’t know remotely anything about my Problem !
and Second i HIGHLY Disagree on the part where you said that “firmware & hardware are of very good quality”
The Firmware in DTH box is crap it so slow that it looks like i’m using M.S Dos and it gives me errors every now and then the BOLD Reliance/tatasky Logo is annoying
you point “Quality of set top boxes -HIGH” Is stupid
the box is crap its gets heated and switches off everytime that isn’t quality you’re LYING !
and thanks to your article that now i realize that Digital Cable operators exist in India i sincerely hate Dish TV’s and i’m really annoyed to see my brother buying those stupid cards
and you point in the table “Easy managing of packages” almost made me laugh as DTH essentially restricts you to packages Cable just gives you everything there’s no contest !
sorry if i sound a little rude i’m in a bad mood..
@ Vishnu,
You have the right to disagree with me partially or fully, but u don’t have any authority/right to be judgemental. They are my personal opinion & nobody should disrespect them. I respect your opinion & welcome you to share your experience so that people know both sides of the story.
1) You may have bad service experience with Relianc. Rliance doesn’t even advertise their own product, have the lowest DTH market share, have the least connection/recharge outlet, poor infrastructure & thus poor service. So, buying Rliance was your own foolish decision for which u faced the consequences!
2) Your personal poor experience does not mean that the whole company/industry is bad. U buy any product from the market & there will be some satisfied & some unsatisfied customers. Unfortunately in this case you are highly unsatisfied with the DTH services for which one can only give you sympathy for the bad experience you had.
3)Your box may switch off now & then for over heating problem, but this does not happen to every1. The quality of DTH boxes are better than many cable STBs in the market & never gives error if u know how 2 handle them. At least current TataSky STBs are not slow at all.
4) Cable is giving all channels now, but soon it will introduce packages in 4 metropolitan cities as CAS system has taken effect from 1st Nov, 2012. Then managing of packages will not be easy in cable connection as most of them don’t have any website or 24hr helpline.
Vishnu_Karthik is correct, i have very bad experience with customer support of TATA and Reliance. The customer himself has more knowledge than the support people.
If you have a problem, cable guy solves it in 5 mins to 30 mins. Cable guy also knows what exactly the problem is and will keep you informed about every thing. With TATA and Reliance, god is your only support, keep praying. Once TATA had kept me without internet for 3 months, after which i turned to cable wala for internet too. TATA also charged me for those 3 months. With Cabel guy, you can just walk to him and catch him, you can not walk to Tata and Ambani’s home to talk about your problems.
Cable guy provides more stuff for less price.
difference between cable box set box and d t h set top box and which is the best for led tv
Hello Nityanand,
Cable Set-top box is just a box connected to your TV which transmits digital signal through local cable connection. DTH (Direct to Home) service typically refers to satellite TV broadcasting directly to a dish antenna on the roof of one’s house which is connected to your TV through a set top box.
For LED TV, i would recommend you to go for any DTH HD (High Definition) connection.
If you need advice about which DTH to choose, you can visit the link below :
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
thnx man for this info….i was desperate about which service i shld go for u gave me a clear cut knwlg about these things….
You are most welcome!!!
i’m very thank full to you sir. i was wandering what to choose. now i got cleared. but there is one question how many hd channels will be available in digital cable and will it be a hd channel. i really appreciate your caring about customers fooled around. hope to get more like articles from you.
Hello Sabari,
Its my pleasure & you are most welcome! Thank you very much for your appreciation.
Yes, Digital Cable also have true HD channels. The number of true HD channels being shown by a Digital Cable provider varies from one provider to another. You have to check with your local cable operator to know the exact number of true HD channels they telecast.
Your article on DTH and cable is very informatory and is very much useful to the persons in these metros.In this context, I want to know, if I buy a TV in USA with NTSC system, will it work with DTH set top box in India, where it is a PAL system.
Hi Bhagwan,
Thanx a lot for your appreciation!!
Well, as far as i know, Dish TV – Tru HD set top box (Zenega D-6000) using HDMI cable & Videocon HD DVR are the 2 DTH STBs can be used with NTSC TV. But i am not too sure about this.
I am giving some links below through which you can have a look & get some more idea.
http://www.saveondish.com/forum/T-ntsc-tv-and-hd-dvr
http://wonderfulthoughts.blogspot.in/2011/02/us-tv-ntsc-works-in-india.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_make_a_ntsc_lcd_tv_to_work_in_India
http://www.hifivision.com/television/2006-sony-kdl-46xbr6-frm-usa.html
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080610093027AAOaK1p
Do you know if I can connect digital cable (like DIGI cable) directly to my TV, instead of through DIgital cable guy’s set top box? My cable guy gave me a box that can only connect using composite connection (yellow, red & white). Is this normal. (TV model LG 55LM7600). I think there is loss of picture quality in doing this.
Thank you.
Dear Guest,
Yes it is normal. STBs can only be connected using composite connection (yellow, red & white).
If you are a resident of 1 of the 4 metropolitan cities, then using set top box is mandatory. Otherwise, you can directly take out the input cable that is going to your STB & connect it to your TV (by passing the STB) like we normally did in analog cable connection when there was no STB. But in this way you will receive only Analog signal & will be able to see only as many channels your TV have. Suppose your cable operator provides 400 channels, but your TV fits only 100 channels, so you will be able to view only 100 channels.
Thanks for this useful comparison. Can you tell us what definition (I mean resolution) does Digital Cable provides to it’s users?
Thanx bro,
I think its 576i (PAL, 720 × 576 split into two interlaced fields of 288 lines). Though am not too sure about this!
Hi Sourav,
Thanks for your detailed Report on DTH & Digital Cable. Similar to datacard (unlocked) dongles where you can select your service provider, GSM Service in Mobiles where consumer can select the service provider, Can there be a Set Top Box, where customer can own it and select the Service provider, If we wants to change the DTH provider, just throw away their SIM and buy another providers SIM. Whether the Consumer will have this rights in future?
Hello Venkatesh,
Thank you very much!
I & almost all the people would dearly love such an STB, but unfortunately such kind of STBs does not exist. It is not possible at the moment because all the DTH providers use different encryption techniques, software & firmware not compatible with one another. And the technology used in case of DTH & Digital cable are also completely different, so such kind of STBs are not easy to manufacture & obviously does not exist at the moment but we do not know what future holds for us! Lets be hopeful that one day such facility will come into existence!!!
Hi Sourav,
I have a few questions:
Since I have paid for the DTH STB does it not belong to me. What is the law in this regard as the contract is silent on this ownership issue.
I had airtel DTH. They tracked my frequently watched channel and 1 fine day they stopped it. When I spoke to customer service they said that the packages have changed and I had to go for a more expensive package. What action can I take against Airtel!
Any option for changing the DTH service provider without buying a new STB.
I wish to watch only the free to air chanels both national & international. Can I get a view card for this and install in my STB.
Hello Ranjen,
1) See in some case after paying the money, you gain full ownership of the STB, but in some case you do not. It depends under which offer you have bought it. Like i saw an add of Airtel where they were giving STB for free if you pay them Rs 4800/- & it was a 2 year contract. In that case the STB was a property of Airtel, not the buyer. So, the terms & conditions vary from offer to offer!
2) Packages & their rates are liable to change anytime at the sole discretion of the company without any prior notice to the customers. So, unfortunately you cant take any action against Airtel for this!
3) No, unfortunately its not possible to change service provider without changing the STB. If you wish to watch only free to air channels, you can buy DD DIRECT (India’s only free DTH service). Only once you have to buy the STB & there after Rs 0 rental/month.
GOOD INFORMATIVE ARTICLE
Thank you!!!
Dear Sourav Chatterjee,
Thanks. Presently I have cable connection but since the operator insist for set-up box: I wanted to have a comparison and I think I am satisfied.
Thank you!! Its a pleasure that you liked the post..
Dear Saurav,
Presently I am in USA and having a TV with ATSC/QAM tuner. I have read some where in web advice that Dish TV (in India) works with NTSC tuner (imolying that will not work with ATSC/QAM). During discussion here with some salesman, I am advised by him that if I am to use DTH service in India, the tuner does not matter, as the reception in TV will bye-pass the tuner and video will be played directly through HDMI cable.
I request to please confirm, if he is right and whether I will be able to use the TV with DTH services,even if TV is not having PAL or NTSC tuner.
Hello Mr. Saluja,
After reading your question, i went through some forums but no where i found any clear answer. However i got the impression that it won’t work in India. But am not sure at all. Even if there is any little chance, then Dish Tv might work. So it will be better if you directly mail them & ask your question. Mail ID of Dish TV is : [email protected]
One the best article I have ever read. I had few questions but after reading it including the comments section all were resolved. Wonderful Sourav.
Thank you very much Akash! This is what we write for & this is our inspiration. Happy to satisfy readers like you!
Hi Sourav,
Your opinion in details about DTH is really unbiased one and excellant info provider. Before reading this, i was nothing for DTH and became a kind of expert after your doc.
I stay in JP Nagar, Bangalore (South India), Question is whether to go for DTH or IPTV as i guess future would be IPTV (one solution including Broad band, Digital TV with HD)? Pl. suggest the same. Also, service provider (if available) and price tag is really helpfull in taking the decision.
This is becuase, i can avoid of purchasing the dish which i feel is reduntant. Also, can avoid of having interruption on bad and cloudy whether. Ur suggestion will certainly make make my decision.
To view the list of Permitted TV Channels for IPTV as on 17.11.2011, visit :
http://www.iptvindia.com/
To view comparison between DTH & IPTV, visit :
http://www.icontrol.in/IPTV/comparison.jsp
In India, IPTV was launched by Airtel and the government service provider MTNL and BSNL and is available in most of the major cities of the country. To view there packages & pricing :
For BSNL & MTNL visit :
http://www.myway.in/packages_pricing.html
For Airtel visit :
http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect/DTH/digital+tv/interactive/packages+for+you/pg-digitaltv-interactive-packagesforyou-packages_browse
For Reliance :
http://www.rcom.co.in/Rcom/personal/tv/iptv_overview.html
My Advice :
IPTV is much expensive compared to Digital Cable & DTH, so if you can afford the price & if you are very interested in features like unlimited pausing & recording live tv, then only go for IPTV, otherwise not because the monthly packages are very expensive & also it is yet to establish itself in India fully. Also besides unlimited recording & pausing facility, it does not have any extra advantage over Digital Cable or DTH. So, see the package pricing & then make up your mind.
Mr.Sourav: You have done a good job (but I don’t think your aim to become an infoscion is a good one). From whatever you have written, it seems an average household in any of the 4 metros will do good to keep their cable connection.
Why not post a similar article on Plasma, LCD, LED, HD, 3-D televisions?
@ Mr. S Balamurugesan,
I have written that i am a future Infoscion because, i have already been recruited by Infosys & waiting for my joining!
Hey great article Sourav.. I’m from North Bengal & my cable operator has already started selling locally assembled STB’s (for anywhere between Rs.1000-2000) though digitalization is yet to come into effect here.
Is he doing this to make a quick profit & increase hidden customer base before CAS is implemented? Is it mandatory to purchase cable STB from your local cable operator?
Also can I connect local digital cable to an external tv tuner (mostly used for monitors/computers) & watch channels in AV mode on my crt tv without cable STB?
Hello Fazal,
I know CAS has not come into effect in your area, but getting an STB is not a bad idea. In fact, I will advice you to get an STB as it will give more channels & better picture.
Secondly, i don’t think he should charge more than 1000/- as the original MRP of STB is 800/-. So, he can charge bit extra as an installation charge.
Yes, if you buy an STB, then you have to buy it from your local operator only!
Basically TV tuners are broadly classified into Analog, Digital, Hybrid and combo tuners. So, it will depend on what type of TV tuner you buy. Many TV Tuners have inbuilt analog to digital converter in them. So, you can watch through TV tuner directly by connecting it to the coaxial cable wire but this can be done only until CAS comes into effect. Once CAS comes into effect, you will need a Set top box even to watch it via TV-tuner card.
Hey Sourav Thanks a ton for the prompt reply & great advice.
I currently use an iBallClaro TV 18 USB TV Tuner stick with analogue cable for my lenovo netbook. After CAS is implemented & cable is routed through STB how can i use the same with the digital cable. Do i need to switch over to some DVB compatible USB TV Tuner or will the same old tuner work through the digital cable STB? Do i need some converter cable/ adapter to connect from cable STB to USB tv tuner then? (Lots of queries about digitization!)
I just checked out the specifications of your TV Tuner & found that “This USB TV tuner also comes with a Composite and S-Video input to connect DVD player, VCD player or other compatible devices”. So, even after Digitization you will be able to use this card. Now you directly put the co-axial cable into the TV tuner. But after digitization, you have to bypass it via STB. So, the co-axial cable will go @ the back of STB as input, from the STB output will come out as a composite wire (combination of 3wires red, white & yellow). This will go into the TV tuner card from the place where you now connect your DVD/VCD. If there is no input slot in your TV Tuner card to take these composite wires as input, then you have to change your Tv Tuner.
However, the statistics of your TV Tuner shows that it supports “Composite and S-Video inputs to connect DVD player, Set Top Box etc.” So, it should work fine & i DON’T think you will need to either change your TV tuner or will need any converter or adapter.
Thanks for the hard work & time you put in to help me out.
Hi, sourav. Good article. We recently bought lg 42lm6700, a 42 inch 3d led hdtv. We’ve upgraded our tv almost after 10yrs. I have a question here. We live in Hyderabad and We have the regular cable connection which is the same from past 15yrs. In this new tv, with this connection, the channels look pixelated and some what blurry. I tried a 1080p movie by inserting a pen drive in it. It plays great. So do you think we have to buy some DTH service? And what does these set top boxes used for? My friend says there’s not much difference in clarity for him with or without set top box who owns a dth service and a hdtv. I’m really confused as what will fix my problem now. Can you help me in understanding this technology?
Hello Vikram,
You need to get an HD connection. You can go for either HD Digital Cable or HD DTH service. The true HD channels will play great but other channels will look pixelated in both cable & DTH. Set top box(STB) is nothing but a device that passes digital signal to your TV. Without STB you receive analog signal. With STB you will receive digital signal which is much better.
My advice is you must immediately shift from analog to digital connection otherwise you are insulting your TV 😉 Ask you cable operator to bring a HD STB to your home & give demo. If you are satisfied keep it otherwise go for any HD DTH service. If your cable operator does not provide HD channels, then go for HD DTH only.
This might not be the ideal place to request this, but I’m trying to find a reliable shop to repair our television online and and have no method to find out who is the very best. I uncovered this website which is I find reliable and wanted to see if any person has any reviews on them. Richmond TV Repairs. http://richmondtvrepairs.com
Please help me with this as my wife and I have been struggling to find a good/reliable shop to repair our television.
Hello Carey,
I myself have never come across this website before. However, I visited their website now but its hard to comment on its reliability from just a website!
Hi,
Interesting post was wondering how our TV consumption has changed post digitilisation .I for one have started to watch more movie channels, would be interesting to get people’s feedback 🙂
for a 32″ lcd wich connection would b good????
hathway hd or airtel hd?????plzz reply
Hi Abhishek,
See as far as only the HD channels are concerned, Airtel HD will be better, but overall for (both HD & non HD channels) i think Hathaway HD will be of better quality.
Its purely my opinion. You are advised to consult it further before making any decision!
thanks for suggestin..
i hv sd connection of both hathway nd airtel…..
i m technically poor….
i want to upgrade for hd but confused….
economically which one is better??
also i want best quality….plzz help
I think they do provide 5.1 sound but can’t confirm you as i did not find any such specification in their website! So, please confirm this before buying.
for 32″ hd ready lcd hich stb wud b best?????
hd or sd……….????
plz reply
I think Hathaway will be more economical than Airtel, specially in case of HD channels.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
does hathway provide 5.1 sound…..??i m from delhi….
Obviously HD!!!
is there any improvement in sd channel quality with hd stb………?
there is only 16 hd channels in hathway and most of the channels r sd…
so wud it b good to upgrade in present scenario…..???
plzz help
SD channels will be of same quality whether you use a SD STB or HD STB.
Yes, HD packages are a bit expensive but if you are not concerned about the money then upgrading to HD is a good option as those 16 HD channels will be of very high picture quality which will bring the best picture out of your TV. Secondly, the number of HD channels will keep on increasing every year!
Truly painstaking work by an intelligent person, followed by a very informed discussion. As an environmentalist, I am concerned about the government’s decision to force the vast majority of people to take to set top boxes which they did not have before. Can you tell me how much power a set top box consumes? Does the government have any other agenda, apart from tax revenue, in forcing this on a common man who did not ask for it? While this increases his electricity bill and damages the environment, is there any social benefit in this total switch to digital?
Sorry if this query sounds a little off the mark to you.
Hello Arulalan,
The electricity that an STB consumes is negligible. But if you consider the total time you watch TV in a month, it will surely add some extra amount to your bill!
The only benefit that you get as a consumer is good quality pictures, random access to channels, freedom to add/drop channels & more no. of channels.
Hi Sourav
Do you know whether with the digital cable in metro cities, is it possible for the cable operators to know which channel am I viewing? Does the set top box transmit this information back to the provider? I think, in DTH since the communication is with satellite, this does not happen. But does it happen in the new digital set top boxes?
Thanks.
Hello Mitesh,
I am not sure about this. But i don’t think that the information that which channel you are viewing currently will go to the cable providers.
But yes, the channel providers come to know exactly how many people are watching their channels.
Nice article Mr. Sourav, I am using an Digital cable TV set top box and observed the clarity is very fine comparing to a set top box, i feel i get 720p clarity; however, I am facing an issues. I get some horizontal lines waving in background and get a deep irritating base when I increase the volume of my LCD. Not sure if I have to change my Hwuei Set top box from Hathway. If anybody facing similar issues and rectified it please advise me the same.
Thanks.
Hello Ibtihaj,
I can’t say about the picture problem. But about the sound problem, i can suggest you that don’t keep your TV’s volume high constantly & control the volume from STB. In this case you will get a deep irritating base. In fact you can do the opposite!
You can keep your STBs volume high & control the TV’s volume or you can keep both TV’s & STB’s volume to some optimum level & control both TV & STB’s volume to get better sound quality. This may solve your sound problem to some extent.
hi saurabh,there is no avalability of hathway hd.so i want to opt for dth hd.
plzz suggest which one is best…???
airtel or videocon d2h….??
your suggestion will b final for me….plzz help
If you want a comparison, you can visit the following link :
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
See Videocon has got cheapest packages & they also offer highest number of HD, regional, sports & other channels.
Whereas Airtel is a bit more expensive & offers less channels compared to Videocon, but the service quality is better in Airtel.
So, if money is your priority choose Videocon.
If service, choose Airtel.
Now you have to decide.
My advice is that, you can go for Videocon, its not that bad in service i think, but take some first hand experience from people/ friends if anyone uses Videocon. Also see the demo of their picture/sound quality in the shop & see if you are satisfied! Videocon packages are better than any other DTH without any doubt.
thanks alot……sir…
now i hv clear decision to upgrade to hathway hd……..
Very interesting and useful. Just only one thing. I understand that videocond2h for sure offers 1080p, 60 hz and can be used for all imported tvs as well.
do you have any info on sun direct hd???? do they also support same??
No Idea about the Sun Tv. My friend is using Sun Tv but it seems the quality and the service is not good
1)what is the amount of sound generated by set-top box? Is the sound generated is continuous or with frequent gaps? clearly inform the fact.
2)What is the amount of heat generated by set-top box?
3)What is electricity consumed by the set -top box ? 4)comparison of the all characters of the set-top boxes(model and company) wise?
5)What is the distance to be kept set-top box from the floor to, reduce thermal and electromagnetic radiation
Hi Sir,
My name is RK Das and I am from Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) I wanted to go for a Dish Tv so can u please suggest me which one should I go for as there is many dish are available in market; and we love to watch all hindi channels.
Thanks/Regards;
R.K Das
To get clear & impartial comparison between all the DTH services in India. Visit the following link :
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
Hello Sourav,
My local cable operator have provided me indigital digital cable receiver
http://www.indigital.co.in/images/changhong.pdf
and i want to use this with my pc so can u tell me which tv tuner card will work with this ?
http://www.flipkart.com/avermedia-avertv-volar-go-tv-tuner-card/p/itmd2ryhhf5zmmb6
or
http://www.flipkart.com/iball-claro-tv18-tv-tuner-card/p/itmd4ga9jgpqynuk?pid=TVTD4GA88MJMYY6J&ref=231f0340-5224-4d69-9197-4f642d1fd025&srno=m_1_1&otracker=from-search&query=iBall%20Claro%20TV18%20TV%20Tuner%20Card
any help will be much appreciated
Hi Sourav, I have one doubt, I am planning to buy a DTH box, but need to connect it wid my PC as there is no TV, can i do that?? if yes then how??? Please reply…
and of course hats off for all ur research on Cable and DTH… got all my queries satisfied…..
Hello Amol,
Yes you can, but you have to buy a TV tuner card that takes composite connection (combination of 3 wires red, yellow & white) as input because the output from the DTH Settop box comes as a composite connection.
If you buy a HD DTH connection then the output from the STB will be a HDMI cable which can be directly inserted to your PC/Laptop if your laptop has HDMI port.
Simple and informative explanation Sourav ji. iam from hyderabad and was in confusion regarding this DTH/ cable tv set tob box and now i got clarified.
i have one doubt here……do we need to buy the settop box on our own or does the cable operator arrange that on a price?
what do you personally recommend ….DTH/ CABLE TV?
Hello Pavan,
You have to buy the STB. However, local cable operators at different places may have different schemes.
I personally recommend Digital Cable as it is cheaper than DTH & gives more channels & more local/regional channels. Also Digital Cable does not get disrupted during rain!
Hi Saurav,
Very informative article! Thanks for the information.
I have a query. Acording to you there is no much difference in the video quality of DTH and cable tv set top box. But recently I got a STB from a cable operator and some of the channels are of very poor quality in 40inch LED. They play as if we are playing a video shot on a poor quality mobile phone.
Is there any way I can improve this quality?. If I ask the cable guys to fix it, will they be able to do it or I have to live with this? There is no sharpness in most of the channels. Tried all the settings on the TV but no luck.
Please suggest.
Thanks
Dheeraj
Hello Dheeraj,
Yes, i have seen video quality of Digital cable is poor in rural areas but better in cities. Yes, you can ask your local cable operator to fix it & replace the wire with a good quality wire that leads to the STB. Also ask him to check if there is any cut in the wire that is coming to the STB from outside.
can you pls give a comparison of videocon and tata sky dth services
Hello Nitika,
Please visit the link below, which will give you a detailed comparison between all the leading DTHs in India.
http://www.webadvices.com/2012/10/dth-services-comparison-india.html
Videocon has cheaper packages, gives more number of channels & more HD & regional channels. Tatasky has better quality & much better service, Packages are bit expensive, very slow in adding new channels, less number of channels & less regional channels.
Nice Article, very informative and easy for taking decission,
But still now the rates are not clear and final, which required to disclose before the set-top put in to action.
Bad Govt. policy
Thanks for the great article, Sourav,
I have a question about my existing hathway box. You can see the picture below:
http://images02.olx.in/ui/11/38/27/1342001951_412903127_1-Pictures-of–want-to-sell-my-hathway-set-top-box-6-months-old.jpg
This is how this box works, analog cable connection comes to my house and goes into that box and from box to the TV. And, TV is set in AV mode. Basically this box provides more channels. And, does not work without local cable connection. will this box still work after the digitization? I live in Hyderabad. I couldn’t seems to find the answer to this question. Please help. Let me know if you need any information from me.
Thanks in advance for your help and for the great comparison article.
Sam
Hello Sam,
Yes it will work. Those who don’t have that box & are watching through cable directly will have to buy it. You need not worry!
Thanks for the reply Sourav, appreciate it. Actually, I have two TVs in home. Only one of them has that box. And, the other TV is directly connected to the analog cable. Since you are sure that it would work, I can now buy that box for other TV as well, probably before the prices of those boxes goes high 🙂
Thanks again for your prompt reply.
Hi Sam,
See i only told what i understood from that picture! Though i am 99% sure that the STB will work even after digitization still you should once again cross-check it with the cable operators who are supplying that box.
Nice article , i appreciate your work ,brother
I have a Dish TV (DTH) set top box at my home. can i use this to connect to digital cable tv
Hello Syeda,
No u can’t!
This is first time, I am filling Feedback form just to appreciate your article ! Thanking you for Fantastic information & explanation !
Regards,
Vishal Bhame
M.Tech(E&TC-Microwave)
PICT College,Pune
Hi,
If i’m going to give more than one connection in the Home . Which one is best ?
Hello Mr. Muthu,
For Multi TV, TataSky is a bit ahead of others! TataSky charges flat Rs160 for the 2nd TV for any package you take in the 1st TV. Whereas others are charging Rs160 for low end packages on 2nd tvs & higher for high end packages.
Airtel :
http://www.airtel.in/wps/wcm/connect/dth/bharti+DTH/Packages+for+you/Advance+Rental+Packages/
Videocon :
http://www.videocond2h.com/wsc/multiroom_connection.aspx
Dish tv :
http://www.dishtv.in/Library/Images/FAQs-for-Multi.pdf
TataSky :
http://www.tatasky.com/multitv.html
Hi
Digital Set top box of hathway (via cable operators) will give better result in Sony Full HD TV.
I M PLANNING TO BUY FULL HD TV .
PLS SUGGEST
DTH setup boxes economically high prices then the cable another thing you can play 2-3 tvs with same connection of cable but now you have need to install different setup boxes for tvs in different rooms. I place order for DTH setup box online at snapdeal
Good article.. I live in hyderabad but within 2 yrs i will shift back to chennai.. so from Cable or DTH STBs which one will be the best option for me.. ??
Thanks,I red your article difference between DTH & Digital cable,Your article is very nice.I have one query,Please send reply to my mail id [email protected]. HOW TO CONNECT DIGITAL CABLE SET UP BOX TO LCD/LED MONITORS without using converter?
I want to know how to find whether a mobile supports indian languages before buying it because many times even shopkeeper selling mobile dont know this fact.
Hello Sourav!
Iam trying to scour a consensus over my practical experience with LCD, LED & a ‘so called’ digital quality of Signal!
Earlier, when we used to be with CRT TV Set, the Image quality was widely perceived to be much more Crisp & Sharp, with a well defined edges & boundaries of a Televised character.
However, with a same quality of Signal(through Digital Set-top Box), our Brand New LCD & LEDs have left us pondering that whether we really made a ‘Smart’ transition!?
Image(& even Sound Clarity) of these new variants stand nowhere near to the one what we have been used to! Picture Quality is SMUDGED, appears Blurred quite often. The experience is very much similar to, as if watching Youtube Videos on a full-screen mode!
The farther you move away from Screen, impact of Smudged picture quality appears to cool off a bit. Nevertheless, the settings such “Sharpness” hardly appear to make any impact on moving a slider from least to the Max. !?
What Iam sure is that the shared experience is certainly NOT a perception, but a full conscious driven TRUTH!
Could you please help decipher this ‘Mystery’…!?
Dear Sir,
Your article is very good and informative.I am in Pune and I could not yet decide whether to have add on DTH or settop box from the cable operator because I have got one other connection of Tata Sky with one additional connection.
The cable operator shown me the box with printed thereon “MPEG 4” whereas on the set top box there was no mention about it and in the Manual it was mention as “MPEG 2”. Please elaborate this aspect. The set top box is with recording facility but on Pen drive and there is no built in hard disk.
Thanks in anticipation.
Hey Saurav
this one’s from North Bengal once again.
I finally settled for a VIACCESS cable STB from my local cable operator. It provides recording facility on a flash memory drive. But when I am recording one channel I cannot watch other channels. Do I require a ‘dual tuner’ STB to enable me to watch another channel while I’m recording another? Can I do anything to make this possible on the STB I have already purchased? Is there any Software/Hardware that I can use?