India’s first integrated digital television has just been jointly launched by Airtel and Samsung. The USP of this high definition digital TV is that there would be no requirement of installing a separate set-up box to access the broadcast of channels.
The Integrated Digital TV or iDTVs will cost Rs 44,900.
Essentially, this is a partnership between Direct-To-Home service provided by Airtel and Samsung’s SmartDirect TV series.
What are Integrated Digital TVs?
Globally, iDTVs are defined as televisions with media center features such as built-in Internet connectivity, electronic program guides, personal planner, on-screen prompts for all sorts of good stuff and more. The iDTV may contain a media extender so you can enjoy digital entertainment directly from your PC, a home media server or from the Internet.
Although Samsung already sold SmartDirect TVs in India, but due to disconnect between DTH providers and cable TV operators, the in-build features could not be implemented. But with Airtel joining hands with Samsung it has now been made possible.
How Will It Work?
As a result of this partnership, Samsung’s SmartDirect TVs would now be integrated with Airtel’s DTH TV Digital Card, which will allow the TV to receive DTH signals without installing any external set-up box, thereby reducing dependency on third party hardware usage.
Hence, next time you plan to shift your home, there is no need to carry the set-up box with you everywhere. Simply plug-in the TV, and the inbuilt DTH card will pick up the signals automatically.
Advantages Over Existing TVs
As there is no intermediary medium to receive the signals from dish antennae, the reception quality will improve and the consumer will be able to enjoy high definition TV viewing experience.
As shared by Shashi Arora, CEO – DTH & Media, Bharti Airtel, “The in-built Airtel DTH smart card supports direct signal reception from the dish antenna, thus enabling crystal clear audio-video quality and making these Samsung TVs the smartest available in the marketplace today.”
Additionally, under a promotional offer, users of iDTVs can enjoy four months of free Airtel DTH service, both the companies shared via press release.
iDTVs are available across all Samsung outlets across the country, as well as at multi-retail outlets such as Croma and Reliance Digital. At the time writing, no ecommerce portal offered this on their platform.
Can the HD channels be viewed when it is raining? At present, when it rains, the HD channels go blank.
“Specification” about the i-digital television, would have been a better decision factor at this point of time..