How can DD Free Dish get upgraded in future?

If you are still watching the DD Freedish in 2023 only through the MPEG-2 box then you should change your set-top box now. Because today the MPEG-2 set-top box has become in the same way as 2G/3G and 4G smartphones have become at the time of 5G.

Initially, most of the DTH service started their services with MPEG-2 set-top box but today all DTH services have upgraded their set-top box and satellite broadcast system. Some DTH services are adopting today's latest technology like using HEVC compression along with DVB-S2 and DVB-S2X.

Benefits of upgrading the DD Freedish system -

DD Freedish's system today needs to be upgraded in two ways. The first is to use today's latest satellite broadcast technology like Sri Lanka has done for its new free DTH service Freesat. 

Let's understand what the latest technology is.

Upgrade by Prasar Bharati -

Prasar Bharati can upgrade by adopting the below techniques suggested -

1. Satellite Broadcast - DVB-S2X
2. Video Compression Quality - HEVC 10bits
3. Audio Quality - AV1 (royalty-free and open source)

Benefits of Prasar Bharati -

Today, more than 800 free-to-air and other TV channels are available in the country, but only 70-90 TV channels are added to DD Freedish every year. The reason is that the reserve price is high due to fewer slots.

So if DD Freedish is upgraded then the following will be the benefits -

1. Two MPEG-4 channels can be played in the bandwidth used in one MPEG-2 channel, while four channels can be played in HEVC in the same bandwidth used. That means the slots can be increased four times on DD Freedish.

2. Due to more slots, the reserve price will be less, due to which medium-income TV channels can also be boarded on the DD Free dish platform.

3. Regional language TV channels with medium income can also be connected.

4. Being free-to-air, people of neighboring countries can get news of India's development.

5. With new HEVC boxes, the country's economy will gain momentum.

6. The number of radio channels can be added according to states as well as districts. Like earlier local radio was broadcast from most of the districts. With this, satellite radio will also start trading in the market.

7. The HD or 4K satellite channels can be boarded on the platforms.

Upgrade by Customer -

If DD Freedish is upgraded to the technology mentioned above, then the customers will have to replace their set-top boxes with HEVC set-top boxes.

The HEVC Satellite set-top box in India is already available in the market since around 2019 and has been upgraded by many customers but at present the situation for them is like this today villagers have bought 5G smartphones but still getting 2G or 3G.

So now it remains to be seen whether DD Freedish will upgrade from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or directly enter the new technology through MPEG-2 to HEVC and broadcast its channels in HD or 4K. Just wait and watch.

Also, Read - Expansion of 200+ PM e-Vidya TV channels - Test signals Started

Disclaimer - It was a personal review and suggestion, don't understand news updates. We have suggested that if you are buying a new set-top box for the DD Free dish, try to get a technically updated TV box.