SVT HD

Infobox TV channel
name = SVT HD
logofile = SVT HD logotype.png logosize = 200px
logoalt =
launch = October 20, 2006
closed date =
picture format =720p (HDTV)
share =
share as of =
share source =
owner = Sveriges Television
slogan =
country = flagcountry|Sweden
broadcast area = flagcountry|Sweden
headquarters =
former names =
replaced names =
sister names = SVT1, SVT2, SVT24 Barnkanalen, Kunskapskanalen, SVT Europa
timeshift names =
web =
terr serv 1 = Digital terrestrial
terr chan 1 =
sat serv 1 = Canal Digital
sat chan 1 =
cable serv 1 = Com Hem
cable chan 1 = Channel 66

SVT HD is a high-definition television channel from Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT). The channel broadcasts high-definition simulcasts of programmes from the other SVT channels, where available.

History

The channel has its origins in "HD-kanalen", a channel set up jointly by SVT and TV4 AB to broadcast the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The channel was transmitted by satellite on Canal Digital and from terrestrial transmitters. When the World Cup ended, the terrestrial frequencies were shut down. "HD-kanalen" continued on satellite, mostly broadcasting test films and promos from SVT HD and an experimental simulcast of "The Marriage of Figaro" in August 2006.

In October 2006, "HD-kanalen" became SVT HD and started simulcasting programmes from the other SVT channels. Its first programme was the feature film "Lost in Translation", broadcast on October 20, followed by SVT's 50th anniversary show "Välkommen på 50-årsfest" which was the first live high-definition programme produced by SVT.

In late 2006 SVT HD broadcast the Swedish dramas "En uppstoppad hund", "Mästerverket", "Snapphanar" and "AK3" and the movies "Girl with a Pearl Earring", "21 Grams" and "House of Sand and Fog". Its first children's programme was the Christmas calendar "LasseMajas Detektivbyrå", its first current affairs programme was "Böglobbyn" and its first documentary was "The Planet" [ [http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=52141&a=662518 Schedule for SVT HD October-December 2006] ] .

SVT HD's first live sports broadcast after the 2006 World Cup was the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007. In early 2007, SVT HD broadcast the BBC series "Planet Earth", the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 and dramas. [ [http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=64884&a=761035 Schedule for SVT HD January-June 2006] ]

Programmes broadcast in summer 2007 included "Bleak House"; "Live Earth"; the 2007 World Championships in Athletics; and "Allsång på Skansen", the first live entertainment programme since the October anniversary show.

Production

SVT Väst, located in Gothenburg, will be the first region to film all productions in high defenition. SVT Väst moved their headquarters from Synvillan in Örgryte to the former Hasselblad headquarters (now coined Kanalhuset) in central Gothenburg. At the same time, new equipment was acquired for high definition productions. [cite press release|title=SVT:s nya Göteborgshus HDTV-utrustas|publisher=Sveriges Television|date=June 12, 2007|url=http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=62259&a=849020|accessdate=2007-06-15]

In September 2008 the SVT studio in Umeå was equipped with HD cameras and started to produce the early evening show "Go'kväll" [http://www.svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=45917&lid=Gokvall&from=menu] and the consumer information show "Plus" [http://www.svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=35426&lid=Plus&from=menu] in high definition.

During 2009 the main television studios in Stockholm will be equipped with high definition cameras.

Distribution

Initially the channel was only available on satellite from Canal Digital, but on December 12, 2006, the cable network Com Hem launched its high-definition service consisting of four channels, including SVT HD.

On May 26, 2007 the channel started broadcasting over the Swedish digital terrestrial television network using MPEG-4 compression. It was only available from the Nacka, Västerås, Uppsala and Södertälje transmitters that also carried TV Finland. [ [http://www.teracom.se/?page=5422&display=8624:13230 Premiär för hdtv i det digitala marknätet] , press release, Teracom]

References

External links

* [http://svt.se/hdtv Official website]
* [http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=10775&a=651155&lid=puff_651156&lpos=lasMer Information in English]