TataSky Binge+: TV is fun to watch, once again

TV viewing during the pandemic months has become a tad boring, for the simple reason that there is never-ending news on the incessant growth of coronavirus cases in the country, and hardly any exciting content in terms of new movies or shows. A sort of pandemic fatigue has set in among TV viewers, forcing them to migrate to the smaller mobile screens. In order to lure the family back to the big screen, this writer sprung into action and installed Tata Sky’s new Android set-top box Tata Sky Binge+. Frankly, telly watching has become a lot more fun and exciting, evenings are spent huddled together enjoying the latest blockbuster movie and other interesting stuff on the TV, thanks to this TataSky innovation.

Content consumption is witnessing a new trend where people want to consume linear TV as well as OTT content on one integrated platform, contends Pallavi Puri, chief commercial and content officer at Tata Sky. Tata Sky Binge+ is powered by Android TV, supports Google Assistant-based voice search, offers Google Play Store access, and offers 6-months subscription to some of the most-viewed premium OTT apps at no extra cost, making it an ideal destination for content viewing. “We’ve seen a positive uptake in subscriptions in the past few months. In the ongoing festive season, we have decided to offer the Tata Sky Binge+ Smart set-top box connection and apps bundle at a really exciting price point,” she informs.

New subscribers can avail of Tata Sky Binge+ connection at Rs 2,999. Existing subscribers can opt for an upgrade of current connection or secondary multi TV connection at Rs 2,499. Basically, Tata Sky Binge+ is a next-generation set-top box that is compatible with all types of TVs including 4K, HD LED, LCD, or plasma technology. It enables subscribers to watch both live TV and OTT content (when connected to internet) on one device, without switching between multiple HDMI ports. This means a mix of the usual live broadcast channels and on-demand content in one fluid user interface. It comes with Google Voice Assistant and Chromecast. The OTT content that the user can watch on this set-top box includes those from Disney+ Hotstar Premium, ZEE5, VOOT Select, VOOT Kids, SunNxt, Hungama Play, Eros Now and ShemarooMe for six months at no extra cost. A user can access content of the past seven days. They also get three months of Amazon Prime subscription at no extra cost.

In the box, you’ll get the Tata Sky Binge+ set top box, remote (along with batteries) and power adapter. Take my word, you’ll need the company’s technical representative to do the installation. Once the setup is done, the content will stream to your TV using your home Wi-Fi connection via the Binge+ set-top box. A high-speed internet connection is a must for proper stream quality.

Let me highlight some of the things I liked about the TataSky Binge+ service. One, it is a complete entertainment package with TV channels and entertainment apps on one screen. This is something the present day user desires and this service has the potential to lure the viewer back to the big screen. Two, TV viewing is quite smooth, super-slick and extremely fast (my reference is to the user interface too). A user can easily switch between the TV content (broadcast via satellite) and OTT content (via internet) from popular apps on a single screen, in a split of second.

Another interesting thing I liked about this service is its Voice Search remote. When you switch on the set-top box, you are greeted with a TV channel. To navigate to your channel of choice, say HBO or Star Movies, you can use the voice controls; the remote comes with a Google Assistant button and since the Tata Sky Binge+ set-top-box runs on Android you have access to the Google Assistant. Put simply, you need not scroll down the entire Menu or remember the channel numbers to watch what you want to. In short, TV viewing just got more exciting.

KEY FEATURES
Seamlessly watch between live TV and apps
OTT content from Disney+ Hotstar Premium, ZEE5, VOOT Select, VOOT Kids, SunNxt, Hungama Play, Eros Now & ShemarooMe
Voice search remote powered by Google Assistant
Access content of the past seven days
Estimated street price: Rs 2,999 (for new subscribers), Rs 2,499 (for existing ones)