DTH
International Datacasting Corporation wins contract from Shin Broadband for New Asia IPTV service
MUMBAI: Shin Broadband Internet in Thailand has awarded a contract for a next generation Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) push video on demand service in Asia to International Datacasting Corporation to provide IDC’s Datacast XD Content Management and Distribution software.
The contract calls for the initial roll-out phase of the system with options for expansion as the service reaches full deployment.
Shin Broadband Internet pushes High Definition (HD) movies over the Shin Satellite Ipstar system across Asia to low cost consumer Set-Top-Boxes (STBs) located in user’s homes. IDC’s Datacast XD software will be used to manage the delivery of this content on this network.
IDC is also responsible for the project management and system integration of the project which also utilizes Irdeto encryption for content security inside the STBs which are manufactured by Homecast of Korea.
Ipstar is a new satellite network that provides business and residential Internet service throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The total number of satellite user terminals provided by Shin Satellite is currently over 70,000 and growing.
The new PUSH-VOD service uses excess Ipstar satellite bandwidth when available to push HDTV movies onto the local hard disk drive of the Homecast STB, storing digitized movies for later use. The new PUSH-VOD subscription service ensures that users receive new movies daily and operation of the STB is similar to the way a consumer plays back movies from a PVR/DVR at any time.
The STB utilizes the most modern MPEG AVC/ H.264 video compression technology available to provide the highest quality video possible along with multi-channel sound. The STB inside of the customer’s house is connected to the TV and to the Shin’s Ipstar terminal.
Ron Clifton the President and CEO of International Datacasting Corporation said “Shin Satellite is one of the most advanced service providers in Asia and we are delighted that they selected our technology and recognized our skills and experience in integrating IPTV systems of this type.
Our Datacast XD technology was originally developed to meet the needs of satellite, cable and IPTV customers for a broad range of multimedia file transfer and streaming applications. The inclusion of Datacast XD in a consumer set-top-box has opened new doors for this product line in a rapidly growing market and hopefully this opportunity will be the first of many such consumer applications.”
Teerayuth Boonchote, Vice President of Ipstar, said that “Shin Satellite and our sister company Shin Broadband Internet are excited by the potential of this new service offering to our Ipstar customers which we will initially roll-out in Thailand. A success in Thailand means we’ll expand the service throught our Asian footprint.
IDC was chosen because they have demonstrated commitment and performance in terms of their proven Datacast XD content delivery technology which is easily integrated into set-top-boxes and because they have an excellent history of successful systems integration projects.”
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.
