# Tata Sky launches India's first 4K set-top box with UHD capability



## quagmire (Jan 12, 2015)

> In the run-up to the forthcoming Cricket World Cup, the direct-to-home (DTH) operator TataSky on Saturday launched the country's first 4K set-top box (STB) that offers better picture clarity.
> 
> The company said subscribers can book their the 4K*set top box*for Rs 6,400 while existing subscribers can avail of the box at Rs 5,900, who can enjoy it as their first connection or an additional STB at home with theTata Sky*MultiTV connection option.
> 
> ...


----------



## abracadabra (Jan 12, 2015)

What a gimmick by TATA, when even proper HD cannot be done , they are marketing 4K ; Just to watch cricket I need to get 4K? Who are they trying fool?


----------



## SaiyanGoku (Jan 12, 2015)

No thanks. I don't want to spend 5k just as HD access fee, then another 5k for the SD version of the channel and then another 5k for the HD version of the same stupid saas bahu tv channel. -_-

Those who are thinking of buying this thing, just know that there isn't enough 4k content. And most Indian TV channels show crap. Better to avoid it and save money.

Get a FUP free 4mbps internet and watch live actual FHD streams than watching these 480p streams upscaled to 1080p. -_-


----------



## cooldude94 (Jan 12, 2015)

They could have at least provided recording facility at this price


----------



## eureka (Jan 12, 2015)

SaiyanGoku said:


> Get a FUP free 4mbps internet and watch live actual FHD streams than watching these 480p streams upscaled to 1080p. -_-


Ridiculous statement. First of all I don't know where on earth FHD streams are being streamed (all I can find are 480p streams), and proper HD channels are not upscaled 480p, but proper 1080i. For example, when I see content on my 1080i DTH connection, it is far better than 720p content on my PC!

I hate Tata Sky and their crazy access fee thing, but this comment is nuisance. Some people badmouth things just because they can't afford it.


----------



## DVJex (Jan 12, 2015)

SaiyanGoku said:


> No thanks. I don't want to spend 5k just as HD access fee, then another 5k for the SD version of the channel and then another 5k for the HD version of the same stupid saas bahu tv channel. -_-


^ This. Besides this is for the rich peeps.
And afaik most 4K content is actually from video games rather than TV studios/channels.


----------



## SaiyanGoku (Jan 12, 2015)

eureka said:


> Ridiculous statement. First of all I don't know where on earth FHD streams are being streamed (all I can find are 480p streams), and proper HD channels are not upscaled 480p, but proper 1080i. For example, when I see content on my 1080i DTH connection, it is far better than 720p content on my PC!
> 
> I hate Tata Sky and their crazy access fee thing, but this comment is nuisance. Some people badmouth things just because they can't afford it.



Sports streams are live and you can view them on India vs Australia - Live Cricket Score & Live Cricket Streaming on Starsports.com and other such official websites.

The 480p content being upscaled to 1080p was in context of Indian daily soaps. Why would anybody waste money to watch that crap in FHD?

Its not a matter of affordability but ripping customers off. Airtel and Hathway also provide HD channels without charging way too much and have more and better HD channels and normal SD packages.


----------



## Hrishi (Jan 12, 2015)

Why can't we take advancements in technology properly and welcome them ? Instead of just bashing the service providers ?
It's obvious that it's a new technology in market so it's supposed to be expensive and services offered would be less initially for the price.
Welcome the new technology, and don't bash it just because you love VFM.
The problem with most of us is that we are misers and we want everything ultra cheap.


----------



## eureka (Jan 12, 2015)

SaiyanGoku said:


> Sports streams are live and you can view them on India vs Australia - Live Cricket Score & Live Cricket Streaming on Starsports.com and other such official websites.
> 
> *The 480p content being upscaled to 1080p was in context of Indian daily soaps.* Why would anybody waste money to watch that crap in FHD?
> 
> Its not a matter of affordability but ripping customers off. Airtel and Hathway also provide HD channels without charging way too much and have more and better HD channels and normal SD packages.


I am taking back my statement then. I have no clue what goes on those shitty channels. I am forced to take a lot of them in fact, but just because of the plan I am in, I don't switch to those channels even by mistake.

But for my main purpose, which is watching sports, well I can happily pay even double than what I am paying, its just a completely different thing to watch something in 1080i and there's no way back to watch 480p any more, at least not for me. However I can vouch for the channels like NGC and Discovery too, their picture quality don't seem to be upscaled at all.

As I said, I hate Tata Sky, their plans and tariffs are ridiculous. I am not a subscriber of them anyway. But in future, probably next year if my subscriber doesn't start to provide 4K (for sport goods and stuffs, Indian soaps can **** off) I might have to switch to them. Oh wait, I need to get hold of a 4K TV first


----------



## TechnoBOY (Jan 12, 2015)

SaiyanGoku said:


> Sports streams are live and you can view them on India vs Australia - Live Cricket Score & Live Cricket Streaming on Starsports.com and other such official websites.


Wow this site just loaded up so fast.


----------



## Minion (Jan 12, 2015)

4K tvs are so expensive now so this is meant for rich people i guess who can spend 1lakh on tv still there are very less true 4k content even true 1080p movies are masive 13GB imagine 4k what size it would be and how much bandwidth it needs.


----------



## Vyom (Jan 12, 2015)

A gimmick really. 

Only for Cricket fanatics.


----------



## amjath (Jan 12, 2015)

I think Videocon d2h has 4k capable HD box announcement too but looks gimmick too


----------



## theserpent (Jan 12, 2015)

4K/2K doesn't really make a difference while viewing in such an angle.
1080p content itself is quiet low in India.4K content is quiet low,dont really understand the need of even having one, prices will be jacked for these kind of content.
The standard 480p looks awfull in FULL HD tv's


----------



## a_k_s_h_a_y (Jan 12, 2015)

Its a start if anything, which is always good. And 4k movies are coming online, you can download them. I think even blu-rays are coming, but not sure if a 4k movie fits on a blu-ray.
I can download a 200gb movie at my workplace, nobody says anything


----------



## abracadabra (Jan 12, 2015)

Hrishi said:


> Why can't we take advancements in technology properly and welcome them ? Instead of just bashing the service providers ?
> It's obvious that it's a new technology in market so it's supposed to be expensive and services offered would be less initially for the price.
> Welcome the new technology, and don't bash it just because you love VFM.
> The problem with most of us is that we are misers and we want everything ultra cheap.



Technological advancement, WOW!! I just saw how 3D went from active to passive in no time!
 I didnt know how could 4K work in this country, when everything runs backwards here...! How do you come up with this miser thing? 
If proper 1080p res channels are given to the consumer, I would have gladly subscribed; but instead what is on offer itself is just upscaled ones mostly, when 1080p itself aint gonna make itself available to the masses where is 4K even remotely coming up? If they made 1080p with a 5.1 truly true to its word, that would make my television viewing more pleasurable.
Out of curiosity, how many people have 4K sets, what are you gonna watch in 4K ATM! 720p/1080p does really well on a 42 - 50incher!


----------



## REDHOTIRON2004 (Jan 12, 2015)

abracadabra said:


> Technological advancement, WOW!! I just saw how 3D went from active to passive in no time!
> I didnt know how could 4K work in this country, when everything runs backwards here...! How do you come up with this miser thing?
> If proper 1080p res channels are given to the consumer, I would have gladly subscribed; but instead what is on offer itself is just upscaled ones mostly, when 1080p itself aint gonna make itself available to the masses where is 4K even remotely coming up? If they made 1080p with a 5.1 truly true to its word, that would make my television viewing more pleasurable.
> Out of curiosity, how many people have 4K sets, what are you gonna watch in 4K ATM! 720p/1080p does really well on a 42 - 50incher!



Well for some part I don't agree with your statement. I will tell you why.

First upscaled 1080p or full hd content does look better on a full hd tv compared to 480p or lower resolutions on the same LED.

So, even if Tatasky or any other provider is showing upscaled SD content on a FULL hd Tv. It still is an improvement. And yes 1080p native content is now very common. Which was not the case just 2-3yrs back. Have a look at your smartphone. Almost all smart phones selling now have minimum 1080p or more resolution native recording.

3D was a technology that was not as revolutionary as full hd. There were some inherent flaws and disadvantages with 3D technology that's why it never took off in the first place.

And 4k is the natural extention of full hd. I personally got a sony 1080p 42" led. The picture looks amazing on that. But, the difference is noticeable when I get close to the LED. I could still notice individual pixels on the panel. I know that nobody takes such a big Led to watch it from close range. But, I would term that as not perfect.

And believe me, this situation worsens on a bigger Led. I recently got the chance to view a 4k 50" LED up from close range as I did with my Full hd Led. And yes difference was noticeable. It was extremely smooth as far as individual pixels are concerned. Just like a physical photograph.

I would term it as a retina display kind of effect as we have on our smartphones. And I actually don't see anything wrong with that.

4k video recording would become a norm in 1-2 yrs from now. We already have mobiles doing that.

The only problem is the network speed in India. But still people have 1080p and 4k content on there more easily than you think.

4k is a bit costly right now. But, I am sure that this condition would change by the end of this year or the becoming of the next year itself.


----------



## theserpent (Jan 12, 2015)

Hrishi said:


> Why can't we take advancements in technology properly and welcome them ? Instead of just bashing the service providers ?
> It's obvious that it's a new technology in market so it's supposed to be expensive and services offered would be less initially for the price.
> Welcome the new technology, and don't bash it just because you love VFM.
> The problem with most of us is that we are misers and we want everything ultra cheap.



How?
There are just about 15-20 1080p channels available.


----------



## REDHOTIRON2004 (Jan 13, 2015)

theserpent said:


> How?
> There are just about 15-20 1080p channels available.



15-20 quality channels with discreet content, I would say. By the way, how many channels do you surf/watch everyday?

Problem is that, as Indians we have a habit of stuffing ourself to the top with things we dont need or would never use even once. We still need boasting rights to top it off. That we have everything.

And that's where things start to go wrong. For eg: There are tens of news channels. Each repeating the same news over and over again. I don't need every repetitive channel to be full hd.

15-20 full hd channels 24*7 which contains movie channels, discovery/science channels, daily soap and music, sports channels etc-2 is a very good number and that contains both english and Hindi language. 

There is nothing wrong with that. I personally don't think there is anything else that I am missing here. Don't need to make a point just to make a point.

I believe that 4k is the future that is going to become present sooner than most people are willing to accept. And my assumptions are based on the fact that once majority of people will start to possess 4k video recording mobiles(as is already happening). The 4k content would become abundantly available. Forget about full hd. There is plenty of good quality 1080p content out there.


----------



## DVJex (Jan 13, 2015)

If loads of people have the ability to create 4K videos, then that's a reason to have a 4K screen, no reason to get tata sky's UHD box. And it's better to wait for 4k to become more common before buying either a UHD screen or the UHD box.


----------



## eureka (Jan 13, 2015)

Its just like when 1080p was introduced from 720p people kept bragging about the overkill of resolution, and exactly same is happening now too. But in time everyone knows what's going to happen.

The DTH broadcasts are 1080i by the way, not p.


----------



## theserpent (Jan 13, 2015)

REDHOTIRON2004 said:


> 15-20 quality channels with discreet content, I would say. By the way, how many channels do you surf/watch everyday?
> 
> Problem is that, as Indians we have a habit of stuffing ourself to the top with things we dont need or would never use even once. We still need boasting rights to top it off. That we have everything.
> 
> ...



I hardly watch anything on TV, when I do it's either Star World/Premier HD, Movies Now plus,HBO SD,Star Movies HD or History HD


----------

