I&B Ministry
All TV channels asked to facilitate feed to EMMC by 25 August
NEW DELHI: All television channels have been given a deadline of 25 August to provide one set of professional IRD for each TV channel which can give SD-SDI output (in case the channels are HD then HD-SDI output) along with one spare IRD per bouquet to the electronic media monitoring cell (EMMC).
Additionally, the pay TV broadcaster / service provider should provide viewing card (VC) with matching CAM module for interface with demodulators to decrypt and demodulate the channels over lP.
This reminder by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is in furtherance of the earlier letter of 22 July.
The Ministry informed all TV channels that any failure to provide the module to EMMC within the time schedule will be viewed seriously.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
