Direct to Home (DTH) services have come a long way in India. With so many operators to choose from, so many channel packs to select, it at times becomes very difficult to judge the best fit. The DTH advantage over conventional analog cable television line is that it offers digital picture quality and watching the TV makes it a treat. Over the years, the technology offering from service providers have come a long way. From outstanding picture quality, companies have now started to offer beyond just viewing. Case in point is the DVR option that allows users to record live TV that can be watched for later viewing.
Tata Sky, one of the leading DTH service providers offers true HD experience for your viewing pleasure. For the uninitiated, Tata Sky+ HD gives full HD picture quality and DVR to record live HD TV for later viewing.
The main package consists of the set top unit also referred to Digicomp, a power adapter, a remote control (made by Philips) and an HDMI cable. The set top unit is a tad big but looks good in glossy black colour with all its ports placed at the back. We tested the device on our Samsung Series 5 LCD television set that is capable of playing full 1080p (HD).
Complete installation is handled by the Tata executives so you don’t have to worry about hooking it to your TV or optimizing the Tata Sky settings.
The initial setup takes a bit of time once you power on the device as it tries to download and install the latest software update. For me it took about an hour to get the first taste of the HD + recorder combo. But since then my experience has been a decent one.
The UI is easy to use but a bit sluggish. I would’ve preferred if Tata tried and optimized its user interface to make it faster since there is a noticeable lag from when you press the remote button and the execution.
Coming to its USPs, Tata Sky+ HD comes with a handful of HD channels (six including Tata Sky’s movie-on-demand service). Although I would’ve wished more HD channels, Tata Sky did add couple new to suffice cricket fans for the Cricket World Cup 2011. As you’d expect, watching TV on high-definition is crisp and more vivid as compared to watching it on standard definition. For audiophiles, Tata Sky+ HD also supports 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.
Tata Sky+ HD comes equipped with a 500GB hard drive that claims to record up to 625 hours of live TV. While I didn’t get the time to verify their claim but one thing’s for sure, recording on Tata Sky+ is a piece of cake. You can record two feeds at the same time – one you’re currently watching and another in the background. There’s also Series Link support that records all episodes of your favourite TV show. Users can even schedule a recording directly from their main unit or download a mobile app to do the same. Android fans will be disappointed to hear that the Tata Sky app is not available yet.
One thing that Tata Sky hasn’t mentioned is the integration of USB ports. There are two USB ports on the unit but none of them are functional yet. Prodding the Tata Sky executive, he did say the ports will be activated in future firmware update but the exact use of the port is still not known.
To sum this up, Tata Sky+ HD is a good option if you’re in the market for HD and DVR feature. The initial cost of Rs. 3,999 for Digicomp may feel pricey but considering the mammoth hard drive storage, HD recording and Dolby Digital Plus, the price is actually well spent. And for people who are looking to get a new DTH connection look no further than the HD plus DVR as it is the future.
You can find more details about Tata Sky+ HD at the link below.
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