In-Car Satellite TV in India

The Satellite TV equipment vendor, Dish TV, is planning to introduce its Satellite TV equipment for Car; so you will never miss your favourite show while in Car. This can be quite successful in major cities, as people spend more time on roads (thanks to road traffic). Well, there is one think that worries is the projected cost of the equipment, to be nearly 60,000/- rupees.

The Satellite Radio company, WorldSpace, could have done it long back as In-Car Audio is more sensible than In-Car Video, unless you have a chauffeur driving your car. And also, that Satellite Radio is more affordable than video and can be pluged on to existing Car Audio setup easily, with FM Transmitters, cheaply available in the market.

Dish TV is quite confident on sales of these equipment, as it notices, people spending huge money on a car audio system. They have already tied up with General Motors to provide dish antennae for its SUV Tavera, to begin with.

As the satellite antennae are directional, the challenge in adopting it for Car was to make a rotating circular antenna, to be fitted on the roof of the car. The whole system consists of an antenna, a decoder, a set-top-box and a LCD screen. It puts a requirement on the car manufacturers to make strong roofing for the Car. Many Car manufacturers have also agreed to provide a pre-fabricated support for such installations!

Dish TV has displayed this new equipment at Auto Expo at Pragati Maidan. They are planning to introduce the setup in airlines, railways & buses. And its been already installed in Kingfisher Airlines. Sooner, Dish TV is planning to introduce in Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express!

Dish TV might thus have to change their slogan to "Direct To You, Wherever you are" instead of present "Direct To Your Home".