Airtel to introduce 2nd-Gen IPTV set-top box powered by Realtek SoC

Airtel has recently launched its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, which allows users to watch Live TV channels and OTT seamlessly using their broadband connection. Alongside this launch, the company also introduced a 4K Xstream IPTV set-top box powered by the Amlogic S905Y5 SoC. Now, Airtel is gearing up to release another 4K Xstream IPTV set-top box featuring the Realtek RTD1325 chipset for enhanced performance and streaming capabilities.

Airtel 4K Xstream IPTV (Sercomm) specifications

According to the AndroidTV Guide, the new 2nd-gen Airtel 4K Xstream IPTV set-top box, codenamed IPTV2-SM / XstreamIPTV2-SM, will be powered by the quad-core 1.7 GHz (ARM Cortex-A55) Realtek RTD1325 chipset paired with ARM Mali-G57 graphics. Furthermore, it will include 2GB of memory with 16GB of onboard storage. Manufactured by Sercomm, the set-top box will run the AndroidTV 14 operating system out of the box and come with Widevine L1 certification for DRM content playback. Moreover, it will support AV1, VP9, H.264, and H.265 (HEVC) hardware acceleration for smoother video playback. The device is also compatible with Google Cast, Google Assistant, and Dolby Atmos. As per the listing on the Geekbench, the set-top box scored 139 on the single-core test and 491 on multi-core test.

For the unaware, the 1st-gen, codenamed UIW4078ATL / IPTV1-VT, Airtel 4K Xstream IPTV is manufactured by Vantiva and is powered by a quad-core 2.0 GHz (ARM Cortex-A55) Amlogic S905Y5 SoC with ARM Mali-G31 MP2 graphics. It has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage for installing apps. Similar to the new Airtel 4K Xstream IPTV box, the 1st-gen also runs Android TV 14 operating system and comes with Widevine L1 certification. It also supports AV1, VP9, H.264, and H.265 (HEVC) video codecs.

Availability

Airtel’s IPTV service is available in select locations. Interested customers can visit their nearest Airtel Store or check availability on the Airtel.in website to book a new connection. The 2nd-gen Airtel Xstream IPTV set-top box is currently in the testing phase and is expected to launch soon. Airtel Xstream with IPTV connection plan starts at Rs. 599 per month and includes unlimited 30Mbps internet along with access to over 350 live TV channels. Additional benefits include subscriptions to ZEE5, JioHotstar, and access to over 22 OTT apps.