The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has referred the ongoing MPEG (compression technology that enables the number of channels that can be viewed) imbroglio in the DTH industry to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The ministry has clearly spelt out that while the BIS should keep in mind the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) recommendation, it should hold extensive discussions with the stakeholders in question, (DTH players using MPEG2 and MPEG4 technology) before taking a call on the matter. Currently, the two oldest DTH operators, Tata Sky and Dish TV, which address over 5.5 million DTH subscribers together, are using the MPEG2 technology. The recently launched ADAG’s Big TV DTH, Bharti group’s Airtel Digital TV and Sun TV Direct have favoured MPEG4 format by arguing that it offers substantial video quality improvements and 25% saving in transmission bandwidth enabling broadcast of a higher number of channels.
Trai has recommended interoperability between set-top-boxes of players to prevail. However, at the current level of technology, it is not possible for a MPEG2 subscriber to shift to MPEG4 service while the reverse is possible. Trai has recommended that the existing DTH operators on MPEG2 should be given six months time after the standards are revised and laid down by BIS to make the transition to the new format for their incremental customers. The regulatory body expects market forces to work and lure away the existing subscribers on MPEG2 format to the new prescribed format.
Anticipating a forced migration to MPEG4, an advanced compression format technology that enables broadcast of more channels per transponder space, the existing DTH operators (on MPEG2 technology) had approached I&B ministry to get their concerns addressed.
Jawahar Goel, managing director, Dish TV Ltd, said, “Our analysis shows that apart from broadcasting more channels per transponder, MPEG4 doesn't offer any advancement in the quality of picture in comparison to MPEG2 technology. On the other hand, given the present pricing, MPEG4 boxes are around 50% costlier than MPEG2 boxes. This will make subscribers acquisition for DTH players expensive and also hurt their bottomlines more.”
Both Dish TV and Tata Sky feel that given the transponder space they have, their subscribers wouldn't miss out on the number of channels.
I&B refers MPEG matter to BIS - The Financial Express
Trai has recommended interoperability between set-top-boxes of players to prevail. However, at the current level of technology, it is not possible for a MPEG2 subscriber to shift to MPEG4 service while the reverse is possible. Trai has recommended that the existing DTH operators on MPEG2 should be given six months time after the standards are revised and laid down by BIS to make the transition to the new format for their incremental customers. The regulatory body expects market forces to work and lure away the existing subscribers on MPEG2 format to the new prescribed format.
Anticipating a forced migration to MPEG4, an advanced compression format technology that enables broadcast of more channels per transponder space, the existing DTH operators (on MPEG2 technology) had approached I&B ministry to get their concerns addressed.
Jawahar Goel, managing director, Dish TV Ltd, said, “Our analysis shows that apart from broadcasting more channels per transponder, MPEG4 doesn't offer any advancement in the quality of picture in comparison to MPEG2 technology. On the other hand, given the present pricing, MPEG4 boxes are around 50% costlier than MPEG2 boxes. This will make subscribers acquisition for DTH players expensive and also hurt their bottomlines more.”
Both Dish TV and Tata Sky feel that given the transponder space they have, their subscribers wouldn't miss out on the number of channels.
I&B refers MPEG matter to BIS - The Financial Express
