SES Astra Sets HDTV Specs, Timetable For Launch
By Staff Writer | June 21, 2004
Officials from SES Astra, an SES Global company, said the company, together with more than 60 of its European broadcast customers, hardware manufacturers and other industry partners, agreed on the technical aspects and the timetable for the introduction of high definition television (HDTV) services in Europe via the Astra satellite system. New specifications include HDTV-ready displays of a minimum of 720 lines vertical resolution; scan formats of 720P50 and 1080i25 for HDTV; and standard interfaces for peripheral equipment. Rollouts could begin sometime this year.