Zapping Brazil: learn more about TV operator that promises “delay-free” streaming | TC Detective

In October 2022, the statement was released that the Chilean operator Zapping had purchased the Brazilian Guigo TV, with a forecast of changing the brand for operations in the future.

Now the Detective TudoCelular discovered that the streaming TV provider is already being tested in the country, although the old platform is still active. This column found out and got first-hand information for you.

Despite not being available for marketing plans in the country, Zapping Brasil can already be consumed by eligible customers of Vero Internet, a provider that operates in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná and Santa Catarina.

On the official website, you can check some information. Among them, the name of one of the most basic plans, Lite Plus. This contains open channels such as SBT, Record, Band, Cultura, RedeTV! and Record News, in addition to public stations – TV Brasil, TV Brasil 2, TV Câmara and TV Senado –, religious and specialized in agribusiness.

There is still an area of ​​ISPs, focused on attracting providers that want to be partners to offer the service to their customers, with the strategy of not requiring extra investments in infrastructure and equipment.

Here, other information appears: agreements with Globo and Disney/ESPN to have their channels on the grid. Zapping still ranks as the only independent streaming operator to have such contracts.

In addition to the web page, there are already apps on Smart TVs and connected devices. These are the cases of Tizen operating system stores – on Samsung televisions – and Roku OS – on Roku branded devices.

In both cases, the description appears in Portuguese, although the screenshots point to the Spanish version of the streaming service.

Impact on social networks

When researching Zapping on social networks, it is possible to find some posts from users with access through Vero Internet, which deliver some of the features present in the operator.

One of the internet users even highlights a “Turbo Mode”, which would allow checking the streaming channels “without delay”. See some examples in the publications below.

We decided to contact the company for confirmation of the reports and findings made by this column. Zapping responded to Detective TC and allowed us to test the platform, to have direct knowledge about it.

According to the operator, the arrival in Brazil is in preparation. In addition, there are a number of features that the company will offer users. Among them are the Replay Mode, to watch up to 7 days retroactively – similar to Claro’s Replay TV, for example –; and PiP (Picture in Picture), to play in the background on a cell phone screen.

Zapping even offers HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), which makes it possible to have high image quality using less internet bandwidth. We saw that the option can be checked in the side menu, in the mobile app, or in the “Advanced” tab of the top menu, in the TV app.

Turbo Mode was also confirmed by Zapping to Detetive TudoCelular. The purpose of this tool is to reduce the delay in the transmission of sporting events, so that you don’t hear the scream of your neighbors before you see it on your TV. It doesn’t reset the delay, but reduces it to between 5 and 10 seconds.

According to the company, this mode works by optimizing live transmission processes. In practice, the operator divides the content into small packets of information, sent in less time to the streaming platform.

“Turbo Mode is one of the features we are most excited to release. It is super special, especially for those who like sports, as it solves one of the main problems of streaming, which is the delay in transmitting content. It is with this functionality that the Zappiners will be able to celebrate the goal of their favorite team before all the neighbors. It was built from the optimization of live transmission processes, dividing the content into small packages of information that are sent in record time from the stadium to the home of those who are connected to the Zapping screens.”

Zapping Brazil

The company adds that the technology is not the same used by Guigo TV itself, in the so-called ultra-fast streaming – which was even tested by this space –, for the transmission of Paulistão in 2022.

“This is a new technology, created exclusively by our team, and it is different from the technology used by Guigo TV in Paulistão in 2022. The functionality is available on sports channels and special broadcasts and can be activated easily through the application interface. ”

Detective TC even tried Zapping to see how it works in practice. Both the mobile app and the version for TVs and Roku work very smoothly and quickly. Changing channels can be done by gestures on the smartphone or by numbers or channel selector on television – as if it were normally on open TV.

The look was also intuitive when accessing it through the browser, on PCs. Zapping offers the possibility to change channels, access the list or enter and exit full screen through keyboard shortcuts. However, on the desktop player, we couldn’t find the menus that activate special features like HEVC and Turbo Mode.

Images: Rafael Barbosa / TudoCelular.com

Speaking of features, a brief speed test we did showed that data consumption drops from 5-8 Mbps to 3 Mbps with the use of the special codec. A satisfactory function for those who want to watch TV on their smartphone with mobile data.

Turbo Mode delivers what it promises. We had a delay of 6 to 15 seconds, depending on the broadcaster and the medium used. A positive point is that the TV app seems to be more optimized to run the tool and have less delay than the mobile app.

Images: Rafael Barbosa / TudoCelular.com

The list of channels in our test does not only include open, public, religious and agribusiness stations. We also saw in the grid options such as ESPN channels (ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3 and ESPN Extra) and BandSports, among sports; CNN Brasil, BandNews TV and Record News, for news; the children’s Disney Channel; and the ethnic BBC World News, DW Deutsch and DW Español.

Even, in the case of sports broadcasts, there is an interactive menu in the app for televisions, which shows additional information, such as game statistics, championship rankings displayed and lineups.

Asked about the launch forecast in Brazil, Zapping did not disclose a date to start selling the plans to consumers, but confirmed availability to Vero Internet customers.

To TudoCelular, the operator also declared that it has a contract with Globo and Disney/ESPN channels, to offer a wide variety of programming. In addition, he added that the operation is completely legal.

Zapping Brasil added that Guigo TV will continue to operate until the new platform is available for subscription. As for current Guigo customers, they will be advised by the service’s official means of communication about how to hire Zapping, when it is launched in Brazil.

What are your expectations for the launch of Zapping in Brazil? What do you think of the features it offers? Tell us in the space provided for comments.