Posted by Hotstar Download for PC Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1
Hotstar For PC is free for you. The possibilities presented to us by the internet are endless. The latest development in the entertainment industry is programming on demand. Each viewer has their own preference, and online streaming allows for higher viewership. Hotstar gained momentum and enjoyed mainstream attention after streaming major cricket matches in 2015.
The principal owners of the app, STAR TV, previously uploaded daily episodes of every serial on separate YouTube channels. With long-running shows, managing all those channels was becoming a tedious task. Following the footsteps of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. they developed their own mobile video streaming application.
Hotstar For PC
Over the 3 years of its existence, Hotstar has established a stronghold in their market. Currently offering over 1000 shows on 29 channels alongside live streaming and exclusive material, it is comparatively cheaper than Netflix and more customized. Hotstar is also looking to add News channels and other localized channels to its portfolio in due time.
The Journey
The creators of Hotstar spent almost 5 quarters on building the platform to the best of their ability. A beta version was launched early in 2015 and used to premiere the Star Guild Awards before they were aired on TV. A month later, more than 35000 hours of content in a handful of languages allowed Hotstar to hit the ground running.
From streaming global events such as the Academy Awards and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015, Hotstar was able to gather several millions of views and they never looked back. The increasing popularity of Netflix in the West did not bother STAR TV. They realized by then that a majority of their audience preferred content in local languages and that allowed Hotstar to maintain and capitalize on their base.
Adding more exclusive Bollywood content, they reeled more users towards them and were able to create a protective bubble around them.
Hotstar Channels:
- Star Plus
- Star Jalsha
- Star Vijay
- Star Bharat
- Life OK
- Asianet
- Star Maa
- Star World
- HBO Originals
- SHOWTIME
- Hotstar Originals
- Hotstar Picks
- ABC Studios
- Star Pravah
- Fox Life
- Nat Geo
- Asianet Plus
- Star Suvarna
- Maa Gold
- Star Utsav
- Channel V
- Star Sports 1
- Star Sports 2
- Star Sports Select 2
- Star Sports Tamil 1
- Star Sports Hindi 1
- Star Sports Select HD1
- Star Sports Select HD2
- STAR Sports First
The main reason behind launching the app was to allow viewers to watch their favorite programs on the go, on their mobile devices. However, using laptops and PCs to watch TV has slowly become the norm. Don’t know how to get Hotstar running on your PC? Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
For Windows 10
If you have Windows 10, downloading the Hotstar App is a fairly easy task. Search your Microsoft Store for the “Hotstar” app. Installing directly from the store should download the app on your laptop or PC and you can use it from there.
For Other Windows/OS
If you have any other operating system than Windows 10, or do not want to load the app from the store, you can run Hotstar on your PC exactly as it functions on the smartphone. This does involve downloading third-party software to your PC.
BlueStacks is a well-known Android Emulator software and running it transforms your computer screen into that of a smartphone. Make sure you have larger memory space on your PC so the emulator can run smoothly and streaming doesn’t hang often.
Once BlueStacks is downloaded, download Hotstar as you would on your phone and enjoy viewing what you want!
How it Works
Hotstar primarily generates its income from advertisements but also offers premium service to customers who dislike being interrupted a lot. Like several other online streaming apps and websites, Hotstar provides its services for free for the first month.
Once the free trial month is over, they offer a variety of packages covering different lengths of time. The longer you subscribe, the less you pay. Here is a list of charges with their corresponding periods of time (All amounts are in INR):
- 199 for a Month
- 597 for 3 Months
- 1194 for 6 Months
- 999 for 9 months
- 1200 for a year
Can I Use Hotstar Anywhere?
The short and simple answer would be No.
Hotstar currently works only in India, but with Indians and die-hard Bollywood fans spread all across the globe, they are working on international access. Until then, using proxy servers and VPNs that route from India are the only ways Hotstar can be operated from outside India.
Competitive Advantage
As Hotstar for PC is following suit of its Western counterparts, Netflix and Hulu, it holds a key advantage over all other such services: productions. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. started primarily as streaming services and have recently started experimenting with their own productions. STAR TV, on the other hand, already has several production houses and requires an app for streaming their own content. This provides a significant advantage to them in terms of the learning curve and financing projects. By combining the data gathered from Hotstar regarding the habits and tastes of their viewers, STAR TV can improve the content being put out. This ensures a higher viewership and more subscribers.
Is Hotstar Here to Stay?
With Bollywood being one of the world’s largest film industries, it has a fan base encompassing most of the globe. This ensures customer loyalty, and a constant demand for that entertainment genre remains. Hotstar has identified its target audience and is gradually expanding its content pool.
Therefore, considering the Supply–demand principle, Hotstar has nothing to worry about. The only factor they have to keep an eye out for is global coverage. It is the only way competitors can gain an advantage over them.
Sign up for your month of free trial and decide for yourself!