Satellite operators Eutelsat has selected EADS Astrium to deliver its first satellite operating exclusively in Ka-band frequencies. The satellite will form the cornerstone of a major new satellite infrastructure programme designed to expand significantly capacity for consumer broadband services across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, while providing new opportunities for local and regional television markets. […]

Netflix, the world’s largest online movie rental service, and LG Electronics, are joining forces to develop a set-top box for consumers to stream movies and other programming from the Internet to HDTVs – bypassing the need to use a personal computer. The collaboration is expected to deliver a new online home entertainment service via technology […]

China’s Central Television (CCTV) has commenced the launch of its high definition TV services. The service rolled out on 1st January, will first broadcast in Beijing, and then throughout the country over the next few years. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has unveiled the technical standards to receive the HD channels signals. […]

SES Sirius has confirmed that the Sirius 4 communications satellite is now in operation and has taken over all transmissions from Sirius 2 and Sirius 3. Sirius 4 is intended to meet the increased demand for HDTV broadcasts in the Nordic countries, and the needs arising from the large increase in new television channels within […]

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Watching television TV in high definition at 200 kilometers an hour may soon be possible thanks to a mobile telecommunications platform for terminals on the move being developed by Portugal's University of Aveiro. Ten international partners, among institutions, universities and manufacturers, from Belgium, Spain, France, the UK, Portugal, Germany and […]

Manufacturers of high-definition DVD players are slashing prices in the US in an urgent pre-Christmas attempt to break the deadlock between two rival formats. The cost of key manufacturing components for the Sony-supported Blu-ray players and Toshiba's rival HD-DVD hardware will fall below $150 early in 2008, according to analysts at Understanding & Solutions entertainment […]

From Branislav Pekic in Rome Portuguese public broadcaster RTP has started transmitting its first TV channel in high definition for mobile phones. According to the head of the project, Carlos Vargas, this is the first HD mobile project in Portugal and is being conducted in partnership with mobile operator Optimus and Nokia, with the technological […]

LUXE.TV, the first channel entirely dedicated to the world of luxury, called on GlobeCast for its launch on Sky in the United Kingdom. Produced and distributed in HD, LUXE.TV's signal will be uplinked to Sky's bouquet on Eurobird.

According to research from The Diffusion Group, close to one-third of non-HDTV households are interested in purchasing a new HDTV in the next six months – a very encouraging sign for HDTV manufacturers and HD DVD manufacturers. The same research found that the characteristics of these 'HDTV Intenders' vary widely from that of current HDTV […]

Channel 4 has launched a high-definition version of its primary channel on Sky HD. Channel 4 HD will carry the same programmes as Channel 4, but will show the high-definition versions wherever they are available.