I&B Ministry
MIB urgently seeks pending 78 channels’ equipment details
MUMBAI: The government of India expects all TV channels to submit technical details of their respective equipment for the purpose of monitoring. In all, 78 channels have failed to do so.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a Notice dated 9 December 2016 to 194 TV channels to provide a set of Professional IRD for each TV channel permitted to them which can give SD-SDI output (in case of HD channels, HD-SDI output) along with one spare IRD per bouquet, to EMMC.
Alternatively, the pay TV broadcaster/ service provider should provide Viewing card (VC) with matching CAM module for interfacing with de-modulators to decrypt and demodulate the channel over IP. TV channels are also required to provide the technical parameters as Satellite, Frequency, location of teleport etc.
Accordingly, the details/ equipment from 78 TV channels have not been received so far. The Broadcasting companies of these TV channels are required to send the details/ required equipment urgently.
The equipment details may be sent to Director, Electronic Media Monitoring Centre, BECIL, Soochna Bhawan, New Delhi.
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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.
