It is popular news in the DTH and broadcasting industry right now that Dish TV is the second most popular DTH operator in the industry. This news comes after Tata Sky has taken the top position in the industry by boasting of the most number of subscribers. However, Dish TV is retaliating to this industry phenomenon in its own way. The DTH operator has now come to know that it will have to emphasise on the OTT content-based offerings to woo the consumers. This leaning towards the OTT content has led Dish TV to launch a new Hybrid Set-Top Box for its consumers. But, there is also the fact that a lot of subscribers might not want to change their Set-Top Box for which Dish TV has two other offerings. To recall, previously Dish TV only used to offer the DishSMRT Stick for its subscribers through which they could watch OTT content, but now Dish TV has an even better offering in its portfolio for the subscribers which is the Dish SMRT Kit. Now, while the Hybrid Set-Top Box is a different offering altogether, there is a chance that the consumers might get confused between the Dish SMRT Kit and the Dish SMRT Stick. So here is a comparison between the two.
Dish SMRT Stick Details
It is worth noting that Dish TV had launched the Dish SMRT Stick first for the subscribers and it is the cheaper offering among the two. The Dish SMRT Stick is a relatively straightforward offering for the subscribers of Dish TV and will allow them to stream content from the OTT applications. The Dish SMRT Stick works with the Dish NXT HD Set-Top Box, and the subscribers will have to make sure that they are using the Dish NXT HD Set-Top Box only for the SMRT Stick to work. Now, coming to the features of the Dish SMRT Stick, the stick will offer the subscriber access to OTT content from Zee5, ALT Balaji, Watcho, SonyLiv, Hungama etc. Also, the Dish SMRT Stick would be available for Rs 599 currently with a 6 months preview. The device also comes with a warranty of six months.
Dish SMRT Kit Details
Now coming to the Dish SMRT Kit, the device is priced slightly more at Rs 1,199, and hence it comes with more features. While the basic elements of the Dish SMRT Kit remain the same as the Dish SMRT Stick, like the OTT content from Zee5, ALT Balaji, Watcho, SonyLiv, Hungama and others, there are some additional features which give it a higher price tag. These features include built-in Alexa skills, facility to play Music, book tickets and more. Further on, the subscribers using the Dish SMRT Kit will be able to manage their smart home devices through this device. Lastly, the Dish SMRT Kit comes with Bluetooth based new voice remote. However, with the Dish SMRT Kit, the subscribers will have to pay a monthly usage fee of Rs 49 per month, which will be chargeable from the fourth months onwards.
Which One to Buy Between the Two?
If you want to decide between the two devices for consuming OTT content on your Dish TV connection, and budget is a thing to keep in mind then the Dish SMRT Stick would be the better choice, although it misses out on some features. As for the Dish SMRT Kit, the subscribers do get the Bluetooth remote and the Alexa skills, which is possible that they might not be that useful for most subscribers and also considering the earlier monthly fee, the subscribers could be better off by buying the Dish SMRT Stick. But, in case you would like to experience the fancy features with Alexa, then the Dish SMRT Kit would be your choice.
