Reliance Big TV Experience so far....

As I'm nearing completion of 1 year with Big TV, I felt like giving a proper review now would be better. After the initial euphoria over getting DTH package and getting quality television programming, finally I opened my eyes to reality. Even though, the audio/video quality of regular cable television may not match the that of DTH, the ground reality is that the regular cable offers better programming content than DTH at a better value for money. Cable television I personally feel is more useful for regional viewers. For example, I getting almost all the telugu channels that are on air on regular cable but almost one third of those channels with Big TV

Watched Slumdog Millionaire ....

Finally, watched the movie "Slumdog Millionaire". It's an awesome movie. I really loved the movie and great acting by everybody including the child artists. Great direction and the director did justice to the script. 

Great soundtrack by A R Rehman and truly deserves the Golden Globe. Now, since he's now nominated for the Oscars, all the best to him. Hope he brings home the Oscar for India. He has done India really proud. 

I would recommend everybody to watch the movie. I'm now tempted to read the book from which the script has been adapted. 

1 Full month of Reliance Big TV Experience...

Finally, after watching for a month now, I'm in a better position to give a review of BigTV. After getting over the initial euphoria of finally subscribing to DTH and getting better audio and video quality, now is the time to do a reality check. 

First I will start with the pros. No doubt, Big TV does offer better video and audio quality. I've watched Tata Sky as well and felt that Big TV does offer better audio and video quality. However, video quality would make better sense on a plasma or LCD HDTV. 

Now coming to the cons. The package is expensive just like the other DTH services. Channels like Neo Cricket, CNN, HBO have been offered free of cost only for the first month and after that you have to subscribe to these channels. So to get these, one may have to end up paying almost Rs. 100 extra per month. 

Watched New Bond Movie "Quantum of Solace"

Yesterday, finally watched the new James Bond 007 movie "Quantum of Solace". The movie is a sequel to the previous 007 instalment "Casino Royale" and starts right within hours of where it ended. Bond is once again portrayed by Daniel Craig and who has done a pretty good job as 007. The movie is about Bond taking revenge for killing of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale. The vengence with which he accomplishes his revenge reminded me of the tagline for another Bond movie "License to Kill", which was "His Dark Side is a Dangerous Place to be".

In comparison to Casino Royale, the movie doesn't seem that intense and not upto it's level in terms of story and screenplay, but it makes it up with the speactacular action sequences which have been such an integral part of Bond movies. Also, the use of technology in the movie is absolutely stunning, especially the giant Microsoft-Surface style table with multi-touch which M and other MI6 agents use with ease, simultaneously. The scene where one of the Bond girls is shown killed by completed painted in Crude resembling the iconic scene from Goldfinger, is truly representative today's present world, where Crude has replaced Gold as the most precious commodity. 

What I missed most in the movie was the presence of Q who has been such a regular part of Bond movies.  Also, missed the quintessential Bond dialogue "Bond, James Bond", which was never uttered in the movie. Maybe the director felt that the dialogue was not needed in context of the story. But still I hope that it comes back in the next edition. 

But overall, I like the direction in which the Bond series is moving keeping in touch with the comtemporary world. But at the same time, I would like to see the quitessential Bond back. I will recommend you to go watch at least for the action sequences in the movie.

Reliance Big TV Experience

Last week, I got a Big TV connection. My cousin got me the connection as he liked the quality of the transmission. What surprised me and my cousin was the prompt installation of the service. Technicians came to install the service within 24 hours of buying the set-top box. 

Being in Southern state, I got the Smart Smouth 2190 package for 1 year subscription, which offers more Telugu channels than Tata Sky, Dish TV or Airtel's Digital TV. But the channels were less than that offered by Sun Direct. However, all the telugu channels that I regularly watch were included in the package. The package contains almost all the channels that I prefer to watch inlcuding Sports and Movie channels. So, I thought it worked to be a great deal for me, as the local cable channel costs me Rs. 200 x 12 months = Rs. 2400 for 1 year. 

But more than the cost, the audio and video quality made the difference for me. As they claim, Big TV does offer DVD quality picture and CD quality audio. Also, no longer do I need to miss my favorite programs when the local cable operator doesn't have electricity. I'd this frustrating experience especially during recent World Cup Soccer. Also, the video and the audio quality offered by local cable operator doesn't match upto Big TV's transmission quality. Though I agree that local cable operators offer more channels and in many cases more regional content. But, I still would prefer DTH as it offers more quality in terms of both audio and video. But more than that I'm waiting for them to introduce HD Channels. Then I can get a full HD LCD TV. But the video and audio quality of the service are enticing me into buying a LCD TV with home theater system.

The only con I found has been their software, as it seems to be little slow when mobing between the program guides. But since being a newbie I have to get used to it handling it more aptly. Also, now I have to see how's the transmission especially during rains and cloudy weather. 

So far, I have not needed to call up customter care, so cannot really comment on their customer care. I'll post a thorough review later.

My First Blog

This is my first blog. I never thought that I would ever write a blog, but here I'm drawn into writing blogs. This first post is just an experiment and hope that to get better at it. Being first attempt,this is a very short blog. 

I was quite shaken this week by the blasts that happened in Delhi. Having grown up in and spent my entire childhood and teen years in Delhi, I've always felt very much attached to Delhi, despite being away from Delhi for past 8 years. I've always felt the great Delhi as my hometown. Being a proud Delhi-ite, I was very much visibly disturbed to hear such sad news about blasts in Delhi. It's a dastardly act that needs to condemned by one and all. My heart goes out to all those who had to suffer due to these blasts. However, knowing the resilience of Delhi-ites, I pray to the almighty that my fellow Delhi-ites put these blasts behind them, and to look towards a more bright and secure Delhi. 

On this note, I begin my blog. I'll try to be as regular in updating my blog as possible.