MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel has launched an integrated digital video recorder (DVR) service with NDS XTV technology.

NDS’ XTV DVR technology will enhance the viewing experience by allowing Bharti Airtel digital TV subscribers to pause, record, play back, rewind and fast forward their favourite programmes for viewing when they choose. Viewers can record one TV show while playing another, or record both simultaneously with the capacity to record up to 100 hours of programming on a 160 GB hard disk. Viewers can easily build and manage their own personal playlist using the electronic programme guide (EPG) developed by NDS.

The Bharti DVR features: a downloadable electronic programme guide (EPG) for use on a mobile phone, to remotely record programmes on the DVR, an Ethernet port providing a return path for two-way interactive applications in the future and a choice of five different themes so subscribers can customise the look-and-feel of their EPG, including children’s and festival themes.

Bharti Airtel, launched its Direct-to-Home (DTH) service in partnership with NDS in 2008. It uses NDS VideoGuard conditional access system (CAS), MediaHighway middleware and a multi-lingual EPG developed by NDS.

Airtel Telemedia Services CEO Ajai Puri said: “The launch of an integrated DVR service is part of our ongoing commitment to offer consumers in India the highest quality pay-TV services. Based on our experience partnering with NDS, we are confident that NDS offers the industry’s most advanced technology and services to meet our needs.”

NDS Asia Pacific senior vice president and general manager Sue Taylor said: “With an aggregated 137 million customers, Bharti is recognised for creating world-class products for the Indian market. The decision to launch an integrated DVR service based on XTV will radically change the way its pay-TV subscribers view content, enhancing Bharti Airtel’s reputation as a pioneering force in the telecom and DTH sector.”