Airtel Digital TV DTH MYTH/FRAUD offers

I can be quite sure that we get 5.1 ch sound in HD DVR boxes which i am using myself. And to me and few others in this Forum - Picture & Audio quality are pretty much upto the mark. We dont have any issues.

But there are few others who always complain about the Picture & Audio qualities! Informing u both sides of the stories, so that u can take a fair call! 🙂

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Otherwise overall the service is good - that most of the people around here agree. So u can be assured of good support.

Thanks again. So I am assuming that HD and HD-DVR have the same features as far as Picture and Sound Quality is concerned.
I was just browsing through Videocon website and from what I see, a new HD connection with the highest available annual pack will cost me something like 2690 (HD Box and Installation) + 4900 (South Platinum Pack for an year, not sure if this is HD) - 400 (cashback in account) = 7200/-

This is equivalent to Tata Sky's HD Cost with all Channels included for an year.

I am thinking to call Customer Care right away and check if the above break-up of Videocon as done by me is in fact correct or not.

Oops, I don't see 9XM listed in any of the packages. Any idea if it's available?

Actually, the final amount should be 7200 - 441 (one month free Platinum Pack, again not sure if this is HD) = 6760/-

So basically, I think that if I buy an HD STB online and get one month Platinum pack free, then I can go for the Annual Recharge sometime next month once the one-month free period expires. What say?

I think u have got it right. U will get this very package.And about HD Zapper, ie, the HD only box, just wait for any user on this forum to give u a review.......coz there have been a few Minor issues with it, like channel change time of 4-5 seconds & such. So just confirm once.

Tried calling 09082099999 / 18008810111...none of them went through 🙁Hmm, so "Well begun is half done" not true in my case. Just for the record, I tried each number atleast thrice. When I dial that mobile number I get a horrible crackling sound as if somebody is standing at the gate of a fast moving Rajdhani Express!!!Finally got through to 09082099999, but the line "All our representatives are busy, please hold the line" Is playing since 10 minutes 🙁Spoke to the Customer Care finally.Total Cost for a new HD connection with Annual Platinum HD pack is 7110/- after adding and deducting all variables as mentioned in my previous post.One thing I was not impressed about is how are they going to handle addition of new SD / HD Channels if someone buys an Annual Pack. The representative said that it can either be part of your base package (Platinum / South Platinum HD) or Add-On. If its part of my package then I can view it for free, but if it's an Add-On then I will have to buy it separately. I think it's high time that other DTH Operators take a leaf out of Tata Sky's Annual Mega Pack atleast for this issue.Moral of the story, I still have 10 days before my existing TATA SKY is due for payment, but at this moment it's AIRTEL -> TATA SKY -> VIDEOCON in that sequence of preference. Somehow I am unable to get to a level of confidence with Videocon that I currently enjoy with TATA SKY. Again, having said that, I am not going blindly with TATA SKY since the difference between it and AIRTEL is 1200/- for Annual Pack. I can very well utilise this additional amount somewhere else. I can also hear my mind shout at me saying that if I am not going to give Videocon a try then how am I going to figure out if it's really worth it or not? But then my heart says that better go with Airtel, even if you get a lemon it will be worth 5900/- only and not 7110/- (Videocon's cost).Also, I havent seen any issues reported regarding Airtel's functioning, i.e. normal channels SD / HD that are broadcasted. People generally have issues with Add-ONs and Regional Packs from what I have observed and that doesn't bother me much.The channels that my wife and I watch frequently are TLC, Nat Geo, Discovery, Times NOW, NDTV 24X7, All English Movies Channels, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, FOX History & Traveler, CNN and BBC. I have not seen any members on any forums having reported issues with such common or general channels.All in all I am thinking that I should be fine with AIRTEL. Lets see what happens when the D-Day arrives.Boy, I was less confused than this when I was meeting up with prospective brides before my marriage 🙂 Selecting a DTH Provider is something else...

Call them after 10 - 10:30 the rush is less. At this time of the day, the load is a lot!

Thanks for the reply. I will have to recalculate the annual costs now as somewhere in my subconscious mind I was considering Videocon as well. Was not letting it come to front since I was not sure about their service and broadcast quality. Do they indeed provide 5.1 surround sound on HD Boxes? How do the HD channels look? I am asking this since I havent seen them in person yet.

Hey Buddy, I guess you are talking abt d2h Satellite Box which they call Zapper. Yes it supports 5.1 HDD. You can use SPDIF Port to connect STB to Home Theatre.

The reason why I opted for d2h inspite of ADTV was bcoz of the complex packaging of ADTV. And at present and in long run too d2h seems to be lead wrt HD Channels.

You can find detailed review of d2h HD Satellite Box in below link.

https://broadband.forum/videocon-d2h-dth/70342-videocon-d2h-dth-customer-experience/7/

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Its raining non-stop since last 3 days in Mumbai and rest of India. So there could be huge waiting at Call centre. But why not have a look on Website only . d2h Website is transparent enough to decide through Website.

Jaymin / IndianMascot....can you guys tell me if the switching time between channels on the Videocon D2H HD box (not DVR) is more than 2 seconds?Also, are the radio channels available in the Platinum HD / South Platinum HD pack? The customer representative told me that it is part of it, but he didnt sound convincing.

I think in HD box the time is more than 2 seconds. Mascot will tell u better.But the Radio channels are avaialable in even Sports Gold Pack. So u need not worry. These all channels are available in the higher packs like Diamond, Platinum, Platinum HD. The representatives are useless. If u make 10 calls, u cud be lucky to land up with even 1 well-informed representative!

Jaymin / IndianMascot....

can you guys tell me if the switching time between channels on the Videocon D2H HD box (not DVR) is more than 2 seconds?

Also, are the radio channels available in the Platinum HD / South Platinum HD pack? The customer representative told me that it is part of it, but he didnt sound convincing.

Hey I was also facing the same problem recently deciding between Videocon and Airtel, my experience is given here. https://broadband.forum/videocon-d2h-dth/70342-videocon-d2h-dth-customer-experience/14/#post538101

I also watch a lot of travel channels and the English news channels, the Discovery and NatGeo HD are awesome on Airtel. The signal quality for all channels is good and haven't faced any problem till now, installation was done well, even the CC is pretty good.

I have read about issues with Videocon D2H HD boxes for the time in changing channels..you should ask someone who uses Airtel HD also for the same. PQ/AQ for all channels are good.

I was against taking a DVR but others in family wanted to have it, so we got the DVR and I am it's biggest fan, the Live TV pause feature and recording feature is very neat, as its a one time investment , i suggest you could reevaluate the DVR option.

Btw have a Sony Bravia EX400 at home.

Jaymin / IndianMascot....

can you guys tell me if the switching time between channels on the Videocon D2H HD box (not DVR) is more than 2 seconds?

Also, are the radio channels available in the Platinum HD / South Platinum HD pack? The customer representative told me that it is part of it, but he didnt sound convincing.

Yes Dude, its 4-5 seconds to be precise.

Radio Channels are available as I on on Platinum HD Pack. So take it as confirm. They have almost all kind of Radio and Music services as Planet M is their inhouse company.

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Hey I was also facing the same problem recently deciding between Videocon and Airtel, my experience is given here. https://broadband.forum/videocon-d2h-dth/70342-videocon-d2h-dth-customer-experience/14/#post538101

I also watch a lot of travel channels and the English news channels, the Discovery and NatGeo HD are awesome on Airtel. The signal quality for all channels is good and haven't faced any problem till now, installation was done well, even the CC is pretty good.

I have read about issues with Videocon D2H HD boxes for the time in changing channels..you should ask someone who uses Airtel HD also for the same. PQ/AQ for all channels are good.

I was against taking a DVR but others in family wanted to have it, so we got the DVR and I am it's biggest fan, the Live TV pause feature and recording feature is very neat, as its a one time investment , i suggest you could reevaluate the DVR option.

Btw have a Sony Bravia EX400 at home.

There is no such problem in DVR dude. Retailer won't be in a mood to sell d2h. Hence he would have misguided you. DVR was once having a problem, but after formatting its working perfectly .

Yes Dude, its 4-5 seconds to be precise.

Radio Channels are available as I on on Platinum HD Pack. So take it as confirm. They have almost all kind of Radio and Music services as Planet M is their inhouse company.

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There is no such problem in DVR dude. Retailer won't be in a mood to sell d2h. Hence he would have misguided you. DVR was once having a problem, but after formatting its working perfectly .


I had asked 5-6 retailers and main Big shops a well, all of them have informed me the same, they also have said they replaced the Old HD DVRs with news ones as there was some issue, so so many people cannot be lying right? Through contacts we contacted the Wholesale distributor he said 7-10 days....they are still in the process of getting the DVRs ready is what I infer from my experience


They told they can provide me HD and SD ones in Videocon, so it isn't hate for D2H clearly

I told you bcoz when I tried to enquire abt the same, I too gt the same kind of response. Bt when I demanded demo from them, few ignored for demo and few showed me demo and I didn't find any such problem. Bt I would still suggest you to go with your favourite retailer bcoz you can anytime catch him if there would be some malfunctioning 🙂

The Mumbai retailer's listen to you easily then, or maybe they just started fixing the Hyderabad DVR's. 😀 In the end took an Airtel HD DVR from a nearby retailer for the same reason 🙂

Thanks IndianMascot and Aditya...i am pretty much buying online, so no retailer preference for me. I will be relying just on the opinions / feedback of our esteemed members here.

HDMI cable along with sd recorder?

in d2h there is no SD recorder. Only recorder available is HD DVR.