DTH operator, Tata Sky, has introduced a new feature called ‘Smart Guide’ that the company claims “enables each customer to discover and consume content on television in a smart way”. In a press release on Monday, the company said it is rolling out the update on all HD and SD set-top boxes, with more than 15 million STBs having already received the new software.
As its name suggests, Smart Guide will show personalized content recommendations based on a subscriber’s viewing history. The revamped channel guide will also offer thumbnail views of the most watched channels, genres and platform services by the subscribers, under the banners: ‘Your Top Channels’, ‘Trending Channels’, ‘Favorite Genre’ etc. These can be accessed through the ‘Guide’ button on the Tata Sky remote. In case of multi-connection homes, recommendations will be different for the primary and secondary set-top box in line with individual preferences.
As part of the update, subscribers will now also be able to search using channel name, enabling them to easily switch to their favorite channel. The search functionality can be directly activated from the banner, guide grid and full screen video by pressing the ‘0’ button on the remote, offering subscribers a faster option to discover their preferred content.
Commenting on the new Smart Guide feature, Pallavi Puri, Chief Commercial and Content Officer, Tata Sky said, “While digital platforms have developed the ability to personalise experiences, on broadcast television this hasn’t been offered so far in a significant way. With the latest software upgrade, our HD and SD set-top boxes now offer smarter recommendations based on a subscriber’s content consumption patterns leading to an enhanced TV viewing experience”.
