A set-top box sits between your TV and your content source and turns a signal into what you watch. There are four main kinds in India: a DTH box (a satellite receiver for Tata Play, Airtel, Dish TV or d2h); a streaming device (a Fire TV Stick, Chromecast or Apple TV that plays apps over the internet); an Android TV box (a fuller device for apps and, with a service, live TV); and a free-to-air box (like DD Free Dish, giving free channels with no subscription). The right one depends entirely on how you want to receive your channels.

Match it to your source. If you want live satellite channels, you need the DTH box for that specific service. If you mainly watch OTT apps and have decent internet, a streaming stick is the cheapest, simplest route. If you want both apps and live TV in one device — and have good broadband — an Android TV box suits you. And if you want free channels with no monthly bill, a free-to-air box is the answer. Many homes combine them: a DTH or free-to-air box for live TV plus a streaming stick for apps. Tell us how you watch and we'll point you to the right category.

Often you don't buy it separately. A new DTH connection or an IPTV plan usually includes the set-top box as part of the package (sometimes as a refundable deposit or bundled cost), so buying one on top would be a mistake. Where buying makes sense is for a streaming device to add apps, a replacement for a faulty or old box, an extra box for a second TV, or a free-to-air box. We always check what your provider supplies first, so you don't pay for hardware you'd get anyway.

Match the box to your TV. A 4K box only delivers 4K if you have a 4K television and are watching 4K content — on an HD or Full HD TV it makes no visible difference, so an HD box is fine and cheaper. If you own (or are buying) a 4K TV and want the sharpest picture from 4K channels or apps, then a 4K box is worth it. We match the box's resolution to your actual television so you neither overpay nor bottleneck a good screen. If you're also choosing the TV itself, see our Smart TV Plans page.

Yes. DD Free Dish is India's free satellite TV service: you pay a one-time cost for a compatible set-top box and dish, and then receive around 150 free channels — news, entertainment, and educational content — with no monthly subscription at all. The trade-off is a smaller line-up than paid DTH and no premium or many regional pay channels, but for a budget home, a second TV, or anyone who mainly watches free-to-air content, it's excellent value. Box prices and channel counts here are illustrative and change over time; this is general guidance, and we confirm current options and what your provider supplies before you buy. For the paid satellite route see our DTH Connections page, for streaming see OTT Bundles, and for TV-over-broadband see IPTV Services.