Airtel HD DTH or Tata Sky HD DTH

With my recent experience, I have no option than to recommend you to
go with TataSky.

I was a Dish customer until few months back and wanted a change. I had
the following options
1) Reliance Big TV
2) Tata Sky
3) Airtel

I did not consider Videocon. Reliance though had the most channels that suited
my requirement, heard their customer service was not very good. Reliance was
supposed to have the best SD PQ as well. Friends and forums recommended TataSky.
However TataSky seemed to cost much more than Airtel or Reliance. So I thought
I will take a calculated risk and went with Airtel. All went fine until last month when
I decided to go for multiroom connection. All hell broke loose then. You might read
my experience in one of the other threads. Anyways, I would recommend Airtel DTH
only if you have lot of spare time and if you are ready to counter the BP problems
that you might encounter during your dealing with Airtel DTH. Good Luck.
 
I've been using Airtel DTH for a year, and have been pretty happy with the PQ and the channel packaging. I had an annual package with all channels. Now that it's time to renew, I was thinking of making the switch to HD. I know there are hardly any HD channels on air in India, but given the HDMI out and digital audio out, PQ and SQ would improve over SD boxes, right?

Being an existing customer, what kind of monetary benefit can I expect from Airtel if I switch from SD to HD?

Some initial calculations I did based on quotes on the respective websites. If you think I missed something, please point it out:

Tata Sky:
HD Box (with free installation): 2599
Cost per month (after customization, using the TruChoice Packages option): 385
So total 1st year cost = 7219

Airtel:
HD Box (with free installation) + 12 months Ultra pack: 5500
Cashback (added to digital TV account): 250
So effective total 1st year cost= 5250

So Airtel would work out cheaper for me by almost 2k. Recurring monthly costs would also be lower, since Ultra pack is 330 + taxes.

TS gives me 2 more HD channels than Airtel, but that's not really a deal breaker for me. I am guessing Airtel will add more HD channels eventually. In terms of other channels, the Airtel ultra pack (what I use currently) covers pretty much all of my requirements. The only channel I wish they added is Discovery Turbo. So packaging is pretty much on par.

Customer service is good for both, I like the Airtel on-screen menus and EPG.

I've been going through the various threads, and TS has been recommended by most. Would appreciate some inputs on this - is there some aspect I am missing that would swing the decision in favour of TS over Airtel?
Thanks in advance!
 
Has Airtel changed their old logo to the new "Confused sperm" logo on their STB's. That should be a little easy on the plasmas when compared to the horrid solid red color. That was a major decision point for me changing to TS while upgrading to HD.
 
Has Airtel changed their old logo to the new "Confused sperm" logo on their STB's. That should be a little easy on the plasmas when compared to the horrid solid red color.
Yes, they have changed to the new "confused sperm" logo. Atleast on Airtel IPTV they have and thus it would be safe to assume they have done so on their DTH platform too. Although, the logo is still a "solid, red color" but it is smaller than the previos logo and thus not as obtrusive.
 
yep lucky to get the last peice left in HYD for 500 premium and no free months at all

but i am happy. i preferred paying 500 rather than waiting for dec and possibly they are stopping HD

they are coming out with HD+ which will end out to be expensive and will be useless for me..

also chkd with my friend got airtel HD.. but just natge HD and pricing is lil more than tata sky HD package in which i get 3 regular and other 1-2 extra channels depending no events. only issue is low volume with HD channels ..

however i think once connected to 5.1 setup it will end up to be whole lot diffrent..

and the chinese subtitles for nat geo HD... ( that does not bother me much )



but the reason i removed my airtel and got tata sky was discovery turbo (( i am an automobile fan, can talk bout them all day long))

HD is amazing compared to SD ( it will be lolz) however still stutter while in moving scenes..

chkd all the settings in tv but no go.. in fact i have a 200hz panel but it not like 720p movies i have...

but as far as india is concerned it is still way good and we are few lucky ones watching HD in india.. will take another 2 yrs or so until it becomes popular in india
 
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I run my TS-HD on a 50" FHD Plasma (600Hz subfield processing), and there is absolutely NO stutter or judder in fast action or fast horizonal pan. . Which TV do you have? I have a feeling in HD mode (1080i input) the motion flow processing probably doesn't work that well.

And hell the chinese subs really gets on my nerves. I have been complaining for the last 3 months without luck. They just keep on closing my service request, and I end up posting a new one.
 
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I wrote a polite email addressed to their CEO. Seems all our combined efforts have borne fruit. The chinese subtitles are no longer there.
 
I wrote a polite email addressed to their CEO. Seems all our combined efforts have borne fruit. The chinese subtitles are no longer there.
Congratulations! Seems like TataSky finally got their heads out of the sand on this issue. Now, how about another "polite email" to the CEO regarding the totally screwed up DD5.1 audio on 'National Geographic HD'. After all the DD5.1 audio of NGC HD on SunDirect HD is great, so there is no reason why TataSKy shouldn't be able to provide the same.
 
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Guys,
Need to take a call on this asap. Would request some inputs from you. Thanks!

I've been using Airtel DTH for a year, and have been pretty happy with the PQ and the channel packaging. I had an annual package with all channels. Now that it's time to renew, I was thinking of making the switch to HD. I know there are hardly any HD channels on air in India, but given the HDMI out and digital audio out, PQ and SQ would improve over SD boxes, right?

Being an existing customer, what kind of monetary benefit can I expect from Airtel if I switch from SD to HD?

Some initial calculations I did based on quotes on the respective websites. If you think I missed something, please point it out:

Tata Sky:
HD Box (with free installation): 2599
Cost per month (after customization, using the TruChoice Packages option): 385
So total 1st year cost = 7219

Airtel:
HD Box (with free installation) + 12 months Ultra pack: 5500
Cashback (added to digital TV account): 250
So effective total 1st year cost= 5250

So Airtel would work out cheaper for me by almost 2k. Recurring monthly costs would also be lower, since Ultra pack is 330 + taxes.

TS gives me 2 more HD channels than Airtel, but that's not really a deal breaker for me. I am guessing Airtel will add more HD channels eventually. In terms of other channels, the Airtel ultra pack (what I use currently) covers pretty much all of my requirements. The only channel I wish they added is Discovery Turbo. So packaging is pretty much on par.

Customer service is good for both, I like the Airtel on-screen menus and EPG.

I've been going through the various threads, and TS has been recommended by most. Would appreciate some inputs on this - is there some aspect I am missing that would swing the decision in favour of TS over Airtel?
Thanks in advance!
 
Yes, they have changed to the new "confused sperm" logo. Atleast on Airtel IPTV they have and thus it would be safe to assume they have done so on their DTH platform too. Although, the logo is still a "solid, red color" but it is smaller than the previos logo and thus not as obtrusive.

When I bought my Samsung Plasma PS50C6500, I was given an offer for Airtel HD dth with 3 months programming (South Sports Plus) and 2 months HD (only 1 channel NGC) - Rs 750.

The appointment was within a day of booking it and installation barely took 20 minutes.

The lone HD channel seems to be fine but the the other channels are average (or at best, on par with my regular cable).

The remote is unresponsive and I am quite disappointed with the entire EPG/MENU/ app -interface.

Chances are high I will switch over to Tata Sky HD (+recorder with hope) by Feb.
 
Checked out a Tata Sky store near my place in Mumbai today. The guy there told me that Tata Sky HD is no longer available, and he's expecting supplies to resume only after a month or so. Is this the case everywhere or is this just an isolated supply issue?
 
Checked out a Tata Sky store near my place in Mumbai today. The guy there told me that Tata Sky HD is no longer available, and he's expecting supplies to resume only after a month or so. Is this the case everywhere or is this just an isolated supply issue?

This is on par with the rest of the country - They probably didn't expect such (comparatively) overwhelming response for the HD STB. They are also planning for the Tata Sky HD + (with recorder) because I doubt that the HD crowd would be content or happy with being deprived of a PVR.

I miss Tivo :sad:
 
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