Tatasky: pros and cons

We have been using Tatasky DTH in our house for past few months. I would say, Tatasky is not complete value for money. Listed are its pros and cons

I would start with pros,

1. Topnotch video and audio quality on most(yeah! not all) of the channels.
2. 24 hrs signal reception(apart from the time your house doesn't have power)
3. Good customer support.
4. On-screen alerts for renewal and new channel additions.
5. Easy payment options. One can easily renew through online.
6. Mobile SMS alerts.

Here are the list of irritating issues,

1. One has to use two remotes. One that comes with the TV for controlling the TV and the other for changing the channels.
2. It always shows the boring Help video on a cold boot.
3. Video quality for few channels are pathetic. Ex: HBO. The quality of HBO sucks big time.
4. Its a bit expensive. One has to burn 350 bucks a month for 30 odd good channels(i am not including all the other crap channels).
5. No reception on heavy rainy days(not so common in chennai)
6. Change of channel combination for packages done without user control(but with intimation). They remove or add channels as they like.
7. Don't have many attractive packages. One has to go for the 300 bucks or 350 bucks package for good channel list.
8. Language option is not available for most of the channels(might be the channels restriction)

I was really impressed by their support. While renewing my account, i thought i should let them know about the HBO reception issue. So i logged a complaint with my phone number in the feedback form on their site. To my surprise, the very next day, i got a call from one of their support person. Even though the issues is not solved till date, its really a feel good factor when you come to know your complaints are being listened to.

The only reason, i think, why Tatasky is able to survive with is highly priced packages is the lack of competition. If more competition spawns in this market, we can expect more attractive channel packages from all the players.

Chase: Being a cop for 10 mins...

Two days back, i was driving past Saidapet towards Velachery to my office. There used to be police checking (mostly for Helmets defaulters) near the concord stopping every Thursdays.

I was driving behind a Sumo. When we were about the cross the cops, the police asked the Sumo to stop. Apparently, the Sumo driver had different intentions and flew past the cop. As i was the very next person to the Sumo, he asked me to stop too. This time not for any checking, but for chasing the Sumo :).

I was asked to follow and overtake the Sumo. After a chase of about 2kms, we overtook and caught the Sumo. Thanks to the city traffic and the PTC bus ahead the Sumo. All the way through the chase, the police was constantly alerting the cops next signal through his radio (like in the movies ;)) about the Sumo.

One thing i learnt from this experience is, if a traffic police plans to nail you down, there is no running away. Its always better to stop and answer the cops rather get caught running away and paying a hefty penalty!

Enemy within - down with fever

Its 2.00 a.m and i really couldn't sleep. I hardly would have slept for an hour tonight. The intensity of fever and heaviness on my throat and head is increasing exponentially. Yet, i hate to take pills or go see a doc.

The same kind of symptoms were there with my dad a month back. I don't know about the sleeping part though, cause, i never could sleep(easily) back when i wake up in the mid-night.

My dad went to 3 different doctors, and almost took hundreds of pills(mostly antibiotics) for the whole time. I couldn't see him completely well even now. So i don't like to see doctors who treat patients like lab rats(and obviously all of them practice on us).

While i type this blog(almost shivering), my dog is sitting besides me and starring at me for obvious reasons. When ever some one wakes up, that some one got to let him out in the terrace. I can't do that today(since i am pretty much sure that hes gonna make an ass out of me and never would come down ;)).

Even though the clock is ticking, i really don't feel sleepy. My mom kept pestering me and made me have half a pill, so that i could feel better(and apparently i had to do).

Its been a while since i am down with fever(almost an year now). Could be because of the season(its piping hot in the day and cold during nights). I was the only one left in my (office) team who hadn't been down with fever. And finally the enemy within heard their plea and and granted their wish :P(pun intended).

If this fever continues, i really don't think i could be back on track with my normal day activities for a while. Hope this is really just a normal fever(not any kind of viral shit) and i would be back on track(and don't miss our official Cric. Fest :)) soon.

Joker gives a Shocker - Heath Ledger is no more!!

This probably would be one of the saddest news(recently) for all the film buffs and off-course batman fanatics like me. Heath Ledger, who had been nominated for his performance in Brokeback Mountain, was found dead in his apartment last afternoon(22nd Jan). More details on his death can be found here and here. To get a glimpse of his performance in The Dark Knight, have a look at the teaser trailer here.

A tribute to the new Joker a.k.a Heath.



May his soul rest in peace!

Indian 11 vs Australian 14!

The second test match in Sydney was full of controversies, wrong umpiring decisions and off-course, exchange of words. In my opinion, Indian players are merely cheated to loose the match! One can understand if there were one or two misjudgments. After-all umpires are humans. But more than 10 erroneous decisions (most of which against India) is ridiculous.

Once again Australians proved that they can go to any extent to win a match. The way Michael Clarke waited for the umpire decision after being caught by the slip proves the point. Australian cricket will no longer be considered as a Gentleman's game after this match in Sydney. As Steve Waugh said, "Test will be remembered for wrong reasons".




To cover up the umpiring errors, Australians have reported against Harbajan Singh, that he called Symonds a "Monkey". And the match referee Mr. Procter found Harbajan guilty of Racial comments! In what sense, calling a person "Monkey" be considered a racial abuse?? And this very incident doesn't have any audio or video evidence to prove Harbajan is guilty. Procter banned Harbajan for 3 test matches on what Clarke and Ponting said as evidence! Why is not Sachin's statement considered in the verdict? Is it because he is not white? Is this not racism? One can know the credibility of Ponting from here. If Harbajan is found not-guilty, will Symonds and co. be penalize for bluffing?

Australians lacked decency and Indian team can hold their head high for playing the whole test in true spirit. Its high time that we recall the team back to defend our self respect. If they really wanted to play the rest of the series, call back Sreesanth to make them taste their own medicine. And off-course, call back Bucknor and Benson for their outstanding efforts to uproot Indian cricket team.