With competition hotting up in the direct-to-home television segment after the entry of Reliance Big TV and Bharti Airtel DTH, market leader Dish TV and TataSky plan to introduce DVR technology around Diwali.
The digital video recorder, which allows viewers to record programmes in one channel while watching another and play according to convenience, is being billed as the next big thing in the evolving Indian DTH market.
"This, of course, will be a premium product and we plan to announce the launch of DVR technology platform for our DTH service very soon. It will be a Diwali gift to our customers," TataSky Chief Marketing Officer Vikram Mehra told PTI.
Similarly, market leader Dish TV is also readying to roll out its DVR platform.
"Our launch of DVR is expected around Diwali and our offer will have 140 hours of recording time," Dish TV Chief Operating Officer Salil Kapoor said, adding the set top boxes for the DVR were expected to cost around Rs 10,000 each.
Their new rivals Bharti and Reliance Big entertainment are also readying DVR platform.
While an RCom official said soon the company would unveil DVR, industry sources said Bharti DTH may also launch the same thing.
Asked if they were compelled to bring the new technology due to increased competition, both TataSky and Dish TV denied.
"We have been planning for it over the last eight months doing pilot studies. Now we are ready to roll-out," Mehra said.
Kapoor said Dish TV had taken time in launching the DVR platform because of hardening dollar, which has made import of set top boxes costlier.
"We didn't want to burden customer with the forex costs," he said.
"Moreover, the market is also maturing and is ready for such kind of products," Kapoor added.
TataSky plans to make some attractive offer to its existing customers, who would like to upgrade to the DVR platform, Mehra said.
Dish is also mulling over to make some announcement on the front at the time of launch, Kapur said without specifying details.
New player Reliance Big TV also plans to launch DVR platform, a company official said.
