BIG TV-Second month

Quick questions to BIG TV users,
Now that BIG TV is into its second month, how are things going ? Any hassles ?
I am planning to take BIG TV or Tata sky this week. Any advice ? I am keen on BIG TV because of the component output and promise of HD content by the year end.

anyone who see PQ of bigtv in my HT really like it, i am using it thro' composite o/p, no idea about component yet (i have only used dishtv earlier)

Square my advice will be to wait it out for 2 more months as both airtel and videocon are launching Dth services , also big tv is having lot of teething problems, with lot of customers in the South India it's been over 10 days after buying the STB the installation has not happened ,

better is to hold on for 2 more months as u will have a wider choice and a competitive price from other providers

hi,
how is the picture quality on Big in comparison to Tata ? am thinking of switching over to big as it is offering Component input & may offer HD sooner.
Is Big beaming the recently launched channels like :Colors,9x,NDTV Imagine(Tata is offering them) etc.
Are we getting any extra or lesser channels on Big?
Please comment.

hi,
i have bought Big TV two weeks back. In fact i am also using ASIANET set top box here in Trivandrum. For me switching to asianet digital set top box from the regular cable (1year back) was a great relief, as the former is digital, hence picture quality was good..Then later took this big tv for my second tv, Panasonic 29inch).Connected the same through component.Picture quality is too good and so is sound quality.I am working in reliance communications, hence after deducting the dealer margin, i bought it for around 2XXX. The instrument cost is 1990(this includes the set top box with one year subscription,with almost 117 channels, incl star movies, hbo, discovery etc) and u pay an additional 200rs(go for it), u will also get all sports channels for one year. And first 3 months hindi movie on demand channels(almost 6 or 7) will be free. After tis period, u have to pay extra to watch these movies. And regarding the installation after registering, it just took 4 hours for the installation guys to land up at my house(they come with the dish etc..). Guys, don't think that since i am working in reliance, i am trying to praise this product, no way related to my department. This is for the benefit of all the forum members..CHEERS!!!

Airtel seems to be best in their broadband and Mobile tech, dont have a Airtel cell but their broadband service is fantastic, have a 8MB and they are very good whenever I had any trouble.

I have TATASKY already, but it does not have component out but composite out. Hope Airtel will atleast give us HDMI (lets all pray for that)

Will wait and watch the game.

Hi Everyone...

Let add some information here:

HD television via satellite requires that the content that's being uplinked to be in HD format and both the uplink/downlink satellite transponders to be suitable compable for HD.

Reliance Big TV is downlinked on Measat 3 satellite, located at 91.5 degrees East. The transponders used are not HD but MPEG-4.

There are however other transponders that downlink HD, on the same satellite. National Geographic & History channels are examples.

MPEG-4 cannot be HD. The advantage of using MPEG-4 is the capability to accomodate more channels on the same transponder bandwidth.
I've not seen the big tv site mentioning the content to be on HD!

Furthermore, if you take a look at the satellite receiver, you'd notice that there are no HDMI connectors which are required for HD. What you have is composite outputs & RF outputs - neither of which can output HD.

I would suggest members to wait a while and see where things take a turn, else it would be a waste of resources!

BIGTV does have Y Pb Pr component video O/P

component Video

Y,Cb,Cr component video :refers to an interlaced scan-only component video connection. A Y,Cb,Cr connection typically is not capable of passing through a high defintiion video signal.

Y Pb Pr Component video: is capable of carrying signals such as 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p(HD Ready TV's), 1080i and 1080p(Full HD Tv's). (Component video - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

So, HD video signal over component will work fine, but to get HD Sound ,18MBPS & above audio signal of True HD and HD MA, will require HDMI, only HDMI has the required bandwidth to carry both the video and the sound signal(because component carries only video signal).

MPEG-4

MPEG-4 is simply a newer, more efficient compression algorithm. For the same image quality, MPEG-4 will produce a lower bit rate, requiring less bandwidth aka higher compression. And at the same bit rate, MPEG-4 provides a higher quality image. The reason satellite providers are switching to MPEG-4 from MPEG-2 is because they can get the same image quality with less bandwidth. MPEG-4 is a compression standard that can be widely used not only for satellite transmissions but even for terrestrial TV, CATV, and even IP (Internet Protocol) TV.

BOTH Mpeg-2 and Mpeg-4 technologies can send HD Signals via compression algorithm, MPEG4 High Def will use less bandwidth than a MPEG2 High Def, So bigtv might use MEASAT high definition (HD) video distribution solution for HD channels(see below).


"US goes MPEG-4 for high def services, HBO USA announced that all of their HD program's will now be distributed in MPEG-4 instead of MPEG-2" .US TV - News - US goes MPEG-4 for high def services - Digital Spy

MESAT 3 sattellite systems

MEASAT has been cooperating with the industry's leading players to bring together a high definition (HD) video distribution solution tailor-made for the Asian market.

Developed with the support of Scientific-Atlanta and TANDBERG Television, leaders in MPEG-4 compression systems. TANDBERG Television say's “Because of the benefits of MPEG-4 and DVB-S2 it is able to transmit an HD signal using the same transponder bandwidth that is currently being used for Standard definition(SD)".MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd.

Hi Mandeep,

Thanks for taking a lot of time and effort for the clarifications.

However I would still recommend to stick to avoiding buying any DTH services until we have someone offering a True HD service.

If you follow the following link:

Measat 3 at 91.5°E - LyngSat or HD - LyngSat HD

You would find that the channels on HD are clearly distinguishable from what BigTV is using. Hence whether or not BigTV brings true HD is at their sole discretion.

Furthermore, I also feel that the satellite receiver should have the full HD capability, i.e. with HDMI interface, else, customers would be forced to upgrade their receivers and pay extra charges at a later point in time.
I do not think I'd be comfortable with that. Buying a satellite receiver should be a one time investment.

I would say that currently its just another DTH service!

yes you are right, but nothing seems to be a permanent solution now a days..as technology takes time to fully grow and become available to masses at the same time...