DTH
DirecTV selects Harmonic’s MPEG-4 AVC digital video solutions
MUMBAI: Harmonic Inc. announced that direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television provider DirecTV, Inc. has selected the DiviCom MV 100 standard definition encoder for new MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) based video services.
The most widely deployed MPEG-4 AVC-enabled encoder in the industry, the advanced technology of the MV 100 makes it possible to generate superior full resolution digital video. DirecTV is also utilising Harmonic’s DiviTrackXE statistical multiplexing solution and NMX Digital Service Manager, a unique service-oriented video infrastructure monitoring and control system.
“Harmonic is a long-time video headend solution partner to DirecTV. Harmonic’s DiviCom MV 100, which is being deployed to encode channels using MPEG-4 AVC, combined with the DiviTrackXE statistical multiplexing system is a technically advanced video compression solution,” said DirecTV chief technology officer Romulo Pontual.
“In the competitive North American market where there is a constant demand for new services, Harmonic’s digital video solutions offer DirecTV improved flexibility. Worldwide, our DiviCom MV 100 systems are powering more real-time and storage encoding applications for satellite DTH and content distribution services than any other platform. DirecTV’s selection of the MV 100 attests to the system’s advanced capabilities and Harmonic’s market leadership in ready-to-deploy MPEG-4 solutions,” said Harmonic Inc executive vice president Patrick Harshman.
The unique architecture of the MV 100 permits operators to select from a range of compression cores — MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC or SMPTE VC-1 — according to their unique technical requirements. Field-installable software modules allow an easy and cost-effective transition from one compression technology to another in a timeframe most appropriate to the operator’s business, in addition to continuous performance and video quality improvements.
Harmonic’s DiviTrackXE closed-loop statistical multiplexing system dynamically allocates bandwidth to each channel based on the complexity of the video being encoded, making it possible to achieve a significant scaling of channel density. NMX Digital Service Manager offers a powerful set of tools designed to streamline problem detection, analysis and resolution, implement advanced redundancy architectures, automate service and resource scheduling, as well as to facilitate system installation and configuration.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
