Free To Air Channels

There is a huge crowed whom we are not included in our cable TV network and DTH customer. They are the Linux using people in the television market. They are people who receiving their programs through a home dish antenna, a Ku band dish antenna or the old Yagi antennas. A six, eight or ten feet dish antenna are using for the reception of the C-band signals commonly. But it can also used for receiving the Ku Band signals.

As Hindi is our national language and most of the people know this language are the main users of Yagi antenna now. DD-1 and DD-News (Former DD-Metro or DD-2) channels are available in cities through this antenna. In another viewers they are living in country areas, distant from the cities can receive DD1-National channel. After the introduction of DD Direct Plus, the free DTH service of Doordarshan, the importance of Yagi antennas are decreased and a huge crowd migrate from Yaggi antennas to DD Direct Plus. To receive DD Direct Plus service the customer wants to buy a Ku band dish antenna and a digital set top box (Mpeg-2). The cost of this antenna, digital set top box plus installation charge included in less than RS.2000. About 59 channels are available in this service. Please click on the “DD Direct Plus-Channel chart” label on the right side of the screen to know about all channels that are available through DD Direct Plus.

As a Malayalee I have great respect to C band dish antennas. I have been seeing for a long times the Malayalam channel without paying a paisa. In starting the cost of the C band dish antenna was very high. When I bought one in 1996, it cost 12000 rupees for the dish antenna and analogue receiver. Most of the channels are free to air (FTA) mode then and it can receive all this channels by simply adjusting the polar mount (handle) of the dish antenna. . At least 10000 homes in Kerala and Gulf regions are using this C-band antenna now. .In 2000 most of the channels change from analogue mode to digital mode (Mpeg-2).In 2001 I brought a new digital satellite receiver from Coimbatoor to receive the Mpeg-2 channels for RS. 4500. From then eight years have gone now I can receive the entire Malayalam channels in Mpeg-2 mode except Surya and Kiran*. Surya and Kiran are now transmitting in Mpeg-4 mode. You can receive these channels as free by using an Mpeg-4 set top box. It is costly now.

Now the cost of the C-band antenna decreased after the entry of the six petal Chainees C-band dish antenna. Low cost Chainees digital receivers are also available in the markets. If you a person who wants to see Malayalam channels, some Tamil entertainment, Tamil music channels, some music channels in Hindi, some sports from DD-1 and DD-Sports you can buy a 6 feet C-band dish antenna .Watch these channels as free. After two years of use it give back the entire amount that you have paid for the dish antenna and digital receiver to compare the cable TV or DTH monthly rent. The number of channels you gets through this dish antenna is depending up on the strength of the satellite signal and the satellites for which you focused the dish for.

Price for a six petal Dish antenna are given below

Dish antenna: 1650

Digital Satellite Receiver: 900

LNB-2 Nos: 500

Coaxial cable 15 meter: 150

DiSEqc Switch: 100

F-connectors: 30

Installation Charge: 300

Total: RS: 3630

*Note: Malayalamanorama news Trivandrum, Cochin and Calicut are also available in Mpeg-4 mode. Manorama International available in Mpeg-2 mode.

Note: I have no responsibility to any decision taken by the readers on account of the article above.