Airtel IPTV - looks interesting!!

Ketan

Active Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2009
Messages
222
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Location
Bangalore
Hi,

Just had a look at some basic information on Airtel IPTV. I was trying to find out more about STB and found it seems to have HDMI/Optical (though they have not yet mentioned it, but looking at the diagram it seems its got HSMI) - hi-q audio output using optical and component as well.

I have not yet gone thru much details on what type of services and what time of BW they are going to provide with this, but overall it seems and interesting thing if we can get the HDTV experiance over it.
VOD and other services are also available, hope to see the rates coming down once the services are available..

I'm using normal TataSky at the moment and was waiting for TataSky+ or something better to come up with good services or at least good stb where I can put my HTS to a better use.
Do you guys think this AirTel IP tv is worth going for (now)? Here you can find some information about the features and STB specs.

Digital TV from Airtel

Digital TV from Airtel

Digital TV from Airtel
 
It's a UTStarcom STB. HDMI is not available. It's a blank slot for their future release/ upgrade model.
 
Hi.
It was quite eye-popping when i saw that airtel has launched IPTV here. I had experienced H.264 platform IPTV on AT&T (trial release in california in 2007)
However, couple things were dampners:
1. You can view programs only upto 7 days on Airtel. This isnt a true DVR - no unlimited storage.
2. Set up cost - 4k is rather steep for basic channels.
3. Compression standard is not mentioned. If its H.264 - could be worth going for.

BSNL has launched IPTV in 4 cities late last year - however, their tech team is very tech challenged. The charges are much lower though ... check if they cover your area well. They certainly have H.264 technology.
btw, H.264 look amazing on an LCD TV - way better than MPEG2 or 4 transmissions.
cheers!
Vaibhav
 
It's a UTStarcom STB. HDMI is not available. It's a blank slot for their future release/ upgrade model.

Reju,

are you using Airtel IPTV? Can you share you experiance with us on this?
I have read a few reviews stating its still in the initial stage and keeps slowing down while streaming videos consistently.. really tells you what does it mean by impatient,, is that true?
 
Hi Ketan. I have MTNL IPTV. It is OK. Nothing great. When you change channels it takes 3-4 secs for the audio to sync.

I am using it as standby @ Rs.100/ month, just in case my normal cable blanks out at times.
 
cool! you plan for cable outages! you must be one big TV watcher :)
Hi Ketan. I have MTNL IPTV. It is OK. Nothing great. When you change channels it takes 3-4 secs for the audio to sync.

I am using it as standby @ Rs.100/ month, just in case my normal cable blanks out at times.
 
cool! you plan for cable outages! you must be one big TV watcher :)

Actually I don't watch much TV. It has more reasons.

As I was already using the MTNL broadband for 2-3 years, I wanted to check if IPTV is good. So I subscribed @ Rs. 1000 as refundable deposit for STB and Rs. 100/ month. The PQ turned out to be only average and I was going to stop the service. But then I discovered that due to IPTV my internet speed increased from 2MBPS to 3MBPS. With my free night download plan, I could complete about 8.5GB instead of the usual 5.5GB during those 8 hours (00:00 to 08:00). So I thought, hell with watching IPTV, but for additional Rs. 100, I could get so much benefit from internet! It was very much worth it. So this went on for about 6 months. But since last 3-4 months I no longer get this speed. I am back to 2MBPS.

I have kept the subscription alive, but not expecting the higher speed again, but for cable outage, if any, you know;)
 
what do you download!!! blue rays???

I once downloaded 8 or 10 SD movies expecting to consume only 6GB max with the rest of surfing. Well it was 14GB and my Internet bill that month was 17000/- on the 2mbps plan!! Just imagine how many legal DVDs I could have purchased in that money!!

If you torrent beware of limited bandwidth plans!! And dont just go by the size of movie, actual volume will differ with 20% overhead for packet headers and torrent exchanges and like. I think the piratebay toolbar was the culprit, constantly updating a long list every now and then without my realizing it.

Regards
 
I download mostly MKVs, DVDs etc.

Yes, one has to be very careful while downloading. I have lost about Rs 8K due to my mistakes. MTNL night unlimited requires you to switch off/on the modem before and after the night timings between 00:00 to 08:00 a.m..

Later I installed auto-timers to do this job.

I don't have the patience to with torrents. I normally download from Rapidshare and Usenet.
 
I have Airtel IPTV since the last couple of years (It was commercially launched earlier this year) .

The points for IPTV
35 channels Time shift (you get last 7 days programming on fixed 35 nos. of channels)
PQ is comparable with Tata sky/DTH
You have a component and composite Video o/p
Audio is normal rca stereo / you also have a spdif optical though have'nt used it yet
comes with a wifi modem


minus points
higher cost
no second tv connectivity as of now
 
@dillihifi

surprised to hear that IPTV started 2 years back!! were they doing pilot for a long time?

Howmuch is the initial cost you had to pay! can you please provide some detailed review based on your long term experiance??

I guess you can make use of the Optical o/p for a better audio if you are using HTS and only if the audio sources are good on Airtel IPTV - at least better than what Tatasky and others claiming as so called CD quality audio..
 
Y download anything at home do it in office comp :D many times better connection speed :licklips:

One question for IPTV users

Do you guys got to subscribe different packages based on which you will get certain channels and not others or are you getting all channels like in Hathway or normal cable.
 
I dont watch TV but i could only if individual subscriptions to Nat Geo, Discovery & Animal Planet were allowed. does Airtel IPTV allow that or do I have to go for a complete bundle of channels?

TIA
 
Inititally the streaming quality was too poor and the frames used to freeze. But since 2008 Jan the pics were pretty clear and this problem of freezing was very rare. I still can make out a few pixelisations on some of the channels (since I sit close to the TV) but on the whole it is a good experience. The Package details are available at their website.
 
Hi a small update

Now there are 42 channels for which programs can be viewed for the last 7 days. Further to that I had a chance of using the optical audio o/p and found that the sound was much better than the normal RCA. Nowadays I have two TV connections i) IPTV and ii) Airtel DTH. I found PQ near about same but audio much better on the IPTV using the optical o/p. Watching movies (recorded earlier) via a receiver is awesome as compared to the DTH.
 
Hi another update

The new airtel logo has made the viewing experience very poor. Nowadays I have two TV connections i) IPTV and ii) Tatasky HD. I found PQ near about same on SD slightly tilting towards TS but for HD, IPTV is simply no match.

Are the new logos bothering in dth as well ???
 
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