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Moser Baer nabs BDA certification for 6x BD-Rs

by Darren Murph posted Dec 16th 2008 at 10:06PM

6x Blu-ray media is far from new, but Moser Baer has just become the first company outside of Japan to develop and ship 1x to 6x BD-Rs. The New Delhi-based outfit actually popped up on our radar last year with claims of 8x Blu-ray recording media, and now it has "received product verification from the Blu-ray Disc Association for its next generation Blu-ray (BDR) 1x-6x discs." We're no experts on certification, but we're all about getting more options on the shelves to drive down prices.

India DTH players look to high-def to differentiate

by Darren Murph posted Dec 7th 2008 at 8:58PM

If you've been content just focusing on sectors in your own nation, you may have missed all the DTH congestion in India. At last count, there are five different satcasters serving the country, and now some are making accelerated pushes to get high-def programming on the air in order to stand out. A recent report from New Delhi asserts that Dish TV and Sun Direct are both hoping to add high-definition content in separate tiers within "the next few months." Specifics are relatively scant, but Indians can probably expect between 10 to 15 HD stations for a modest (read: totally worthwhile) premium. Other sources have noted that Tata Sky, Big TV and Airtel should follow suit, though specific time lines weren't mentioned. Better get that HDTV soon, Indians -- you've got high-res content just around the bend.

ATN to bring Champions Twenty 20 Cricket Tournament to Canada in HD

by Darren Murph posted Dec 1st 2008 at 6:38AM


Being that cricket is in the air in India, it's no shock to hear of all these broadcast deals getting inked at the eleventh hour. Now, Asian Television Network (ATN) has announced that it has purchased the exclusive Canadian rights to broadcast the Champions League Twenty20 Tournaments cricket series for the next three years. The 2008 series will be aired live and rebroadcast on ATN's CBN and ATN-Cricket Plus in the Great North, and more importantly, the events will be telecast in high-def across Canada next year. Not quite sure too many Canucks will choose this over hockey, but having the option sure will be nice.

ESPN Star Sports uncorks HD sports in India with cricket

by Steven Kim posted Nov 25th 2008 at 1:51AM

ESPN Star Sports cricketAround the Engadget HD Thanksgiving table, we never fail to mention our gratitude for HD sports. Beginning December 3, our cricket-loving friends in India will (hopefully) be able to discover this joy for themselves as ESPN Star Sports airs Champions League Twenty20 cricket. It's the first HD sports broadcast in the Indian subcontinent, where HD is so new that it is unclear how viewers will actually receive the signal -- there are no HD options available to pay-TV customers. So, we're keeping our fingers crossed that in the days left, providers either: get their acts together and come up with a HD offering (good), or enable the service for all subscribers until things get sorted (better). Believe us, once subscribers see the magic that HD can bring to spin- and speed-bowlers alike, they'll find the rupees to keep the HD flowing!

MTNL and Aksh Optifibre announce FTTH, HDTV services in India

by Darren Murph posted Nov 10th 2008 at 11:56PM


We already knew that MTNL was looking to expand its IPTV services from Mumbai to more parts of India, and now we're seeing progress towards completion. Thanks to a recent tie-up between said company and Aksh Optifibre, FTTH (fiber to the home) and HDTV services will be delivered to Indians in desperate need of more high-def. Unfortunately, the announcement doesn't mention when or where the services will be expanded, but hopefully we'll be given more insight on the whole deal real soon.

Sun Direct launches DTH satellite service in Delhi, NCR

by Darren Murph posted Oct 27th 2008 at 8:25AM

After Sun Direct became the first carrier in all of India to offer up MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) direct-to-home broadcast service, the company is now expanding its offerings to Delhi and the National Capital Region, the latter of which consists of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad. The starting package is priced at Rs 999 ($20) per month with a free set-top-box, although installation will set you back another Rs 1,000. No word on when it'll begin sending down HD channels, but we'd say it's about time, no?

India's Big TV grabs 500,000 subscribers in two months

by Darren Murph posted Oct 21st 2008 at 2:00PM

It took AT&T years to hit the magical half million mark here in the USA with U-verse TV; for India's Big TV, it has taken two short months. Oh sure, that comparison involves a hint of apple with a slice of orange, but still, it's an impressive feat no matter how you spin it. The DTH satellite arm of Reliance Communications has managed to secure 500,000 customers since launching in August, and with that kind of cash inflow, we have a pretty good feeling about it being able to maintain expansion plans. If all goes well, the lineup will blossom from 200 to 400 next year, it will offer DVR services by the year's end and it will launch 15 to 20 high-def channels by "mid-2009." Kudos, Big TV -- now, what's it going to take to get those HD options out a few months ahead of schedule?

Tata Sky gets with the program, launches PVR service in India

by Darren Murph posted Oct 16th 2008 at 9:32AM

Tata Sky may be ready for HD broadcasting, but it can't really expect to topple Dish TV and friends without its own PVR service. At long last, the Indian satcaster is finally enabling its 2.7 million subscribers to enjoy the unbelievable bliss that comes with timeshifting. As for pricing, you'll be asked to hand over Rs 8,999 ($189) for the HDD-packed set-top-box, though current users who choose to upgrade can get ahold of one for "a discounted rate." In related news, managing director and CEO Vikram Kaushik has also expressed his desire to net "at least" 8 million subs by 2012 -- get some serious high-def material rolling and we'd say you can snag 10+ million with ease.

Bharti Airtel launches Airtel Digital DTH satellite TV service in India

by Darren Murph posted Oct 9th 2008 at 3:48PM

Bharti Airtel, India's largest private sector telecommunications company, is getting set to dabble in the crazy world of DTH satellite service. Beginning today, it will offer television to 62 cities in India, and according to Atul Bindal, president, Bharti Telemedia Services, the outfit will be "aggressively marketing its DTH service by offering superior quality at competitive prices." Additionally, the carrier will be utilizing the MPEG-4 standard with DVB-S2 technology in order to broadcast more content using less bandwidth, making it ripe for HD delivery. Initially, at least, packages will start at Rs.2499 ($52) in northern India and Rs.1499 ($31) in southern India, which includes the price of an STB and installation. There's no high-def content on tap just yet, but we'd be shocked if that's still the case a year from now.

Hong Kong's All Sports Network nabs NHL distribution rights in much of Asia

by Darren Murph posted Sep 28th 2008 at 5:45PM


The NHL may not have the viewership in America as, say, the NFL, but that doesn't mean it can't find fans elsewhere. In a rather unexpected move, Hong Kong-based All Sports Network (ASN) has signed a multi-year deal to posses rights for broadcasting NHL matchups throughout much of Asia (India, South Korea and China included). Over 130 upcoming regular-season games will be televised on ASN's Yes TV along with the All-Star game, playoffs and the Stanley Cup Final. The good news? The broadcast rights include "all forms of television, including HDTV." The bad? Japan, Australia and New Zealand have been excluded from the agreement.

[Image courtesy of The Globe & Mail]

Reliance Big TV launches in India, promises HDTV by year-end

by Darren Murph posted Aug 24th 2008 at 10:56AM


Reliance Communication just gave a whole swath of Indians a new way to receive television programming with the launch of Reliance Big TV. The service is built around MPEG-4 technology, which bodes well for it keeping its promise of adding 8 to 10 high-def channels by the end of this year. Currently, the service offers a total of 202 channels -- all in standard-definition -- though we really see a great possibility for HD expansion in this venture. After all, it's the whole "still using MPEG-2" thing that's holding Freeview up in Australia.

MovieBeam sold, plans three market return tour this year

by Richard Lawler posted Jul 12th 2008 at 10:08PM


Looks like Movie Gallery finally got something for the assortment of PBS bandwidth and spare parts remaining from the now-defunct MovieBeam service. The new owner is Indian conglomerate The Valuable Group, headed by Sanjay Gaikwad who apparently thinks serving up a remarkably limited assortment of heavily compressed HD and SD movies on demand is an idea that deserves to fail all over the world, instead of just in the U.S. Since $100 million burned up by Disney and others wasn't enough to make things work, he plans to invest a similar amount over the next two years to relaunch the service in North America, the U.K. and "other overseas markets". Variety notes The Valuable Group already delivers movies digitally to India and South Asian theaters via satellite so maybe they know something we don't about this business model, and with plans to roll out service in three markets with "new, cutting edge features" by year end we'll get to find out soon.

National Geographic Channel bringing 4 networks to India

by Darren Murph posted May 23rd 2008 at 5:40PM


National Geographic has been spreading its wings in foreign nations for some time, but now the outfit is broadening its reach in India by announcing that four new channels will soon be available in the ever-growing country. Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Adventure, Nat Geo Music and Nat Geo HD have all been approved for airing in India, though we aren't told what carriers will be picking 'em up. Suffice it to say, this is all the encouragement you need to start bugging your own operator to pick up the new foursome -- particularly that high-def iteration.

[Via PTI News]

India's Dish TV rolling out HD by year-end

by Richard Lawler posted May 22nd 2008 at 9:33PM

India has another option for high definition on the way, satellite provider Dish TV (not Dish Network) is planning to launch MPEG-4 HD broadcasts by the end of this year. Managing director Jawahar Goel says the company is still in talks with 2-3 TV channels for content, but with more broadcasters coming online we figure things will start to pick up. The Hindu notes competing provider Tata Sky says its equipment is ready for HD broadcasts but are waiting for content before launching, while Barti Telemedia is similarly on HD-compatible equipment already but still holding off launching services. Hey, anything prior to 2010 is a start.

Intermedia Cable Communications launches HDTV in India

by Darren Murph posted Apr 16th 2008 at 8:52AM

Don't look now, but it seems that even more of India's population will have access to a sliver of HD programming. Intermedia Cable Communication, which is Pune's dominant MSO servicing some 40,000 homes, has launched five HD networks for its subscribers to enjoy. Unfortunately, the release doesn't mention what those channels are, but we are told that customers can expect to catch the Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Commonwealth Games (hosted in Delhi, India) to be aired in high-def. As for future plans, the provider is hoping to lure even more high-definition content to its carriage system, and in the meantime, it's looking to dole out as many HD STBs as possible in its service area.

[Thanks, Zaid]




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