Tricolor TV
Tricolor TV (Russian: Триколор ТВ) the biggest Russian satellite television operator. It broadcasts a pack of TV channels in the European part of Russia and most of Siberian, Ural and Far East regions. Broadcasting in the European part has been held since December 2005 from esv Eutelsat W4 (36o в.д.). Broadcasting in the Eastern regions began in December 2007.
The principal difference between Tricolor TV and other operators is the pack of free channels broadcasts by Tricolor TV. There are 12 federal channels including "Pervy", "Rossiya", "NTV", "STS", "Karusel" and others in the free "Basic" pack. Except these, there are 19 more TV channels for the whole family. The budget pack of satellite channels turned to be very popular among Russian viewers. The number of Tricolor TV's subscribers is the largest in Russia. In December 2009 the audience of Tricolor TV has reached a number of 6 000 000 households.
Company history
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Project idea is based on the fact that there is a significant disparity in terms of access to TV channels. In large cities with population over 500,000 at least 15 channels broadcast from the TV transmitter can be received almost everywhere. However, if you drive 20 km away from the transmitter, the picture is getting worse, within 30 km there are serous problems with reception and within 50 km range you can just forget about regular terrestrial TV. These are the numbers that frightened me. Over 50 million people in Russia have an opportunity to receive 5 or less TV channels, generally, with weak signal. Over 20 million people watch 1 channel, the second one's reception quality is too low. |
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—Dmitry Volobuev, first executive director of NSC.[1]
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- October, 2005 — Tricolor TV company was established;
- On the night of 1 October 2005— Tricolor TV test broadcast via Eutelsat W4 began.[2]
- November, 12th, 2005 — Tricolor TV started broadcasting channels Russia, Ren TV, Сulture, DTV, TV3.
- May, 30th, 2006 — For half a year 150.000 persons connected to Tricolor TV, the number of televiewers exceeded 450.000 pers.[3]
- May, 11th, 2007 - Introduction of the paid package channels (5 blocks: "Children", "Cinema", "Sports", "Cognitive", "Comedy"; 2 cannels for each block).[4]
- March, 1st, 2008 — Telecasting has begun «Tricolor TV» to Siberia with companion "Bonum-1".
- July, 7th, 2009 — 5.000.000 households.[5]
- September, 15th, 2009 — The contract between holding "Gazprom Media" and "Tricolor TV" about purchase "Tricolor TV".[6][7]
- December, 2009- — 6.000.000 households
- 1 February 2010 — Telecasting from companion W7
- 1 February 2010 - Launch of Tricolor Internet service.[8]
Company acquisition by Gazprom Media
As it became known on 15 September 2009, Gazprom Media reached an agreement on buying NSC. Both the companies reportedly signed a strategic partnership agreement, according to which subscription bases will be merged, and part of NTV Plus services and channels will be available to Tricolor TV subscribers.[9] This transaction attracted the attention of the Federal Antimonopoly Service, due to the fact that after closing the transaction Gazprom Media would capture the control over 97% of satellite TV viewers.[7]
However, in August 2010, Tricolor TV press secretary Alexander Nikiforov stated in his interview to the ComNews daily that Holding hadn’t acquired the controlling stake of the company. Director-General of NSC Vyacheslav Mordachev assured that term of validity of the memorandum of intentions hadn't yet expired. Satellite TV market players link the interruption in the transaction with problems in reliable calculation of Tricolor TV subscription base — top manager of one of the dealer networks considers that the real number of subscribers is 20-25% smaller, and changes, depending on season.[10] There haven't been released any official comments in regard to the transaction.
On 11 August 2010, the Vedomosti newspaper informed that the transaction was close to its end. However, it is not clear yet, how the reorganization will be made: it is reported that as acquirer will act a Tricolor TV’s competitor NTV Plus, not the Gazprom Media, as well as Tricolor TV will be completely integrated into NTV Plus.[11]
Broadcasting parameters
Valid up to 10 September 2010[12][13][14]:
| Satellite |
Frequency |
Polarization |
Speed |
FEC |
Compression |
| Eutelsat W4 @ 36,0°E |
12190 |
left-handed |
20000 |
3/4 |
MPEG-2 |
| Eutelsat W4 @ 36,0°E |
12226 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-2 |
| Eutelsat W4 @ 36,0°E |
12303 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-2 |
| Eutelsat W7 @ 36,0°E |
11804 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-4 |
| Eutelsat W7 @ 36,0°E |
11881 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-2 |
| Bonum-1 @ 56,0°E |
12226 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-4 |
| Bonum-1 @ 56,0°E |
12380 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-4 |
| Bonum-1 @ 56,0°E |
12456 |
left-handed |
27500 |
3/4 |
MPEG-4 |
Receiving equipment
Official variant
- You need equipment package supplied by the company in order to view channels. The package includes a 60 cm satellite dish with converter, cable, receiver working with DRE-Crypt encoding (generally made by Digi Raum Electronics company) and the subscriber's access card.
Unofficial variant
- You can buy the package consisting from CAM-module DIGI RAUM DRE NP4 and Tricolor card for any receiver.
Packages
Tricolor TV includes forty-one MPEG-2 channels and thirty MPEG-4 channels. The key advantage is a free package of federal channels (the largest as compared to offers of other satellite TV operators). In addition to the free channels you are offered to subscribe for paid channels at your choice.
Tricolor TV Center
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Basic (11 channels, free of charge)
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Optimum (25 channels)
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365 days TV • Teen TV • Auto Plus • Boyetz • Chanson TV • Dom kino • Domashniy magazine • Zoo TV • India TV • Kinopokaz • Komedia TV • Comedy TV • MNOGOseriynoye TV • Huntsman & Fisherman • Russian Music Box • Sport Plus • Tatarstan - New era • Bridge TV • RuSong TV • Top Shop TV • TTS • TV ARM RU • TV Club • TV Mall • Teleputeshestvia
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Super Optimum (35 channels; this package is available only for Optimum subscribers)
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24Techno • 9 Volna • Galaxy TV • High Life • OCEAN-TV • Style TV • Top Shop TV • Agro-TV • Grozny TV • Raz TV • Dagestan TV • Disco TV • Women's world • Zagorodny • KHL • Lya-minor • Mother & child • Zakon TV • Interesting TV • Kitchen TV • RBC • Mir • My planet • Real scary television • Amazing Life • TV Boulevard • TPO • Radost' moya • Expert TV • Prosveschenie • War & peace • Sochi Life • Love Story • NANO TV • TV Ug Don
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Bonus package (7 channels)
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Night package (2 channels)
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Night club • Ruissian night
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Other available channels in DRE coding (3 channels)
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Attention! Tricolor TV is not responsible for the number, content or reception quality of non-packaged channels.
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Tricolor TV Siberia
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Optimum (36 channels)
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24Techno • TDK • TV Club • 365 days TV • 7TV • Sport Plus • Music Box • Teen TV • Auto Plus • AgroTV • Boyetz • BST • Dom kino • Domashniy magazine • Zoo TV • India TV • Katun 24 • Kinopokaz • Comedia TV • KHL • Lya-minor • Mother & child • Mir • MNOGOseriynoye TV • Muz-TV • Huntsman & Fisherman • RBC • Tatarstan - New era • TV-3 • TV-Center • Telecafe • Teleputeshestvia • TNT • Tonus TV Teleputeshestvia HD • HD Life •
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Night package (2 channels)
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Night club • Ruissian night
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Other channels
In addition to the Tricolor TV packages, anyone can receive signal of some TV channels and radio stations broadcasting without encoding (FTA) for free.
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TV channels on Eutelsat W4/W7 (36.0°E)
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Radio channels on Eutelsat W4/W7 (36.0°E)
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Antenn 107 FM(azer) • Radio Lider(azer) • Love Radio (Kazan) • Relax FM • NRJ • Children's radio • AvtoRadio • Zenit • Public Armenian radio(arm) • Radio Alla • Radio Voskresenie • Echo of Moscow • Humour FM • Yana gasyr(tatar)
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TV channels on Bonum-1 (56.0°E)
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Ermak • NTV (+3 hours) • Soyuz •
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Radio channels on Bonum-1 (56.0°E)
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Children's radio • New day • Radio Voskresenie
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Attention! Tricolor TV is not responsible for the number, content or reception quality of non-packaged channels.
Additional services
Electronic Program Guide
Electronic Program Guide (EPG) — The electronic program of telecasts which is displayed on the TV screen. The teleguide displays the schedule of programs for each television channel Tricolor TV, and also the expanded information: a telecast genre, year of creation, actor's structure, etc. The teleprogram is accessible for some days forward.
Telechat
TV chat is a service for displaying messages sent via cell phone or Internet into a special window on the TV screen. Chat allows online communication with other viewers, the exchange of opinions on what is happening on the screen and to share impressions. The service is available on "Veseloe TV" and "TV Voyages" channels.
Karaoke on Infokanal
Well known, popular Karaoke songs and titles are translated daily on Tricolor TV and Tricolor TV Siberia informational channels. The service is free for all Tricolor TV subscribers.
Two sound tracks on Infokanal
Infochannel viewers can choose between two soundtracks: the main one which accompanies the video on the main screen and an additional one. After switching to the additional track you will hear the sound being transmitted from one of the channels of the paid "Optimum" package, these are transmitted into the 5 windows on the screen.
TV mail
With this new service you can view text messages and pictures that were sent to you via e-mail right onto your TV screen. Currently you need Internet access for sending messages; you can also create and send e-mails from your cell phone (via SMS, MMS or the wap.tricolor.tv WAP site).
The new service is essential for those who live in remote corners of the country that do not have the opportunity to contact friends and relatives in a conventional way. You can send not only text messages, but pictures as well – it is a great opportunity to always stay in touch.
TV Guide (EPG)
The Electronic Program Guide is a digital TV guide displayed on the TV screen. This TV Guide displays program schedules for each Tricolor TV channel along with additional information, such as: TV program genre, year of creation, cast, age ratings etc. The TV guide is available several days ahead of transmission.
Tricolor-Internet
Since 1 February 2010, Russia's largest satellite television provider has launched the new Tricolor Internet service. In order to access the Internet you need to connect a special satellite modem to your computer. Activation of the new service does not require any adjustment to the current receiving equipment.[15]
Social responsibility
At the end of 2007 NSC started charity program involving installation of satellite equipment in stationery social organizations of Russia. In the course of the program all orphanages and retirement homes on the territory of sixty-eight Russian Federation subjects will be equipped free of charge with equipment for viewing Tricolor TV channels. The purpose of the program is to provide pupils of these institutions the access to pedagogic and education resources of up-to-date digital TV, contributing to their personal development and social adaptation. The program is wholly financed by its organizers: JSC National Satellite Company, Eutelsat Communications, the largest European satellite communication operator, NoLimit Electronics specialized chain stores and regional Tricolor TV authorized dealers.
As for the beginning of 2010, there had been installed over 300 equipment packages on the territory of eight Russian Federation subjects within the framework of the program.[16]
References