Antwerp (Belgium), 7th December 2006 • From 2nd January 2007 onwards, all channels of Euro1080, will be broadcast in MPEG4, the new compression standard. HD1 will temporarily remain available in MPEG2 on Astra 23.5°E. In order to facilitate the switch to MPEG4 Euro1080 offers a special MPEG4 compatible set top box promotion at exceptionally low prices to its existing customers.
Euro1080 was the first channel in the world to broadcast HDTV in MPEG4 in August 2005. The quality at that time was not yet perfect enough and receivers were not available. Steadily, Euro1080 improved the quality of HDTV MPEG4 DVBS2 and the company is convinced that the quality is yet better than traditional HD MPEG2 broadcasting.
To keep being ahead of all competition, Euro1080 decided to switch as from 2nd January 2007 all Euro1080’s HDTV channels (HD1, HD2, HD5 and EXQI Culture Channels) to MPEG4 compression standard on Astra 23.5°E, Sirius 5°E, and Eutelsat W3A satellites.
All MPEG2 transmissions will from that day on be discontinued with the exception of HD1 on Astra 23.5°E, which will still be broadcast temporarily simultaneously in MPEG2 and MPEG4. Though the frequencies will remain the same, it is possible that with some types of set top boxes a new scan is required to receive the MPEG4 compressed signal.
MPEG4 Set Top Box Christmas Promotion exceptionally low-priced *
People who already have a registered Euro1080 conditional access card can buy a Humax (HDCI2000) or Topfield (TF7700HSCI) MPEG4 satellite receiver for only EUR 295 (VAT incl.). The Euro1080 adaptor (CAM module) is included in the package.
A complete HDTV Xmas package (MPEG4 compatible set top box + Euro1080 conditional access card + CAM module) is available at EUR 495 (VAT incl.).
Both promotional offers are available at http://shop.euro1080.tv.
The existing Euro1080 conditional access card is fully MPEG4 compatible.
