03.02.2005 • Euro1080, the first European High Definition Television Group, was officially launched on January 1st 2004.
In the attached document we look back on 2004 and forward to the next three years to come up.
HD2 and HD5
HD2 will be launched June 1st 2005, targeting European households, pubs and
restaurants, but also cinemas and large venues. For each event the possibility will be given to these different target groups, to subscribe them via the Euro1080 Conditional Access Card. The access to HD2 can be free or paid per event. The conditions will vary from event, target group and depending per country. HD2 will only bring major - and mostly LIVE – TOP-events and will be distributed over ASTRA.
HD5 will be launched at the same moment and it will carry demonstration content for retail and households. This content including promotrailers for HD1 and HD2 is meant to give also some instructive and technical information. HD1 will be totally scrambled and will focus totally on prime content. The main program will be broadcasted between 8PM and midnight, and it will be repeated five times the day after.
MPEG4 & guaranteed transmission MPEG2 until January 1st 2008
Euro1080 will be the very first channel, broadcasting HDTV in MPEG 4 format on both HD1 and HD2 from June 2005. Furthermore, the simultaneous MPEG2 transmission on ASTRA is guaranteed until January 1st 2008. In 2004, we managed to meet all the targets that we had entirely under control. For the upcoming months and years, with the development of strategic alliances, the dropping of the prices of HDTV equipment, the development of also non-CE partnerships and so on, Euro1080 is convinced that it will penetrate faster in 2006 and 2007 than anyone wouldhave ever expected.
“ Euro1080 - You ain’t seen nothing yet ! ”
