Star Tv Set To Digitise Channels, Provide Decoders For Rs 3000

Rupert Murdoch-controlled Star TV yesterday announced it will soon be digitally compressing its signals onto a single transponder on Asiasat-1, the satellite it uses to beam its free-to-air analog channels like Star Plus, Channel V, Star Sports and Star Movies.

After digitisation on Asiasat-1, the channels will be moved to Asiasat-3, which is to be launched soon and will be co-located with Asiasat-1.

Star said it will supply digital integrated receiver decoders (IRDs) to cable operators, needed to access the digitally compressed channels, at a nominal refundable deposit of Rs 3,000.

Most satellite channels are beamed on the analog mode, which is vulnerable to noise. These glitches can be removed with appropriate error correction mechanisms in digital form, which is more costly.

The rentals for three transponders that the Hong Kong-based company will save will be used to subsidise the IRDs.

The digital IRDs we will offer cable operators are in strict conformity with Indian regulations. They have been pre-set for C-band reception and programmed to receive only Star TV channels ... these digital IRDs cannot receive KU-band signals, Star TV South Asia director (distribution & marketing) Arun K Mohan said.

However, Star TV is silent on whether Zee TV, El TV and Zee Cinema, all joint ventures with Subhash Chandra and Associates, will also be digitally compressed and migrated to Asiasat-3 along with Star channels or remain free-to-air analog channels on Asiasat-1 till its lifespan, up to 2000 AD.

For an interim period of about six months, Star TV will continue to beam in both analog and digital modes so that there is no disruption in service.

This announcement comes after last months visit of Star TV chief executive Gary Davey when he said the company had asked the government to allow it to distribute digital receivers and decoders to cable operators to receive its digitally encrypted channels from Asiasat-3 via KU-band transponders.

According to him, Star had given an undertaking that such transmissions will not be used for direct-to-home purposes and that it will abide by all the rules as and when the broadcast law is put in place.

The government is believed to have not reacted to this, and according to media analysts, hence to Stars plans of digitally compressing its channels in the C-band.

The government on July 16 had issued a notification banning (till the broadcast law is in place) maintaining, selling or usage of any equipment which is capable of receiving TV signals in the bandwidth of 4800 MHz (KU-band) or above.

News TV India Ltd, Stars representative in India, had moved the Delhi High Court against the ban.