DD Free Dish DTH Should also use AV1 Technology?

Yes, DD Free Dish can benefit from using AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) as their video codec for delivering content to their customers. AV1 is a next-generation, royalty-free video codec that offers superior compression efficiency compared to previous video codecs. You can read more about AV1 here.

Using AV1 can help DD Free Dish reduce the bandwidth required to deliver high-quality video content to its customers. This can result in cost savings and improved video quality for viewers.

However, it's important to note that AV1 is a relatively new video codec and may not be supported by all set-top boxes. As a result, Prasar Bharati may need to ensure that their customers have devices that support AV1 or provide alternative options for viewing content.

Although, the adoption of AV1 by Prasar Bharti for DD Free dish, maybe a good decision for increasing DD Free dish TV channels and Prasar Bharati's earnings.

DVB-S/MPEG-2 Vs DVB-S2/AV1 -

As you know DD Free dish currently uses DVB-S older satellite technology and uses an older MPEG-2 video codec which was adopted in 2006 and transmits fewer TV channels on DD Freedish. It is New India in 2023, and I think, DD Free dish should also enhance its technology.

DVB-S and DVB-S2 are standards for digital satellite television that specify how video and audio data are transmitted over satellite networks, while MPEG-2 and AV1 are video codecs that specify how video is compressed and decompressed.

DVB-S uses the MPEG-2 video codec for compression, while DVB-S2 can support a range of codecs including AV1. MPEG-2 is an older codec that has been widely used in broadcast television for many years, while AV1 is a newer codec that offers better compression efficiency and higher quality at lower bitrates.

The main advantage of using AV1 with DVB-S2 is that it can deliver higher-quality video at lower bitrates compared to MPEG-2. This means that more video channels can be transmitted over the same bandwidth, which can result in cost savings for Television broadcasters and Prasar Bharati.

However, using AV1 with DVB-S2 requires more processing power to encode and decode video compared to MPEG-2. This means that older set-top boxes may not be able to support AV1 decoding, which can limit compatibility. Using AV1 with DVB-S2 can offer higher quality video at lower bitrates compared to MPEG-2, but it may require more processing power and infrastructure upgrades.

But, the use of AV1 with DVB-S2 may require upgrading satellite infrastructure and equipment to support the newer codec. This can result in additional costs for DD Free dish (Prasar Bharati).

Compatibility -

Most MPEG-2 set-top boxes are not capable of decoding AV1 video streams, as they do not have the necessary hardware or software capabilities to support the codec. In order to support AV1, a set-top box would need to have a hardware decoder or a software decoder that is capable of decoding the AV1 codec.

So, if you have a MPEG-2 set-top box, it is unlikely to support AV1. If you want to watch content encoded with AV1, you may need to upgrade your set-top box to a newer model that supports AV1 or use a different device that supports the codec.

The change will improve the Make in India mission -

The Make in India mission is a government initiative aimed at promoting local manufacturing and encouraging foreign companies to invest in India. The AV1 codec is a next-generation, royalty-free video codec that offers superior compression efficiency compared to previous video codecs.

If set-top boxes that support the AV1 codec are manufactured in India, it could help boost local manufacturing and contribute to the Make in India mission. manufacturing AV1 set-top boxes in India could potentially contribute to the Make in India mission, but it's important to consider all the factors and challenges involved in promoting local manufacturing and investment.

Currently, 90% of estimated Chinese low-quality FTA set-top boxes using for DD Free dish reception.

Note: It is just an opinion if you agree or disagree then post your views using a comment section. You can also provide your views to enhance India's public own DTH platform.