Built-In Satellite Tuners in TVs: Will Set-Top Boxes Become a Thing of the Past?

Efforts are on to have built-in satellite tuners in TV sets to offer access to 200+ channels, I&B ministry said.

Set-top boxes may soon be a thing of the past. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday, 13 February, said that efforts were afoot to have a built-in satellite tuner in television sets so that users can have access to over 200 channels.

"I have made a new beginning in my department. If your television has a built-in satellite tuner, then there will be no need to have a separate set-top box. One can have access to more than 200 channels at the click of the remote."

Anurag Thakur, Information and Broadcasting Minister

He also informed that a final decision in the matter is yet to be taken.

But how will built-in satellite tuners make set-top boxes redundant? Bringing television sets with built-in satellite tuners would ensure that users are able to view/listen to free-to-air (FTA) television and radio channels without a set-top box.

All that would be required is a small antenna to be mounted at a suitable place, like the rooftop or a side wall of the house. 

As of now, whether it is a free channel or a paid one, it is mandatory for viewers to own a set-top box along with their TV sets. Due to this, people have to purchase a set-top box even if they want to consume only FTA Doordarshan channels (non-encrypted).

Growing popularity of Doordarshan channels: There has been a huge expansion of general entertainment channels on Doordarshan's Free Dish, which has helped attract crores of viewers, the minister said.

"Today, there are about 55 such channels and state governments are starting their own channels separately. Apart from news channels, there has been tremendous expansion of general entertainment channels on Free Dish," he added.

The number of households having Doordarshan Free Dish doubled since 2015. The Free Dish users increased from 20 million in 2015 to 43 million in 2021, a KPMG report stated.

Phase-wise transmission: Doordarshan has started a phase-wise transmission of its free-to-air channels from analog transmission to digital satellite transmission.