Airtel IPTV Installation Photos (Set Top Box Included)

[Sushubh]

They brought their own newspapers to keep their bags on.



Inside of the Airtel IPTV Box



They had shoe covers. Were not allowed to enter customer premises with shoes.



This box cost me Rs. 3999... Let me correct this. The box costs more like Rs. 4400 with the service tax which Airtel forgets to mention on their website.



The Airtel Media Console. They do not like to call it a set top box.



Airtel Media Console from the front.



Airtel Media Console from the back.



The ugly remote



HDMI port is indeed missing.

 

[vebk]

They brought their own newspapers to keep their bags on.
This is why I love Airtel! Their installations are superb, and the amount of care they put into their work is excellent!

but
They had shoe covers. Were not allowed to enter customer premises with shoes.

This is a little over the top!!!


Thanks for the pictures, Sushubh! Sad to hear about the HDMI - my first reaction to this thread was, "Hmmm, if the HDMI works, I can get rid of my CRT TV and use my 24" Dell as a TV as well." My table stays cluttered.

 

[Sushubh]

oh well that was a disappointment for me too.

 

[amish]

Strange STB box was not impressive. STB itself was not impressive. Remote is very bad. I didnt expect that from Airtel.

 

[Sushubh]

the installation guy told me that they were previously providing a slimmer remote which was much sleek.but it was found to be problematic so they got this new remote just in time for the launch. i cannot confirm it right now. but airtel is treating IPTV box just like they treat the modems. they go bad, airtel replaces it. i am expecting them to keep on providing better hardware to customers as they have been upgrading the modems for the broadband customers.would confirm it today when the activation guys come.i would have liked it if the box and the remote were in black color. white color alone makes it look cheapo. otherwise it's pretty sturdy. and of course it has the magical buttons (pause, rewind, forward) the wiring guy did tell me that at the moment, they are replacing any hardware that is being reported as faulty by the customer.

 

[amish]

they must be knowing how to use IPTV on PC/laptop. so make them ur friends and get the secret!

 

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[Sushubh]

if this box is indeed on a rental basis, it would turn out to be a much better deal compared to DTH over a longer period of time.it is already a better alternative over Tata Sky+ where the STB itself is 10K.of course, its foolish to compare airtel iptv with regular dth services. the only real rival is tata sky+.well. that might be possible. i was told that they would block one port on the modem for the iptv service.they are replacing my old 220bx modem with a model from UTStarcom which is also the supplier of the set top box. so basically the modem and the set top box are from UTStarcom. i would still be using my Linksys router for broadband.

 

[raddy]

it is already a better alternative over Tata Sky+ where the STB itself is 10K.

the only real rival is tata sky+.

Don't at all compare Airtel IPTV Interactive with Tata(Sky+ for the sake of Time Shift TV.

Airtel won't be recording all the programs from all the channels it broadcasts anytime soon in the future.

You can't Rewind, Pause the Live TV.

On the other hand Tata(Sky+ will put you in total control of your TV viewing.

 

[amish]

IPTV is also digital tv just like TS or TS+. So with proper STB (which airtel might start says Digital TV +), you wud be able to pause/record as well.

 

[vebk]

I did see that the pause / rewind feature is limited to a few channels (you can fill us in on which ones). Hopefully with time they will cover the rest, otherwise yes TS+ has an advantage.