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International HD news roundup
Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Allez ciao! Read - Canal Digital launches HD over IP Read - Freeview picks up marketing push Read - Freesat: How we'll compete with Freeview HD Read - iBAHN Launches High Definition with Hilton Hotels Read - Virgin adds new 'Dexter' in HD Read - Du goes HD IPTV in Dubai Read - Free HD From FRANSAT Finds ATLANTIC BIRD 3 Highly Beamable Read - Fox International to simulcast FXHD channel
BBC HD making Scandinavia debut on Canal Digital this December
BBC HD is taking one more step on its road to world domination by making its debut in continental Europe later this year. The channel is set to launch on Nordic pay-TV platform Canal Digital this December in Scandinavia, and it'll be landing alongside the SD stations BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and BBC Entertainment. There's no word yet on whether there will be an additional fee for access to the channel, but believe us when we say it'll be worth it even if so.[Thanks, Mats]
TV Norge HD delivers Norway's first homegrown HD channel October 3
Norway has its first local HD channel is on the way, as TV Norge and Canal Digital have teamed up to deliver TV Norge HD beginning October 3. Norwegian produced content isn't due until '09, in the meantime viewers can live with simulcasts of programs like The Closer, CSI and Rome. Canal Digital previously delivered the European soccer championships and Olympics in HD, and reports over 100,000 HD receivers already installed among Norwegians 1.3 million HDTV owners. NRK, TV2, the ball is in your court.
Poland's Cyfra+ to pick up Eurosport HD
We already knew that Eurosport HD would be making the rounds in various parts of Europe, but now we've got confirmation that the forthcoming high-def version will also be carried in Poland. Cyfra+ (a Polish digital satellite platform) will begin offering the channel as soon as it goes live on May 25th. The network will join Canal+ Film HD, Canal+ Sport HD and National Geographic HD as the only HD stations available on said carrier, though Eurosport HD will purportedly cost around €1.44 ($2.24) per month to enjoy.[Via Broadband TV News]
Eurosport going HD on May 25
Not quite two years after we wondered when HDTV would ever make its way across the pond -- and not even two weeks since we found that barely 5-percent of European HDTV owners even watch HD programming -- along comes news that yet another channel is slated to go high-def in Europe. And for what it's worth, we've all ideas this one will get some attention. Eurosport is getting set to launch an HD simulcast channel on May 25th, just in time for the start of the French Open-Roland Garros tennis Grand Slam. Additionally, viewers can count on seeing content from the Tour de France and the Beijing Olympics, and for folks stuck watching SD, at least that version will be morphing from 4:3 to 16:9. As of now, carriage agreements have been landed on "platforms in Israel, Turkey, Portugal and the Nordic countries, where Canal Digital will deliver the channel."
Canal Digital nixes dedicated HD package, moves channels to affordable Family tier
We're not totally certain if this move is in response to Viasat's recent launch of HD offerings in Europe -- or the simple fact that few Europeans were likely taking advantage of it -- but whatever the case, Canal Digital is reportedly doing away with its pricey dedicated HD package. Thankfully, the seven channels within the plan -- SVT HD, TV4 HD, History Channel HD, Discovery HD, National Geographic HD, Voom HD and Silver HD -- aren't vanishing, as they're simply sliding over to the Family tier and becoming a lot more affordable in one fell swoop. Reportedly, Canal Digital has some 46,000 HD subscribers, but we can't see how that number won't increase now that acquiring these seven just became a whole lot cheaper.
