On 1 January 2004, a first HDTV project initialised by the Belgian production company Alfacam started in Europe. The service which is broadcasted via digital channels of the satellite system ASTRA, transmits the moved pictures with 1.080 lines. Thus, the Belgian HDTV pioneers gave their project the name ?Euro 1080? (now HD 1). The programme consists of a ?Main Channel? which at present still can be received freely but which will presumably be broadcasted encrypted from May onwards and an ?Event-Channel? which shall make the transmission of major sporting or cultural events accessible to a closed group of viewers, for example in digital cinemas.
Highlights have already been set with the transmission of, for example, the New Year?s concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra or exclusive games of the German Soccer League. Premiere transmitted on 1 February of this year the Super Bowl, the final of American Football from its venue Houston, USA, in HDTV. Since March 2004, a further HDTV channel exists, Astra HD, but it is not yet constantly on air.
As far as TV production is concerned, the topic High Definition has already grown out of the stadium of experimentation: HD cameras and recorders are a part of the technical standard equipment in modern studios and more and more productions are recorded at the outset in high-resolution technology ? for example the tripartite documentation ?Stalingrad? which has been shot in collaboration with the historian Guido Knopp for the ZDF and which has already been sold to 20 countries.
The big sporting event, the Soccer World Championship 2006 in Germany offers spectacular chances for the European HDTV start on a broad basis Host Broadcast Services (HBS), charged by the football association FIFA with the organisation of the television broadcast of the world championship, has already decided to record the entire tourney with at least 20 HD cameras per game. Up to now, it is still open in which dimension the broadcasting stations in Germany will use this source for HDTV transmission. But also with the nowadays common programmes in standard resolution, the large new flat screen TVs and projectors ? of which many are already prepared for high-resolution ? can of course reasonably be used. Embedded digital switching mechanisms simply convert the signals offered by the programme sources to the finer raster of the screens and take at the same time care of further numerous picture improvements ? for example more intensive colouring, more contrast, less noise and more coherent movements.
Enjoy the future with TechniSat
With the new TechniSat Techni-LCD 32 HD you will know the promise of watching the world championship television broadcast in the quality described above. The device provides you with absolute television enjoyment in a movie format on a 82 cm visible picture. But that is not enough; due to its high resolution of 1280 x 768 (WXGA) / 16.7 million colours you can demonstrate the increase of absolute television enjoyment ? ?HDTV?. The Techni-LCD 32 HD is available in specialised trade at the price of EUR 2,279.99 recommended retail price.
Together with a TechniSat SkyStar 2 TV PCI card (EUR 69.99 recommended retail price), an adequate PC as well as a connection via VGA interface between PC and the TechniSat Techni-LCD 32 you can present already today all advantages of HDTV, for example very sharp outlines, luscious colours and an enormous depth of focus.
About TechniSat Digital GmbH:
The TechniSat group develops and produces, in Germany, products in the home entertainment electronics sector as well as information technology products. The digital cable, satellite and terrestrial Settopboxes and PVR receivers (including models suitable for reception for Pay TV), satellite reception products, TV sets, PC cards and car radios, all reflect the highest technical qualities as well as attractive contemporary design - all Made in Germany.
Product development: TechniSat Digital GmbH in Dresden
Production facilities: i TechniSat Elektronik Thüringen GmbH
Product development: TechniSat Vogtland GmbH
Product development: TechniSat Teledigital AG, Staßfurt/Magdeburg
For additional information, please contact:
Head Quarters:
TechniSat Digital GmbH, TechniPark, D-54550 Daun
Tel. +49 6592/712-600, Fax +49 6592/712-779
export@technisat.com, www.technisat.com
Luxembourg Office:
TechniSat Data Services S.A., MediaCenter Betzdorf
11, rue Pierre Werner, L-6832 Betzdorf/Luxembourg
Tel. +352 710 707-900, Fax +352/710 707-959