Tatasky replacing MPEG-2 boxes with MPEG-4

[rahuln]

Hey,

I got a message today from Tatasky that from 31-July Telegu channels wont work and need to upgrade to MPEG-4 boxes. They will provide it for free.

Looks like TS is finally moving away for MPEG-2, hopefully this will enable them to provide more HD channels.

 

[jpmlore]

i came on hFV to check the same.
i too got the same message. hopefully there will be additional channels and dolby sound intact.
i have agreed to replace the box and i have TS HD+ and multi connection

 

[jpmlore]

i got a call from the TS CC guys and was told of the following price.
there are 4 options
free box with only 1 month warranty (visits may be charged after 1 month)
box for 500Rs with 1 yr warranty
HD box for 990/-
HD+ for 4990/-

Apparently this is only for the regular SD box that is in secondary connection that i have. the HD+ box what i have as primary is MPEG4 compatible.
my query is : why was TS waiting for introducing more HD channels if the HD boxes were MPEG4 compatible ?

 

[prepress]

why was TS waiting for introducing more HD channels if the HD boxes were MPEG4 compatible ?

The can introduce more HD channels as they had IPL on SONY SIX. Last year they launched SONY HD after MAX HD but not sure why they didn't launch any single HD channel after that. I am from North and heard nothing about the set-up box update. I am using 2 SD and 1 HD + (PVR).

 

[jpmlore]

Hi All,

i got the standard box replaced with the MPEG4 box. it is roughly 6 inches by 4 inches. it has a separate power adapter unlike older box. the carton in which it came mentions remote, RCA cable, batteries apart from the adapter and the box. the executive said remote and cables were not part of the deal
installation and activation took a max of ten minutes in all.
it might be me but i feel all the picture quality tend towards blue tint more after the box was swapped.
i have a 6yr old samsung 29 inch tv connected to the SD box.

 

[vktyagi]

STBs post 2010 are already MPEG4 compatible. It is older boxes that need to be replaced. Read this :
Tata Sky inks MPEG-4 STB contract with Broadcom; will replace MPEG-2 STBs free of charge - LCD TVs | Plasma TV & Televisions | ThinkDigit News

 

[rahuln]

I got mine replaced as well and it looks exactly like the old one. Even the old power supply works with it and was not replaced.

 

[prepress]

Is there any noticeable quality difference after swap?

I got mine replaced as well and it looks exactly like the old one. Even the old power supply works with it and was not replaced.

 

[supercharger]

my query is : why was TS waiting for introducing more HD channels if the HD boxes were MPEG4 compatible ?

They are yet to get the space released that is being used by MPEG2, once they ditch MPEG2 completely, they can use that space for HD.

 

[rahuln]

They are yet to get the space released that is being used by MPEG2, once they ditch MPEG2 completely, they can use that space for HD.

MPEG2 stops on Jul-31st. So hopefully we will see more channels in Aug.

 

[prepress]

But I am not sure if old Set-up box supports MPEG-4, because heard nothing from TS yet.

MPEG2 stops on Jul-31st. So hopefully we will see more channels in Aug.

 

[jpmlore]

Is there any noticeable quality difference after swap?

like i mentioned in my post, in my older TV, all images tend towards bluish tint. i asked my wife and she too agrees. after two days of use, the images seem normal. i guess our eyes get used to the tint.
my plasma tv has HD+ so cannot comment

 

[anm]

It seems the quality has gone for a toss. I can now see compression artifacts much moee than earlier.

 

[prepress]

OH, if there is some blue tint, you can use your TV color tint setting (mostly CRT has this feature) Cool (blue), Standard, Normal etc

like i mentioned in my post, in my older TV, all images tend towards bluish tint. i asked my wife and she too agrees. after two days of use, the images seem normal. i guess our eyes get used to the tint.
my plasma tv has HD+ so cannot comment

 

[just4kix]

Generally, the silver grey TS STBs are MPEG2. TS started selling black SD STBs from 2010 which are MPEG2/MPEG4 compatible. If you have subscribed to Sports package and/or Star Sports 2, and you are able to view it, it means that your STB is MPEG4 compatible because SS-2 is broadcast in MPEG4.

 

[echo77]

A few months back, I upgraded my old SD box of 2008 to HD - the small black box with adapter-cum-plug. There is noticeable improvement in SD channel quality on the 22" LCD that I use it with.

I have 2 other HDRs of 2011 and 2012. Both are MPEG4 compatible, as I can see the NE TV channel on them; according to this:

TataSky starts mpeg4 transition - Beginning of a new Journey

TataSky today added NE TV at LCN993....

This channel was added in mpeg4 format, making it the first SD channel from TataSky in the moeg4 format...

This is expected to be just the beginning of a new journey for TataSky and possibly all channels will soon be converted into mpeg4, thus creating ample space for adding many more new channels with its limited resource.....

The channel now shows a message on mepg2 boxes to upgrade to mpeg4 STB in order to view the channel....

Can any of you with old boxes check to see you can view content on ch#993 or do you get that message?

 

[shaiju_o_thomas]

I have HD box since 2010 and can see 993. Hope both SD and HD gets better.

 

[prepress]

I have 2 SD and 1 HD+ and believe all are mpeg-4 boxes and most recent ones, as they are black and the Card slot is on the back of the boxes (except HD PVR, it has on the front behind the right panel).
The good is, it has card slot on the back and it looks good from front.
The bad is, it doesn't have any control (micro switches) to operate it without remote (earlier models had switches to change the channels, volume, power on etc on the TS box itself).

Generally, the silver grey TS STBs are MPEG2. TS started selling black SD STBs from 2010 which are MPEG2/MPEG4 compatible. If you have subscribed to Sports package and/or Star Sports 2, and you are able to view it, it means that your STB is MPEG4 compatible because SS-2 is broadcast in MPEG4.

 

[anuragn]

I have the old silver grey SD box.
I cannot view channel 993 and get the same message as shown in post 16.
Now hoping that TS replaces it with mpeg4 box.

 

[gopib]

@anuragn. They replaced mine. I had to insist and tell them that my whole family watches the channel and everyone is upset...They are very organised after that and give you a workorder number which gets executed the next day...