With the 'CAS' issue not yet resolved, there's 'DTH' coming up to muddle things up for you and me.
Doordarshan will launch its Direct-To-Home telecast from April 1. Broadcasters like Star and Zee are pushing hard for DTH services in India too.
So what is this DTH all about? How, if at all, does it help the customer? Is it good? Let's find out.
What is DTH?
DTH stands for Direct-To-Home television. DTH is defined as the reception of satellite programmes with a personal dish in an individual home.
DTH does away with the need for the local cable operator and puts the broadcaster directly in touch with the consumer. Only cable operators can receive satellite programmes and they then distribute them to individual homes.
How does DTH work?
A DTH network consists of a broadcasting centre, satellites, encoders, multiplexers, modulators and DTH receivers.
A DTH service provider has to lease Ku-band transponders from the satellite. The encoder converts the audio, video and data signals into the digital format and the multiplexer mixes these signals. At the user end, there will be a small dish antenna and set-top boxes to decode and view numerous channels. On the user's end, receiving dishes can be as small as 45 cm in diametre.
DTH is an encrypted transmission that travels to the consumer directly through a satellite. DTH transmission is received directly by the consumer at his end through the small dish antenna. A set-top box, unlike the regular cable connection, decodes the encrypted transmission.
What is DTH? - Rediff.com Business
