Advanced Television

UHD

Toshiba slashes prices to shore up HD DVD

Toshiba announced an aggressive campaign to bolster its HD DVD movie disc format against Sony-backed Blu-ray technology, cutting prices on players to as low as $149.99. The HD DVD camp suffered a serious blow when Warner Bros. Entertainment said it would stop publishing movies on HD DVD in May, to focus on Blu-ray and regular […]

January 16, 2008

Discovery HD for PCCW

Discovery Networks Asia has confirmed the launch of Discovery HD, the company's international high-definition network, on PCCW's now TV platform in Hong Kong effective January 31. The launch of Discovery HD in Hong Kong extends the service to 15 international markets including South Korea, Japan, Canada, Germany, Austria, Ireland, the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark, […]

January 16, 2008

Microsoft anywhere DVR

Microsoft has announced the availability of DVR Anywhere on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform, giving DVR customers the flexibility to watch recorded programmes on any TV in their home. Microsoft Mediaroom’s DVR Anywhere is software-based, so no TV tuners are needed, so playback and multiple recording can take place simultaneously. It also requires that only one […]

January 11, 2008

Ka-band for Eutelsat

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. […]

January 9, 2008

LG and Netflix to stream movies to the TV

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 […]

January 4, 2008

CCTV launches HD

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. […]

January 4, 2008

University creates mobile HD platform

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 […]

December 31, 2007

Sirius 4 satellite now operational

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 […]

December 31, 2007

HD/Blu-Ray price slash

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 […]

December 21, 2007

Portugal's RTP starts mobile HD

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 […]

December 14, 2007