Thread: Can I use SUNDIRECT STB to watch DD Direct DTH and other FTA Channels??

Hi All

I am planning to go for SUNDIRECT DTH service. I enquired about the kind of STB being offered in my area and it is HOMECAST SN9000IR.

I want to know if I can use this STB to get DD Direct DTH service(from appropriate satellite) and also other FTA channels

Thanks a lot in advance...

Your location in your profile says Canada... If you are hoping to get free to air channels we have in India using a set top box its not possible. The satellites which beam signals in India are not in the line of sight in Canada and these are geo stationary ones which would never be visible from Canada.
If you are looking to get desi channels in Canada you gonna have to shell out stupid amount of money and still only get 5-6 channels there... its the same all over the world.
I pay 32 pounds per month to our telewest cable network to get 5 India channels and thats all is available there.

Assuming what 'admin' stated is not the case (i.e., you are going in for DTH in India for your folks in India), then yes, you will get all the FTA channels including DD channels but only as long as you continue to pay the subscription fees.

The above may sound a bit confusing but the deal is like this:

a) You are charged a monthly subscription fee, say Rs. 300/- pm
b) This fee covers the "pay" channels
c) With the above fee, you will get the subscribed "pay" channels and about 30/40 FTA channels
d) If you fail to pay/renew subscription, "pay" channels transmission will stop in 15 days. The FTA channels feed will also stop after one month.

The STB is just a CPE device that is used to unscramble the feed and act as a tuner cum programming device. It has nothing to do with anything else; although STB of one DTH does not work with other DTH (I believe).

The above applies not only to Sun DTH but also to any other DTH service in India.

If you are only interested in FTA channels without having to bother paying any money at all for the lifetime (apart from entertainment tax on cable/DTH), then you should opt for Prasar Bharati's (i.e. DD's) DTH service.

Thanks for the advise.. I ordinarly live in canada but at and wann to set the SUNDTH for my parents here in south india...

According to TRAI the STB should not be locked.. so I should be able to receive the FTA channels in Ku band (from other satellites, including DD Direct+) even after I stop paying for SUNDIRECT....???

STB is not locked but the Veiwing Card is locked to the service provider. The combination of VC and STB is the complete connection.

You will not be able to receive FTA channels after you stop paying for regaular pay channels. At least that is how it works with DishTV and TataSKY and I would be surprised if Sun DTH was any different.

You see that a DTH provider is providing FTA channels from their own infrastructure (network, channel partners, satellite ownership/hire, etc.) which costs them money. They will provide services only if you subsribe from them for other services.

If you wish to have pure FTA channels (after stopping Sun DTH subscription) then you will have to throw away the VC, buy a new VC from Prasar Bharati and realign the dish as well.

No you cannot get the free to air channels after your subscription with sun is over. i enquired with sun itself, they said its not possible as they have tuned it in such a way i suppose.

You can tune to DD+ channels in sun DTH after your subscription ends. You have specify PID details for each channel and tune.