Tata Sky Plus HD Review

Tata Sky has been offering 3 different kinds of set-top boxes since a while, which include Tata Sky+ (with recording but no HD), Tata Sky HD (with HD but no recording) and a bare bones (no recording, no HD) option as well. The reason I chose not to upgrade from my bare-bones box was because I was expecting a hybrid box (with both recording and HD) to launch pretty soon. Tata Sky Plus HD is finally here and I was among the first few customers to order it.

I have been using Tata Sky+ HD since a few days now and here are some of my observations, which will hopefully help you decide if you want to upgrade or not:

1. Pause Live TV- You can pause live TV and then resume from where you left. Very handy when your door bell rings or when you want to take a quick loo break. You can pause for up to 45 minutes. Once you return, you can resume from where you left or completely skip that section and return to live transmission.

2. HD content- You absolutely need to have a full HD TV to enjoy the complete experience. The Tata Sky Plus HD box will need to connect to your TV with an HDMI cable to enable HD viewing. The box can output both in 16:9 and 4:3, so the image doesn’t stretch on your widescreen TV. The HD transmission is in 1080i and spotless. It is definitely *the* best quality of TV transmission I have ever seen. Infact, it’s so good that your eyes will sometimes fail to perceive that you are watching a TV and feel as if you’re really inside what you are watching. For now, Discovery and National Geographic are the only two channels to be broadcasted in HD. The HD channel schedule is not the same as the regular schedule though. Tata Sky claims to have Star Plus in HD as well, but it doesn’t seem like that. The Cricket World Cup 2011 is also being transmitted in HD, without any ad breaks! A few showcase movies also have an HD option.

3. Recording- You can supposedly record upto 625 hours of SD (standard definition) content on the built-in 500 GB hard disk. If you are recording HD content, the recording time will be slightly lower. But you cannot copy the programs off the disk and into your computer etc. You can schedule specific programs for recording or all episodes in the series. However, the box can record only 2 shows in parallel. Moreover, if you are recording 2 shows simultaneously and watching TV at the same time, you must be tuned into either of those two channels which are being recorded. Showcase movies can be recorded too, but they cannot be played back after the 24 hour window in which you purchased it, making the feature effectively useless.

There’s also an iPhone app from Tata Sky which can show entire TV schedules on your phone and schedule specific ones, even if you’re not at home. Personally, I’m using this recording feature very heavily and recording all my favorite TV shows all round the clock. When I return home in the evening, I play them at my convenience. You’ll find yourself watching watching TV much more than you earlier used to.

4. The box, remote and installation- The box is significantly bigger than the simple bare-bones model and looks much better too. The remote control hasn’t changed much except for a few extra buttons to control recording and playback. The box has a USB and Ethernet port meant for “future use”. The box’s firmware is installed when you first switch on the device and auto-upgrades whenever Tata Sky publishes any new updates for it. When I first bought the box, the firmware was slightly buggy (the box used to hang while changing volume or deleting an existing recording), but that’s no longer the case.

5. VOD- A few movies are available as “video on demand”, which can be played any time you want and totally free of cost. Do not expect new movies in this section though. At the time of writing, “Bheja Fry”, “Apne”, “Bhoot”, “Jodha Akhbar” etc. were available for playback, all of which are roughly 1-2 years old.

6. Upgrade- The Tata Sky+ HD set top box costs Rs. 3999. If you already have a Tata Sky set top box, Tata Sky will not take the old one back in exchange of any discount. What’s worse is that you cannot pass it on to any other customer since the box is in a way “locked” to your account. You can either choose to use it in a multi-room setup with another TV (this will require a small change in your dish and complete change of wiring, both of which are done free of cost), or get it deactivated for the time being. If you don’t, Rs. 5 per day or so will be deducted from your account so ensure that this is done.

7. Cost- I am personally using the Annual Mega Pack (minus the South Indian channels) for Rs. 5500 per year, which includes ALL channels including HD and 12 Showcase movies. I think this is definitely the best option. I also removed the CAS connection from my other TV and setup the old Tata Sky box on that one, which costs about Rs. 150 per month and shows all channels, since I have the annual mega pack on the other TV. So 2 TV’s with all current and future channels + 12 movies effectively turn out to be Rs. 5500 + 150×12 = 7300 per year. That’s about Rs. 306 per TV per month. Not bad at all. If you don’t have the annual mega pack, I think the HD package has to be taken separately.

My overall recommendation- Tata Sky Plus HD is definitely a super-hit product from Tata Sky at a reasonable price. Buy it.

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Comments

  1. I kindaa like ur First Review and specially the “iPhone” part….:D

    If Steve Jobs finds u he is gonna gift u his personal Mac for ur love fr Apple..:D

  2. Good one mate.. Even am using tata sky HD itself and am done with my Annual mega pack. Now they are charging 6000 bucks for Annual Mega pack. Am just looking out for other alternatives.

    DishTV says it has 30 HD channels but i am not able to see any mega pack kinda schemes with them 🙁

  3. Thanks Raghu. The annual mega pack turns out to be little cheaper (Rs. 5500) in Delhi since most people do away with some south Indian channels. Let me know if you figure out the 30 HD channels deal with Dish TV. It’s quite surprising how one DTH operator has so many HD channels and the other one has next to none!

  4. Can you please provide bit on SD channles on HD box? Is the SD channel quality better or worse?

  5. Hi,
    I am very interested in buying the new Tata Sky+ HD.But I bought a used Tata Sky+ for Rs.3150 on December 18,2010 :(. Had I known that a better version for only 850 more than what I was paying would be launched soon,I would have offered less than Rs.3150.

    I have a normal CRT television so HD is useless for me.I am interested in getting Tata Sky+ HD for higher disc space.My question is ,can one connect Tata Sky+ HD to Standard Definition tv(which doesn’t have HDMI Port).Also is it compulsary to get HD channels?
    Thanks
    Hemant

  6. Hi Hemant. It’s very common for companies not to disclose plans for their upcoming products till they are actually launched, since it impacts sales for their older products. The Tata Sky+ HD box can connect to a regular TV as well, using the normal Red-Yellow-White component cable, but you cannot play any kind of HD content if you are connected via this cable. HD channels are included in your package if you are on the “annual mega pack” and can also be brought separately, though I don’t think it should be mandatory, even if you are using an HD set top box.

    Just makes me wonder – If you have a regular CRT TV without HD capability and don’t want to subscribe to HD channels either, what’s the point of buying the Tata Sky+ HD? Any specific reason?

  7. Well, they’re just the same as your regular Tata Sky box. I don’t see any improvement or decrease in picture quality compared to my older box.

  8. Hi,In response to your question :

    “Just makes me wonder – If you have a regular CRT TV without HD capability and don’t want to subscribe to HD channels either, what’s the point of buying the Tata Sky+ HD? Any specific reason? ”

    I want to buy Tata Sky+ HD for the higher disc space.Also,I think HD channels are compulsary even if you have no use for them.I talked to a CC on Tata Sky helpline and he said HD channels are compulsary(it might be that he was ill-informed or that he didn’t understand my question correctly)

    Also,I wonder why there is no law passed against ppl recording movies on their DVR.While ,I watch ads that come in between movies,I am sure a lot of people just forward the ads that the sponsors have put up.

    Isn’t ad forwarding causing a lot of revenue loss?

  9. Hi Gaurav, nice review. Thanks. I have been using Tata Sky + (non HD one) for over one year now and am quite satisfied with its performance. I am now keen to go for HD + one but don’t know if it would work optimally with my current TV. Am using Sony Bravia model KRV 32S400A, which is not full HD but is HD ready. It does have an HDMI port but am not sure if spending another Rs. 2600/= for the HD + would make any sense, in terms of HD output? Could you throw some light on the same? Ravinder

  10. Hi Ravinder. Even though you have a 720p HD-ready TV, you should definitely consider upgrading to the Tata Sky+ HD. The cricket world cup transmission as well as NatGeo and Discovery are in 1080i, so even though you will not get the full performance enhancement on your TV set, it will still make a world of difference to your TV viewing experience. The HD transmission is really crystal clear.

  11. Though I may be wrong, my feeling is that HD channels are definitely not mandatory. The customer care officer may not know it correctly since not choosing to subscribe to H channels on an HD compatible box is not too common 😉

    Yes, it’s an absolute delight to fast forward through the ads and resume from the ad break in a matter of seconds. I just love it! But, consider the %age of the population which owns a DVR at home right now. Now consider how many TV serials you actually record instead of watching them while they are being broadcasted. The percentage is so small that it hardly makes an impact to anyone.

  12. If your TV is an HD ready or full HD TV which has an HDMI port, you can enjoy the full HD experience. If not, you can still connect to the TV using the Red-Yellow-White cable and record programs. But you cannot play any HD content.

  13. still can i use tata sky + hd can it will be in nice clarity becuse my tv has superb video quality

  14. so you are saying that i cant connect tata sky + hd which tv are you using

  15. plz reply but still can i connect to tatasky + hd what will be the difference that i will only cant see hd channels but my tv give nice picture quality imm usin dish tv it give a nice clarity so i can use tata sky + hd theres nothing problem in it

  16. It is sad thaat Tatasky would not bother to keep an eye on the quality that it’s competetior’s are providing.Tatasky has ONLY 4 operational channels where as Dish has 31,YES 31 channels in full HD(1080i).Everytime when I ask them and have now emailed their manager & Nodal officer to get them to add/improve their services,but till date no action is visible.It will take a net/blog movement to get them to move their fat arse.The irony is that they are overpaid with our money but do NOTHING!!Come on guys wake up and start kicking some arse!Don’t take their service at face value and get them to improve!!How can a multinational company be so shortsighted that they are not aware of their rival companies package and try and keep up if not outdo them?They boast about ratings but as far as i can see they don’t have the vision and capablities to do a bang up job.5 channels only???Come on guys,wake up and smell the coffee…….

  17. Though what you’re saying isn’t wrong, I really don’t see a reason to be so agitated about it. You, as the consumer have the freedom of choice. If you don’t like Tata Sky, ditch it!

  18. It is very offending if one is a regular patron of Tatasky. We as regular patron of this service definitely deserve a better deal.
    Why should we keep on changing the service provider when it had costed so much investment in the first place.?

  19. Very true. However, I’m sure Tata Sky is also keeping a close eye on it’s competition. The problem is that Dish TV does not have a significant market share right now, hence even if they offer a better deal than Tata Sky, Tata may not feel threatened at all. If the situation begins to change in future, it’s natural that Tata will do whatever they can to get back to it’s dominant position! Sad, but true.

  20. Thanks for your review. That was really helpful. Can you please tell me when the STB in 16:9 mode and if you change to a SD channel, whether the picutre appears stretched or with proper ratio of 4:3.

  21. Hi Prayag. If you are connected to a widescreen TV, your picture will be 16:9 irrespective of whether it’s a HD channel or SD channel. If it’s a regular TV, HD channels may not be available but SD channels will be available in 4:3. i.e. It’ll work the way it is supposed to 🙂

  22. Thanks for your reply Gaurav. Does this mean on a widescreen TV,SD channels will appear streteched ?

  23. Hi Gaurav, fantastic review!

    I also got myself the Tata Sky HD+ and have been enjoying the experience for a month now! However, just yesterday while watching the India vs Australia match, the digicomp started hanging for no apparent reason every 10-15mins. The remote becomes unresponsive and had to hard reboot every time andhated that especially due to the fantastic cricket being on. What could be the issue? I haven’t called up CC yet.. but i guess it might be a firmware problem..

  24. Hi Puneet. I had been facing a few issues of the digicomp hanging when trying to delete an older recording or changing volume. Although it seems to be sorted out by now, it still does happen once a week or so. Was your box hanging on any specific action? Is it possible to reproduce the issue consistently? If so, you can call up the customer care and ask for a technician to visit and check up the box. If you are able to demonstrate the hanging, he might be able to help.

  25. Hey !!

    Really simple question, I have a got a new Sony Bravia TV. I am thinking of changing my current DTH from Dish TV to Tata Sky.
    The main reason for that is that I can’t watch TV from June to september. The rains affect mt reception in an abysmal way to say the least. Dish TV support is pretty much bollocks.

    So Tata Sky is the way to go.

    I have a few question :

    1) IS it really worth spending the extra cash on HD ? I mean for 3-4 channels ??

    2) What is your take on Tata Sky’s reception quality during the monsoon ? Keep in mind I stay in Mumbai, so the rains here are pretty hardcore.

    3) This question is not related to Tata sky in any way, but I want to ask anyway. What is the difference between a ‘ HD Ready TV ‘ and a ‘ Full HD TV ‘ ??

    Thanks!

  26. Hi Rajeev. First and foremost, switching to Tata Sky just because Dish TV doesn’t work in bad weather may not be a wise decision. The problem is not with Dish TV, but with the underlying technology itself. Any DTH service in the world will not work under bad weather, and this is one of the major disadvantages of this technology. In the days to come, IPTV will soon take over as the preferred choice of TV transmission. But until then, DTH is the best way to watch TV.

    1. Personally, I’m a big fan of Discovery and Nat Geo. Watching these channels in almost full HD is breathtaking. However, the serials shown on the regular channel are not the same as the one on HD. The cricket world cup is also being shown in full HD these days. In the days to come, more channels are expected to go HD, so it’s basically a decision of getting your hardware ready before the transmission is ready to take over.

    2. Probably answered above. Tata Sky’s performance will most probably be as bad as Dish TV’s.

    3. The difference simply lies in how densely the pixels on the screen are packed. An HD ready TV has lesser pixels compared to a full HD TV. Hence, if your input signal is full HD, a full HD TV will display it best. An HD ready TV can also display the signal but it will automatically cut out a few pixels to accomadate for the lower resolution of the display. The Tata Sky + HD box outputs signals in 1080i, which is slightly lower than 1080p full HD but definitely more than 720p HD ready. So you will need a full HD TV to enjoy the full experience. If you have a Sony PS3 or a Blu Ray player, those games and movies are usually 1080p so they use the full HD TV to the fullest.

    In summary: Regular TV < 720p < 1080i (tata sky) < 1080p (ps3)

  27. I didn’t know that one set-top box can be activated on more than one subscriber ids but my new set-top box of tata sky plus HD can play older subscriber card(one with old set-top box) as well as newer subscriber card(one with new set-top box).

  28. Tried buying Tata Sky+ HD and the person who came to install wanted to put 2 cables from the dish which isn’t supported in my home setup. Wiring is internal and no space for additional wire.
    After some time, he proposed putting a splitter and wanted to charge me Rs 100 which i didn’t understand. If they save 25 metres of cable which costs much more, didn’t understand this concept of charging additional money. Also worried about quality of signal if the box needs 2 cables & technician wanted to put it using one + splitter.
    Decided against going for it.

  29. Hey Vineet, a dual cable from the dish is needed only if you are using Tata Sky in a multi room setup with 2 different Tata Sky set top boxes. Is that the case? If not, I think the technician may not be properly trained. I would strongly recommend that you call Tata Sky helpline and get this clarified and possibly ask for another visit by some other technician.

  30. I have noticed following points, appreciate if someone can share his experience/feedback…
    1. I am using Tata Sky + HD, but my TV is old CRT 21”. I am not able to see any HD content, also I am not sure how to use VOD feature.
    2. Another point, the font size on Tata Sky + HD (on 21” CRT TV) looks very small and very difficult to read. You should have at least 40” HD TV so that you can read all the text of Tata Sky + HD
    3. Also I am not able to find a complete user guide for Tata Sky + HD, So I have to use trial and error to learn all the features.
    a. For example, I can book a program to record, After recording is over when I replay, I come to know that program was not recorded completely. The Tata Sky + HD stops recording as per standard channel schedule but normally programs (specially movies) over shoot and not fully recorded. (Same is true for the beginning of the program)
    b. There is no way to edit your recorded program, in case you want to delete unwanted part (to save the disk space or to keep the recording neat)
    c. There is no way to put your recording in separate folders to arrange it properly. Also you cannot rename your recorded program.

  31. Hi Amit.

    1. Yes, you cannot view HD content unless you have a HDTV with a HDMI port connecting to the set top box. The VOD menu is available under the Showcase menu.

    2. Not really. I have a 32 inch LCD and the font is perfectly legible.

    3. Unfortunately, that’s true. Even I couldn’t find any. However, I made sure I understood most points explained by the Tata Sky technician when he was installing the box.

    a. There is a setting in the set top box which can set how many minutes before and after a particular time slot you want the program recording to go on. Hence, even if the program overshoots or begins early, you won’t miss out.

    b. True. Even I wished there was something like this. However, the inbuilt hard disk is now 500 GB (compared to the earlier Tata Sky Plus model which had 160 GB). You shouldn’t really care unless you do a LOT of recording (like me!) 🙂

    c. True. You cannot do any of that.

    You have some really good ideas there. You should consider emailing Tata Sky support and hope some of them get implemented in the later versions 🙂

  32. I think you are not able to distinguish what is hd and what is sd. The 30 odd hd channels offered by dishtv are all crap. they are sd converted to hd. Just compare the channels provided by the dishtv in hd and dish tv in sd. they are almost the same. Only difference is they sd channels upconverted become hd.
    Dishtv are just fooling the people.

  33. Hey Gaurav

    Thats a good review. I have a few questions I was not able to find answers to as there is no proper user guide for the HD + model.

    1. How can i rewind live TV. The technician told me that u can rewind up to 40 mins of TV. I try and press the rewind button on the remote but the only thing that happens is that the program gets recorded from that moment.
    2. How can I connect my home theater to the TS HD +. Is it audio out in the box and audio in in the Home theatre? This works but will the sound be better if I use an optical cable or a digital audio out??
    3. You mentioned that there is a setting in the box using which you can adjust the recording time before and after the selected program. How can i reach this option

    Cheers
    A

  34. Hi Abhi.

    1. Basically, the moment you switch to any channel, an automatic background recording of the channel starts, which remains in the buffer till you are on that channel. Say you are watching a channel for the past 30 minutes, you can rewind to any scene which had been broadcasted in the past 30 mins. However, if you just tuned into a channel, say 10 seconds ago, rewind will be available only for the past 10 seconds. The moment you change the channel, the buffer is cleared.

    2. The audio out of the box goes into the audio in of the home theater. You can use either of the two connectors, since for short ranges, it’s equivalent. You should have infact got the home theater setup done by the Tata Sky technician himself!

    3. The option is available under Organizer (remote button) > User settings > Tata Sky+ settings

  35. Hi Gaurav,
    Thats a nice , concise review.
    I have been using the bare bones box for 4 years & thinking of upgrading to TS HD + but have some queries.
    1. I have the following setup, an LG 32″ FULL HD TV with 1080P written on it, a 3 yr old JVC CA DXT 99 compact component system ( thats written on manual i always thought it was home theater system) & bare bones tata sky.
    Currently i do the following connection, the video cable from digicomp i connect to TV( In AV 2 IN video port) & 2 audio cables i connect to my JVC in Auxilliary equipment port( the description reads” from the analog audio output of auxilliary equipment like VCR etc”).
    Then i switch on TV , digicomp & choose AUXillary mode in JVC, that way i receive audio in my JVC.
    My qusetion is if i go for TS HD + then HDMI will transmit HD quailty video input to my TV.
    a) Will HDMi also transmit audio to my TV?
    b)Can i use the red white audio cables to transmit audio separately to my JVC from TS digicomp?
    c)TS Hd + requires two cables as input from dish, so did they change the whole wiring?

    Thanks & regards,
    Naveen

  36. Hi Raymond,
    Agreed that the Dish TV chappies are upscaling their 30 channels to claim that they are HD.I can only presume that you have only heard that and not seen the upscaled channels.They appear better, brighter, and LIKE 1080i visuals that the HD and Discovery and now MAX channels that are on TataSky.I have seen them on a 46inch full HD TV and was impressed with the pixelation and sound quality.
    Granted that Dish has upscaled from SD to HD;what stops TataSky from replicating the same for us viewers?Purist,will claim that it is not ACTUAL HD,granted,but then it is definately better than SD…right?My issue with TataSky is onlt that they are very casual in their approach and unless pushed they do nothing to improve.One thing is a fact that they DO need to improve.Did anyone noticed that during the world cup on the HD chanel(# 414) the audio was messed up constantly.Did they rectify that??No it still persists on Max HD(#306) from time to time mainly in the latter half of the match.The technical team is clueless why that happens i think.Yes the arguement stands that if one does not like the service leave it- but in this case we(the customers) are locked in and have to continue with their service and only hope that with constant reprimands they get their act together and IMPROVE.The last hope is then get Anna Hazare to intervene and sort them out(joking…)
    Raju Sunny.

  37. It’ll be good to upgrade to it once it arrives, provided the price point is as attractive as Tata Sky + HD. For now, Tata’s offering is the best deal you can get in the Indian market.

  38. Hi Naveen. Since I don’t have a home theatre right now, I connect the Tata Sky + HD box to my TV using HDMI, which transmits both audio and video signal to my TV. However, the Tata Sky+ HD box does have the option to connect to a home theatre, hence it should support your kind of setup, but I cannot be 100% sure. You can infact do this trick- Call Tata Sky and tell them that you want to buy a Tata Sky + HD. Don’t make any payments. Once the technician visits your house to install it, ask him to inspect your setup. If he tells you it cannot be installed, just refuse the installation 🙂

    Also, the TS+ HD does not require two cables from dish. The same wiring which was installed during the regular Tata Sky installation will suffice.

  39. Hey Raju,

    Here are some of my own experiences:

    “They appear better, brighter, and LIKE 1080i visuals that the HD and Discovery and now MAX channels that are on TataSky” – Strongly disagree.

    “Granted that Dish has upscaled from SD to HD;what stops TataSky from replicating the same for us viewers?Purist,will claim that it is not ACTUAL HD,granted,but then it is definately better than SD” – Yes, agree for now.

    “Did anyone noticed that during the world cup on the HD chanel(# 414) the audio was messed up constantly.” – I was glued to the WC but I didn’t notice any of that. Are you sure it’s happening to all subscribers or could something be wrong with your installation?

  40. Hi Gaurav,
    The audio was garbled towards the latter half of the programmes, all through the world cup and this is confirmed by many viewers in Mumbai at least.When we called the technician he too agreed that there was a problem with the audio.I have noticed the same in Max HD chanel too.
    I have connected the set-top box via an optical to my amp and that too had the same problem so I know that the TV was not at fault.The audio gets garbled and indistinctive from time to time even on the non HD channel like Max 305 having the same audio feed as the HD channel has(306).I have rechecked the installations and my new cables HDMI and opticals but they are fine otherwise..Ciao.

  41. Yahoo !!! Finally TataSky have woken up from their slumber and added some more HD channels think that our persistence finally paid off. Star World HD(#202),Star Movies(#342),StarGold(#302) are added as of this morning along with MaxHD already showing IPL matches that makes us viewers a bit more happy. Shall we be greedy and keep up the pressure on them to add more channels in HD? Hell YES!! There is still ESPN to come on HD(as their partner Sky Sports shows ALL EPL matches in HD in England why can’t they beam the same here as they have a partnership going and have added Star Plus HD on their network in England. No reciprocal favors??BBC Entertainment is another such channel that is beamed in HD but yet to get that on our network. I guess TataSky believes in small steps at a time, and expects us to be happy for small mercies….Thank you TataSky for small mercies. There!!Now for some more small mercies…please…pretty please?????????????

  42. Yups! I got all 3 of them too! 🙂 Congratulations to everyone who’s been petitioning. Tata Sky is surely responding to competition!

  43. TataSky have added two new Sd channels.After repeated requests for football & sports lovers like me to add TenAction(#417) as the UEFA matches are shown only on that channel they have added it as of yesterday.Guys keep up the e mails to the nodal officers in your respected areas to pressure them in keeping their act together.It works.
    Caio.

  44. I just called the TS customer care for upgrading my TS to TS+HD, but the response is disheartening “We do not have the boxes in stock and we have no idea when we are going to get them in stock”. So I did a quick check on the net and fond that they have been facing major technical glitches with the TS+HD STB and due to customer complaints they have stopped the sales till they are able to fix the problems…

  45. i have noticed that its been a few days in a row that the transmission of star world hd is not as crisp as it used to be , the other hd channels are perfect , but star world hd not what it used to be , to see what i mean just check the starworld logo , you can see horizontal lines in it , overall result the picture loss a bit fuzzy , anyhting i can do to make it go away ?

  46. Yups, you’re spot on. Even I was wondering why Star World wasn’t HD anymore. I don’t think there is anything we can do about it except praying for the picture quality to restore from Tata’s end.

  47. Dear friend, Dish although claims that its offering 31 HD channels but in reality these have HD no content. In fact lousy clarity and even the HD content channels have no 5.1 out put. Please do not get carried away by what DISH merely says in its ad. I have bought one, its sick. they are only trying to make money by such ads. My airtel SD has much better audio & vedio qty that DISH Tru. HD. Can try Tata sky HD PLUS.

  48. Hmm Gaurav i have a lot of blu-rays atm and a tata sky +im wondering if tshd quality come anywhere near as sharp and clear as a blu-ray. If it does look that good then im definately buying. I got a 52″ 1080p led

  49.  Hi Rohit. Even I have a few Blu Ray discs at home. TS+ HD output is 1080i where as BluRay is 1080p. It’s quite close, and almost indistinguishable by the human eye, but if you’re a perfectionist, you’ll spot some differences here and there 🙂

  50. The Tata Sky plus has one great disadvantage. It doesn record when your tv is switched off.. i find it so lacking.. or is it just happening only to me?

  51. Hi Prem. This is not true at all! The recording functionality is independent of whether the attached TV is powered on or not. Infact, the Tata Sky+ HD box records even when the box itself is on standby mode!

  52. Just when you thought TataSky had got their act together….Dish and Airtel show the West-Indies v/s India ODI in HD(actual not upgraded);Tata misses the boat…….what does one do?

  53. Amit;

    I have a samsung HD TV 32″ and i am also facing the Font issue;

    Tata sky has wasted the space on the banner by advertising their logo;

    For smaller Television sets they should come up with the Font size option or UI theme;

    I was previously having a tata sky plus settop box and its UI was perfectly redable.

  54. Amit;

    I have a samsung HD TV 32″ and i am also facing the Font issue;

    Tata sky has wasted the space on the banner by advertising their logo;

    For smaller Television sets they should come up with the Font size option or UI theme;

    I was previously having a tata sky plus settop box and its UI was perfectly redable.

  55. Hi Amit and Parag. Will it be possible for you guys to share a picture of your TV when you have the Tata Sky display on it? I am really curious to see what problem you are facing and I am pretty confident it’s a configuration issue.

  56. Hi Guarav. Mine is a Sony rear Projection TV of 51″. The TV has 1080i/720p resolutions in it. But it does not have a HDMI input port. Rather it have a component input (Where three wires are used for video and two more for audio). If i connect “TS/TS+ HD” by using component output port, will HD channels be displaying the HD quality. Or say better than the SD quality i am getting right now on “TS+ non HD”. Will “TS+HD” detect it as HD tv for settings and all?

  57. Hi Ankit. HD transmission is not possible over component cable (Red-Yellow-White). You definitely need an HDMI cable for it. I am quite surprised to see that your TV supports HD but does not have an HDMI port. Can you share the model number of your TV, so that I can have a look at it’s detailed specs?

  58. Hey Gaurav & Ankit,
    You can hook up your TataSky HD set-top boxes with the component cord as you have described Ankit and set the HD settings to 1080 from there.You can’t get HD with composite cords(red/white/yellow),but if one has a input of component(five cords) there should be no problems and you will get all HD channels to view.Thank God TataSky have woken and started the Ten Cricket HD as well.Cheers. 

  59. Hi Gaurav, I am planning to buy a TATA Sky connection.. which one would you prefer – Standard or HD? 

  60. HYE GAURAV,

     i have sony bravia ex400 series full hd tv , now i am planning to purchase tatasky plus hd & home theatre , i heard that tata sky gives 5.1 audio output . it is true? or false, if yes please suggest which home theatre best for this. ( my budget for home thater near abt 15k )

  61. tata sky plus hd best best best,   but tata sky must add more hd channel to compte to airtel, videocon, d2h , reliance

  62. hi gaurav, i have been using HD+ from Tata sky. I too have the same problem of HD channels get hanged when you continuosly watch it. This happens quiet often in a day and there are times the entire set top box with the TV get restarted. i had called CC and tech had come to see the issue,but iam satisfied. I still have this issue. My television is Sony bravia 32″.The connections are hdmi cable from set top to TV.

  63. Hi Nandigam. I seem to have the same problem of HD channels hanging. Not sure what can be done about it. I think it’s got nothing to do with our setup (set top box or TV) but is instead a transmission issue with Tata Sky. They must be aware of it. I’ll consider waiting for a few days before acting on it.

  64. I upgraded to Tata Sky HD last week and hooked it up to my new Panasonic 32 inch Full HD LED TV, but I find that the HD channels like Live Cricket on Star cricket are not shown full screen. I was told by the panasonic guys to change the aspect ratio to zoom 1 to get a full screen image. I did this and got a full screen image but there is a slight distortion at the edges and also when I change channels to a non-HD channel, I have to scale back to 16:9 which is a bit a pain. Anyone else experiencing this? My friend who has a 40 inch Samsung, does not seem to have this problem – how come?

  65. Hi Shyam. I get both my HD and non HD channels in full screen, without having to change aspect ratio’s on my TV. AFAIK, TS+ HD outputs both SD and HD channels in 16:9, which is well suited for widescreen TV’s. Just wondering, why didn’t you check this when you upgraded your TS box? In any case, you should call the service technician and get this sorted out.

  66. I have a HD LED TV from abroad and am wondering if you can see the regular (non HD channels) in Tata Sky by connecting only the HDMI cable (no red,yellow, white cables). Basically I am hoping that channels coming through HDMI will resolve the NTSC-PAL conversion mess. Any idea?

  67. As far as I know, Tata Sky output is in PAL, so your TV should support PAL mode as well. A few TV’s sold abroad have the option to switch between NTSC and PAL modes. If yours is one of them, it should work. Otherwise, things can get messy.

  68. Hi , i have sony 29″ crt tv. i am planning to take tatasky hd connection. though am not planning for a great view, i want to know if there are any problems in this.

  69. Hi Gourv.
    I bought my Tata Sky HD+ today can i enjoy full HD channel with AOC E2795VH 27″ LED monitor?

  70. YOU CAN CHANGE HARD DISK IN TATA SKY HD PLUS SET TOP BOX.
    YOU CAN CHANGE UP TO   2 TB HARD DISK………

  71. IF U WANT TO CHANGE HARD DISK YOU WILL TO CALL ME OR MAIL ME…..
    HA…..HA….HA….

    I HAVE  CHANGED MY HARD DISK TO 2TB IN MY NEW TATA SKY HD PLUS SET TOP BOX..

    AND I RECORD MORE THAN 225 MOVIES IN HD FORMAT……..!!!!

  72. There’s also an iPhone app from Tata Sky which can show entire TV
    schedules on your phone and schedule specific ones, even if you’re not
    at home. Personally, I’m using this recording feature very heavily and
    recording all my favorite TV shows all round the clock. When I return
    home in the evening, I play them at my convenience. You’ll find yourself
    watching watching TV much more than you earlier used to.
    Can u explain how exactly u do this?

  73. Hi thanks for your excellent review.  (In fact it is your review, which prompted me for going to  HD – I was a Tatasky SD subscriber) 
    The HD channels  are amazingly clear and life like and once we view these HD channels, it is difficult to watch other Non-HD channels.  (I am viewing the HD channels on my 27” Full HD LED monitor through HDMI output from TataSky HD). I have connected my regular TV also from the STB for normal use through the Yellow/White Video Cable.

    I have a technical question and please provide me if you have the answer. (BTW, I have opted for Non-Recording HD Box. I thought recording won’t be of much use to me). My question is this. With regard to HDMI output (versions), do both the STPs (with and without recording) are the same or not? This is because HDMI version difference makes a lot of difference with regard to the output. (Even when the pixel range is same ie 1920×1080 max) the data bandwidth and sound channel support etc are different) I am pasting some details about HDMI version below which is available in Wiki but I got it from here
    http://www.saveondish.com/forum/T-all-about-hdmi-versions
    All about HDMI Versions
    HDMI 1.0
    • Maximum bitrate of 4.9 Gbit/s.
    • Supports up to 165 Mpixel/s video – 24bit 1080p@60Hz (or UXGA)
    • 8-channel/192 kHz/24-bit Digital Audio

    HDMI 1.1
    • Added support for DVD-A Audio. (but no SACD Support yet)

    HDMI 1.2
    • Added SACD support.
    • Added support for Computer sRGB color-space.

    HDMI 1.2a – Added device communication (CEC) features.

    HDMI 1.3
    • Increased bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbit/s) !
    • Added optional support for Deep Color with 30-bit, 36-bit, and 48-bit xvYCC color space
    • Adds optional automatic audio syncing capability
    • Adds optional Bitstream output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
    • Added new Type C mini-connector for small devices like camcorders ( HDMI 1.3a, HDMI 1.3b, HDMI 1.3b1, version 1 and 2 for hdmi cables – Various boring technical and testing revisions.

    HDMI 1.4
    • HDMI Ethernet Channel (Internet connectivity)
    • Audio Return Channel (from TV to Receiver)
    • Support for 3D
    • Support for higher Resolutions
    • Digital Camera Color Space Support
    • A new “Micro” connector
    • Automotive Connection System

  74. can u comment on quality of SD channels on TATA SKY HD+..
    becaude i’ve heard that the quality of SD channels is very very poor

  75. Hi Surendran. That’s a great question! This thing didn’t strike me when I first got my HDMI. Seeing the list you just sent, I’m wondering, how will having a better HDMI connector have any advantage if the underlying set top box does not support any of the features that the connector supports? For example, even if your TS+ box supports HDMI 1.4, if there is no 3D content support in the box, how will a better connector help? Same logic applies to higher bandwidth, Deep Color etc.

  76.  Hi Tanmay. SD quality is in no way inferior. Of course, it appears quite ordinary when compared to HD channels :)Secondly, if your TV is 32 inches or higher and LCD, you cannot expect as sharp a picture as a normal 21 inch CRT TV. It’s not a problem with TS+, just that the picture is not meant to be been on such big TV’s. That’s the reason high definition exists – for viewing high quality images on big displays.

  77.  You can see the TV schedule on your phone and set a particular TV show for recording, right from your phone. When u come back home later, that show is recorded and ready for playback.

  78. Thanks Gaurav you are right. I called TataSky Helpdesk and asked them which version of HDMI (1.0 to 1.4) my TataSky HD STB is having but they were not having that info. Understandably since this is not a normal question (a little bit tech question which no normal user is worried about), so it is natural. I can’t expect them to be minutely specific about technologies of used etc. BTW, from my experience over 2-3 years in Bangalore TataSky support is good and helpful.

    So, with regard to my question, now I am trying to ‘infer’ from indirect methods.

    This is interesting…

    The link From TataSky FAQ says that
    http://www.tatasky.com/tata-sky-faqs.html#3d
    “Can I watch 3D content with my Tata Sky HD and Tata Sky+ HD?
    Yes! Both Tata Sky HD and Tata Sky+ HD set top boxes are capable of delivering 3D content. You will be able to watch 3D content with these boxes, as and when its available on Tata Sky. However you will need a 3D TV and 3D glasses in order to enjoy 3D content.”

    I must mention that I got this link from another persons post at
    http://broadbandforum.in/tata-sky-hd-dth/67132-support-3d-content-tata-sky/

    Now, this Wikipedia link mentions all tech and other features of HDMI versions
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi

    The wiki article says that 3D over HDMI is available only in versions 1.3x and 1.4.  So I assume that mine is either 1.3x or 1.4.

    BTW, now I feel that I should have chosen the one with recording.  (You were right in choosing one with recording, I feel). I like NatGeo Discovery documentaries of history, sciecne etc. and could have recorded them and watched at my own time.

    One more thing, I remember one Tatasky help desk person saying that only the box with recording is having 7.1 channel audio support and 3D. But another support person was telling the difference is only a hard disk.  But at least as far as 3D he is not correct.

  79. Though I have nothing more to add to your comment, but I must say that I’m quite impressed with the amount of research you are putting into your buying decisions 🙂

  80. Tell Tata Sky to stop annoying Alerts. Press Red button kind of advertise. or Stop running the campaigns on other TV channels. We are paying to channels and not the Tata Sky advertisement alerts. 

  81. Hi Gaurav…
     My house is under renovation… and I am planning an upgrade to Tata Sky in near future…  I have loads of questions so I requested for a Tata Technician visit… to which they refused bluntly… reading your blog I think u may be able to give an expert advise which would really help me out…

    1) What kind of wiring is needed from the dish to the STB’s in the room…. Do different service providers use the same wire…  
    2) I read somewhere that the TATA SKY + HD requires and additional wire from Dish to STB… is that true… and what type is the second wire…
    3) I would require 3 Multiple tv connections… so can i loop the wire… or all the STB’s should be individually connected to the Dish…
    4) I would also like to know whos a better and more economical service provider…  Tata  or Airtel….

    Any other information you provide will also be deeply appreciated…  

  82.  1. Not sure about this one.
    2. No additional wire is needed. If you had a normal Tata Sky box earlier, that same wire can be used for the HD box as well. The only exception is if you were among the first few customers of Tata Sky in your city. In that case, your wire would be of white color, which will then need to be replaced.
    3. All 3 boxes will be individually wired. If you loop the wire, you’ll have to watch the same channel on all 3 TV’s.
    4. Not sure. You’ll need to check their websites and compare it yourself. Overall, Tata Sky has better feedback compared to Airtel, so I’ll recommend Tata Sky.

  83. I agree I bought a Dish HD just now and I have fighting with the Dish TV guys to on why there is not HD clarity on even HD channels like Movies Now and HBo!! The dish guys are super shitty liars and deserve to be kicked in the place where it hurts!

  84. Tata sky is a cheater. they take money and get rid off channels. They had so many malayalam channels, but in sept 2011, they stopped all channels except 2. it can happen to your regional language as well.

  85. Please  make  some  proper  system  to  Record  any  chose  channel  , because  some  times  recording  start  after  some  minutes  and  some  times  ends  before  programme   ends  so  we  are  not  sure  that  the  choice  channel  would  completely   record   Please  send  some  proper  guideline  for  recording   Siddharth  Patel ,  Ahmedabad.

  86. Dear Siddharth, Tata Sky+ HD already has the option to start and end recording a few minutes before and after the show, so that you don’t miss any part of the programme, even if it starts or ends out of schedule. Check out the settings menu.

  87. good job with review mate…do u get paid by Tata…or is there anyway, reviews can be paid.

  88. Yesterday I have bought a tata sky+ hd ,and I have a  LG 3d LED tv. The set top box is connected to Tv via HDMI cable, and the HD channels are awesome,but the bengali channels and discovery are not so good.

  89. Hey Gaurav, I am wondering if my old LCD TV (37 inch) can support HD?  The TV supports 1366 x 768  pixels (qualifies for HD), response time of 5msec and HDMI Input 2R. I have JUST placed an order for HD+ AND now I’m having second thoughts on the viewing pleasure wrt 1080p TV.

    Your response before the tata sky installation crew comes home would help!

  90. Hi Gaurav… i have a Q..does HD ready is not enough to play tata sky+ HD channels..

  91. Gaurav, 
    Appreciate your comprehensive information on the subject. However, all the SD channels, ie, 4:3 signals DO get stretched on a 16:9 HDTV. The ONLY way to stop stretching is to accept 2 black vertical bars on each side of the screen, leading to a reduction of screen size.  
    This is universal with all LCD/LED TVs which run non-HD signals. 
    Please comment, or correct me if I am wrong at any point. 

  92. Hi Akshat. Yes, you are right. I think I have posted somewhere in the comments that the signal is not stretched, but it’s not right. The image is indeed stretched and the only way to see the “true” picture is to resize it to 4:3, which leads to the black bars on either side, like you said.

  93. Hi Gaurav
                      I ve bought a tata sky+hd.can we send the recorded videos via the USB port in the back of the set topbox.besides i want to know how to stop the recording.there s no stop button on the remote.please help.

  94. Hi Akhil. No, it’s not possible to read the recorded content into a USB drive for the simple reason that it would be too easy for people to pirate content and share it illegally. No surprise that Tata Sky hasn’t allowed it. To stop a recording, just press the red “R” button again.

  95. Gaurav, I’ve just bought a new 32″ LED TV. Its “HD Ready” with a resolution of 1366×768.   I currently use the standard Tata Sky connection. Will I gain anything by upgrading to Tata Sky HD connection?

  96. compared to dish tatasky is a lot better in all aspects quality and service as i have used dish and moved to tatasky, don’t believe shahrukh he gets his cut and adds any shit, not sure of airtel.

  97. Guys A very important info to all TATAsky has offer only for deactivated customer for 60 days or more and ………they are employing and keeping targets on employees to achieve the target of  getting back there customers…………1200 for supreme sports pack for 1 year and 1500 on supreme sports kids pack 😛 ……….if you don’t use tatasky you get discount 😛 and if your account is more than 1 year deactivated you get free service ….free replacement …..and 175 per month pack 😛 guys if your tatasky id is deactive for more than 2 months please post it here 🙂

  98. sum questions??/

    1.In the Usb port can we insert pen drives and play songs or watch movies?
    2.ARe Tata sky+ boxes are still available?
    3.how much it costs to upragde from tata sky to tata sky+ plain?
    4.dont have lcd tv so if we buy tata sky + hd then are there any problem in resolution?
    5.video on demand works on only broadband connection?
    6.video on demand functio nis available in tata sky+??

  99. 1. Nopes, not yet supported.
    2. Yes, why not? Is there a shortage of supplies from Tata?
    3. There is no option to upgrade. You’ll need to buy a new box at full price, irrespective of whether you own a plain box earlier.
    4. Nopes, you can watch SD channels like before.
    5. Yes. Are you still on dialup??
    6. Yes.

  100. One question on Tata Sky HD .. while watching Lok Sabha Channel on a Sony 46 Inch LED through a Tata Sky HD box .. the screen will go blank for a second and then there will be a message to set resolution using organiser button. 

    Can u help explain what settings are required ? Tata Sky Customer care is useless i tried them already 

  101. HI Gaurav, I have a 3D Tv, And i have bought a TATA SKY +HD set top box.My question is that , is that set top box 3d supported or not?Is this ans Yes, then why I can’t see cinema in 3D from showcase

  102. Hey Hi Sourav,
    Which LG model do you have?
    I have LG LW5700 42″ 3D TV. When I connect Tata sky+ hd to TV and converts the 2D picture into 3D, then the TV does not shows in full screen.
    It crops the right and left side of picture. It is happening only with Tata sky+ hd. But if i connect to local cable and convert the picture it shows in full screen.
    My TV and Tata sky+ screen resolution is in HD format i.e. 1080p

  103. Hi Gaurav,
    I want to know whether I would be able to watch TV from my LED monitor which has HDMI input. 
    Another related queation is that whether  provided HDMI and coaxial cable ( in TATASKY HD) are good quality for watching HD contents.
    I hope you will answer soon before I make purchasing decision.

  104. Hi rezaulh. You should be able to, but I have never personally tried it. I can try it on the coming weekend, if you can be patient and postpone the decision for a few more days 🙂

  105. Your TataSky added new chanels to my package and deducted money today.
    You guys are really nonsense service provider.

  106. Subject  :- Pathetic Experience
    for TATA Sky (DTH)

    This is to inform you that I am having
    TATA Sky DTH Connection since November 2011. Set top box
    is not working from 13th Jan 2012 & from same day i have
    been calling Customer care on daily basis that we need same to be replace
    or get it started again. Everyday they inform will send technician till
    evening. but no body turned at our address even after regular followup
    for more than 20 to 25 times .I need this issue to be resolved in day or
    two or have to take support from consumer forum.

    During time of sale everything has been
    assured we will be given fast service and we can contact sales person also
    any time. But once the things are installed nobody is responsible for the
    same. Customer has been always taken for granted.

    Billing Name : satindra Rawat

    Contact No.:-9724824558

     

  107. Hey Guarav, Nice article written there, I myself have an TATASKY HD+, & myself am not sure whether I can record two movies/episodes at one time/simultaneously.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Twitter: @p0six:twitter 

  108. Hi Siddharth. Yes, you can record any 2 channels simultaneously. However, the only restriction is that while the 2 channels are being recorded, you cannot view any third channel in parallel, i.e. you must also be tuned to either of the 2 channels being recorded. To start recording, just press the red (R) button on the remote!

  109.  Hi Gaurav ,

    I have brought a new 32 inch LG TV, I was planning to buy TATA SKY HD+ but i came to know that the full screen is not used, and sides appear by a black strips, is there any resolutuin problem with 32 inches and above screens

  110. Hi Gaurav. Just came across your blog. In jut upgrading to the +HD box for recording feature. Are you still experiencing problems of the firmware hanging as its been long since last conversations here. Do let me know please.

  111.  Hi! Nopes, haven’t experienced that issue since a long long time. I think it has been fixed. You can safely upgrade your box to +HD 🙂

  112. IN TATA-SKY HD+ setup box , can we connect the 2TB harddisk directly by removing the 500GB or it needs the TSky technician to do ??? pls update me

  113. Hi Jagat! A lot of users are asking me if it’s possible to upgrade the disk installed inside Tata Sky+ HD. If you’re truly worked this out, please share it with me and I can update my blogpost, giving you all your due credit 🙂

  114. I am also using Tata Sky HD……..when we go to user settings then sound settings…….under output type i am not able to change to HDMI its by default at SPDFI and i am nt able to change to HDMI………….any suggestions………

  115. Hey Gaurav……I recently bought a 40″ Sony hd tv…..along with it got a new tata sky hd connection….the hd channels are flawless…..but the sd channels are not the same quality they used to be when I had normal tata sky set up box…..are their any changes to be made in the configuration…?? I would be glad to know from you……

  116.  Hi Rohan. I am a bit confused on what comparison you’re making. Are you comparing the transmission of the HD box Vs. non HD box on the same TV? Or are you comparing the outputs on different TV sets? Please clarify before I can answer your query.

  117. hi, i have ntsc samsung tv 720p 60 hz.will it work with the videocon d2h hd ?
    videcon d2h has a 60 hz option ?

    please confirm..

    –manish

  118. Hi manish. I don’t know much about Videocon’s set top box, but this is something the Videocon website or it’s customer care should easily tell you!

  119.  hi gaurav,i am very much impressed by Tata sky HD plus review.well  iam planning to buy  a LG brand projector with model number BS-275,which got 2700 ansi lumens and which supports 720p and 1080i resolutions. .well it does not have any HDMI port.and it does not supports full HD [1080p] resolution.if that is the case can i enjoy the HD channels,if not ,how will be the clarity of the HD  channels?  and can u tell how will be the clarity of channels with patience.its my sincere request.

  120. Provided the projector is able to connect to the Tata Sky Plus HD box, you should be able to view your HD content. The set top box’s output is only 1080i anyways, so your projector is appropriate for that.

  121. Hi Gaurav,

    How much does it cost to record an hour long programm? How much does it cost for a VOD movie?

    Thanks,
    Milind

  122. A new connection of  hd+ with dvr is costing 6400 – is it really justified. Airtel charges 6k. But I see that that tata sky has good amount of quality and features. Pure HD channels are less though. On the other hand can someone explain. The sony TV i have is a full HDD one LED. The normal channels on tata sky do they get a good Uplift due to this.?

  123. I WANT KNOW  FULL TACHNICAL INFORMATION  STB OF TATA SKY PLUS HD.
    I HAVE A PHILIPS 21INCH CTV, ANY PROBLEM? and ditails side by side technical information compare of tatasky+hd vs airtel hd recoder. pls help me. MY EMAIL- mrabag@gmail.com.
    @gmail:disqus 

  124. I upgraded from my non-HD box to HD + box today. And I am very frustrated by the fact that the program description is in smaller font and sometimes with matching background color. This makes it impossible to read it unless I go close to the TV. If I knew this earlier I wouldn’t have upgraded until tats sky fixed the problem

  125. Tata Sky is really a nonsense DTH provider in India. They provides lot’s of  Advertise in yellow message box on the top screen. Very irritating TataSky. Even customer support is very poor.

  126.  Hi Gaurav
    I have a tata sky HD+ connection on sony TV 32 inches.I can’t resize to normal mode for non-HD channels.Earlier when I had standard set box then there was not such problem but after getting HD+ I can’t resize.Can u pls help me out.

  127. Hi Gaurav
    I have a tata sky HD+ connection on sony TV 32 inches.I
    can’t resize to normal mode for non-HD channels.Earlier when I had
    standard set box then there was not such problem but after getting HD+ I
    can’t resize.Can u pls help me out.

  128. Please tell me how to replace the 500GB hdd with a 1GB hdd.

    Narrate all the steps with proper guidance please.

  129. Need to understand if i use TATA SKY SD on a 32″ LED TV, will that be a problem with clarity? Please suggest.

  130. Hello Friends My name is Deepak Rathi,I have this Tata Sky +Hd Set top box with recording feature……..but i want to know about it tha how can i take out record videos from set top box to computer with out unboxing…please tell me…

  131. Hello Friends My name is Deepak Rathi,I have this Tata Sky +Hd Set top
    box with recording feature..I have 1tb wd sata hdd.so please tell me how to install hdd in tata sky
    My Email Id is dpkrathi268@gmail.com

  132. HI Gaurav,

    Recently i hve bought 40′ LED Samsung -FHD-SMART TV. currently iam using Tatasky+ STB which i hve not started to installed in TV to see the channels. I heard that TatSky+HD STB is best for HD TV’. So shall i proceed with Tatasky+ STB or do i need to upgrade the STB to Tatasky+ HD for viewing the clear and excellence/fine picture quality. Pls suggest me which one will be better for viewing best picture quality?

  133. Hi Gaurav,
    Is any box in India offering multi-room facility without taking additional connection?
    Already there are technology available to have multi-room facility with single connection by having server/client connection at home via Ethernet, MoCA etc.
    Of-course server box in this case must have multiple tuners, which is there in Tata Sky+ HD.

    Regards
    Manoj

  134. Hi Gaurav,

    Can you please tell me maximum how many individual channels one can lock under parental control in Tata Sky HD Plus ?
    Can you lock all the channels ?

    Thanks

  135. Hi Gaurav,

    Firstly, my queries here is not completely related to your post. However after reading your post, I feel you are the well informed guy from whom I can take advise.

    My problem is I have a LG HD ready with single HDMI input. I use a TataSky HD set up box, which obviously takes up single HDMI input. Now I’m planning to buy a Apple TV and for that I need one more HDMI input. After rigorous web search, I understood that I can use a HDMI switch or Can I use it? I want your view here.

    The other doubt in my mind is whether the TataSky HD set box’s HDMI cable will be compatible for use with a HDMI switch? ( I have read somewhere that HDMI input from digi setup boxes are not mostly compatible with HDMI switches)

    Please share your opinion on the compatability aspect of tatasky HD HDMI input through HDMI switch. If it is compatible, suggest any HDMI switch which you recommend for this use.

    Best,
    RMD

  136. Hi Gaurav,

    Gone thru all the comments and reviews ,, I have to purchase a new TATA SKY + HD DVR and I am having sony Bravia 32inch hd led tv… will i t suits to my tv and moreover whether TATA SKY Broadcast 1080p resolution,,, because there is a lot of difference between 1080i and 1080p… please mail me .
    Thanks & Regards
    Rameshraj
    9482001329

  137. Hi Gaurav,

    I’m contemplating buying a HD plus connection (currently I have the HD set top box) for the added benefit of record functionality. I wanted clarity on the record feature when you’re tv is not on. Does it still work? Or do you have to keep the tv on whenever you wish to record. .

    Thanks,
    Ravi

  138. Yes, the Tata Sky+ HD box will be suitable to your TV. However, Tata Sky+ HD supports only 1080i resolution (but you can hardly make out any difference)

  139. is there a need of HDMI port to connect tatasky HD box to LG HD tv? I hv resently upgraded to Tatasky HD box but they had not given any HDMI PORT.

  140. Since you have HD TV and a HD box, you’re obviously looking to watch HD content. For that, HDMI cable is a must. The regular composite cable will not carry HD signals.

  141. Dear MR Gaurav Gupta,

    I have a HTS installation of Onkyo 3010 with 7.1 Bose speakers and Samsung UHD TV. In the recent past I observed that there is no Lip sync in most of the SD channels . This triggered a series of research and service by Onkyo, Samsung etc. All of them found that the STB when connected to TV directly still had a audio lag/lead hence all of them pointed fingers on Tata Sky.

    Tata sky attended to the service and changed the STB and tried adjusting LNB but they could not resolve the issue. The Sync issue Is not in all channels but in select channels. For example in each regional language package you will observe at least 2 to 3 channels out of sync The engineers have no answer and promised to get back as they thought it could be back end or transmission desk problem.

    Do you have any clue ?

    Rgds

  142. Tata Sky Plus HD has become too expensive; costing more than 8,000. Going for just Tata Sky HD. How can I choose a Mega HD annual pack without the south Indian channels?

  143. can a tatasky hd plus set top box be carried to watch recorded programmes at other locations where it is not connected to the dish?

  144. It’s an interesting question Sameer. I never tried it, but sometimes when the weather is really bad and the dish does not work, I can still play all my recorded programs. But still, the dish is still “connected”. I think you should ask the customer care, although I doubt anyone would be able to give you an accurate answer. The best way would be to just unplug the dish for a few minutes and try it out yourself!

  145. HI
    Gaurav,excellent review.I’ve a ts hd on my first floor for my bedroom & now want a ts hd plus pvr for my living room on ground floor.so I just ordered a pvr,my question would I be able to connect two multiple tv with single settop box or do I need a multiple as in 1 separate for each tv,sorry for a noob question.in any case I ordered a pvr & also have an existing ts hd on first floor

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