Infotainment Arrives

SR TV launched the world's first satellite interactive infotainment channel in Chennai.

PRAVEENA SHIVRAM

14 March  2006
CHENNAI, INDIA

This would have been the perfect subject for an 'unputdownable' Isaac Asimov book. Sitting in front of your television set, watching three channels or more simultaneously, paying your bills through your TV, playing games, reading scripts on TV in your preferred language, watching movies on demand, etc, etc. The epitome of the perfect life for most couch potatoes, or otherwise.

Except that, this is not just a figment of someone's imagination, but a veritable reality. Nag Ravi and his company, SR TV, launched the world's first "satellite interactive infotainment channel". And all you need to reap the benefits of this satellite television wonder, is to buy their set top box, that comes in three models, "silver", "gold" and "platinum" and connect it to either your television screen or computer monitor.

Nag Ravi, the brain behind this invention, says, "SR Plus is the first infotainment channel which is 100% interactive. SR Plus will deliver the content using the satellite technology (KU Band) for downlinking the signals and the interactive (return path) portion will be covered using the mobile phone (SMS) or 3G/GPRS/EDGE or Dial – Up Telephone or a simple Broadband." Errr… in layman terms, he explains, "Well, it basically means, our servers will enable every household to actually customize their own channels, and choose the kind of programs they want to watch. The Star Plus, for instance, will not be the same in my house, as I would have customized it to suit my taste, in comparison to your house."

So, which means, I can choose 25% information and 75% entertainment (hence Infotainment) for my channels and receive only that information. Moreover, I can shop, pay my bills, recharge my mobile phone, etc, by just sending a command to the set top box, with my remote control. And, if I fear missing my fave program on TV, all I need to do is to send an sms to my set top box number, and the information is automatically stored. "The is the first time that we are using a Hi-Definition format, and is equipped with 90 hrs High Definition video recording facility," he adds in an interview for digi-help.com.

Starting at Rs 1999 onwards, this was jointly launched by SR Plus Infotainment channel, a division of SR TV Malaysia Sdn Bhd – (Malaysia) & SR PLUS INFOTAINMENT (India) and 3G Digital Solutions Inc (Leading Technology Solutions MNC company) on March 12 in Chennai, with actor Kamal Hassan presiding over the function.

Nag Ravi, who is in charge of charge of technical & Operations for SR TV & SR Plus, has quite an impressive background, with many firsts to his credit. He introduced sms ticketing for the first time in India for Abhirami Multiplex in Chennai. He is the first person in India (as an individual consultant) who designed the technology for space hospitals, which was launched last year by the honorable central minister Mr.Dayanidhi Maran. With a vast and varied experience in the field of satellite technology, he says, "I have been working on this project for a long time now, and wanted to launch first in India. One, because I am an Indian, and the market potential for such a product in India is huge."