Comstar-Direct's Stream service, the largest broadband operator in Moscow, has launched a high-definition TV offering. The soft-launch of Stream's HDTV offering will run till June 1. It currently offers four channels—Discovery HD, MelodyZen, Luxe TV and Voom HD—and a package of ten movies via VOD.

Eutelsat has confirmed that Thales Alenia Space has been commissioned to build the W3B satellite which will provide Eutelsat with significant new capacity for broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband services. These additional resources will enable Eutelsat to support the expansion of existing customers, notably broadcasters now launching their first HDTV channels, and will also bring fresh […]

NDS has announced the deployment of a new version of MediaHighway middleware that allows subscribers to upgrade standard HD boxes into digital video recorders. Subscribers to Canal+ and CanalSat in France can attach an external hard drive via USB on their existing HD set-top box to have a fully functional DVR facility. The MediaHighway middleware […]

Intelsat and SISLink, t provider of satellite uplink services in Europe, have formed a strategic alliance to launch an HD-ready automated video delivery service for satellite newsgathering (SNG) users in the United States. The strategic alliance will offer Intelsat uPod, a fully integrated broadcasting solution that will allow U.S. SNG operators to execute real-time broadcasting […]

Sony’s Blu-ray looks set to become the standard for high-definition DVDs after Toshiba signalled it will give up in a long-running format battle, to the relief of investors. Toshiba is reviewing its HD DVD business and “a complete withdrawal is one of the options it is considering.” The demise of HD DVD could spur sales […]

German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 has opted to halt simulcasting the HD versions of its two main channels, ProSieben and Sat.1, on Astra. No official reason has been given for the termination of the HD broadcasts, but it likely arises from a lack of suitable receivers, the additional costs and the inability to increase advertising revenues […]

The Direct-to-Home (DTH) pay-TV market is expected to continue growing at about 7.6 per cent annually in subscribers from 2006 to 2011, and new services such as HD TV will help increase revenue. Rapid growth in the subscriber base will occur in certain less mature markets like Africa and India, where new DTH providers have […]

Motorola is making up for some of its losses in mobile as it sees a strong boost from sales of set-top boxes for high-definition television services, according to Dan Moloney, head of the company’s set-top box and network equipment unit. “We saw a tremendous increase in demand for set-top boxes in the holiday season and […]

NDS, has announced that Viasat, digital satellite pay-TV operator serving Scandinavia and the Baltic region, has extended its long-standing relationship with NDS for the provision of VideoGuard conditional access. In addition, the companies have made a new agreement whereby NDS is to commence supplying Viasat with MediaHighway middleware, XTV DVR technology, and a customised EPG […]

Filing its response on the deadline for the Ofcom consultation period for upgrading Freeview to HD, the Digital TV Group has said “the regulator's current proposals could seriously compromise DTT's long term viability.” Dermot Nolan, the new director general at the DTG, believes there should be a comprehensive national strategy for HDTV encompassing all TV […]