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More than 1 million German homes are now paying the €50 annual service fee to receive the HD+ high definition satellite platform, with almost 2 million more receiving the HD channels in their 12-month free trial period. At the end of 2012 over 944,000 were paying the fee, more than double the number a year previously.

German pop and rock video channel, Deluxe Music has launched a high definition version as part of the HD+ platform of German HD channels on ASTRA 19.2°E. Deluxe Music HD is the 15th channel to join HD+, alongside Comedy Central HD, DMAX HD, kabel eins HD, N24 HD, Nickelodeon HD, ProSieben HD, RTL HD, RTL II HD, SUPER RTL HD, Sat.1 HD, sixx HD, SPORT1 HD, Tele 5 HD, and Vox HD.

German free-to-view HD satellite platform, HD+ is now received in over 2.8 million households, with more than 760,000 households paying the €50 annual fee after the expiration of their 12-month free trial of the service (an increase of nearly 285% year-on-year).

HD receivers (for HD+ and for Sky Deutschland HD) now make up 50% of all satellite set-top boxes sold in Germany and HD+ expects 1 million fee-paying HD+ viewers by the end of this year.

HD+, the German free-to-view encrypted high definition platform, is now viewed in over 2.6 million homes – more than three times the number receiving the service a year ago. About 2.1 million households are currently enjoying the 12-month free trial period, with over 500,000 paying the €50 HD+ annual service fee. HD+ expects there to be 1 million fee-paying HD+ viewers by the end of this year.

The high definition version of German entertainment channel, Super RTL is launching on May 1st to become the 13th channel on the HD+ platform of free HD channels for German residents. With its established mix of family entertainment series, Super RTL HD will be joining RTL HD and RTL 2 HD, and the other ten channels that make up the HD+ platform on ASTRA 19.2°E – Comedy Central HD, kabel eins HD, N24 HD, Nickelodeon HD, ProSieben HD, Sat.1 HD, sixx HD, SPORT1 HD, Tele 5 HD, and Vox HD

Visit www.hd-plus.de for further information

German manufacturer TechnoTrend Görler has produced a set-top box for use with free-to-air channels, HD+, Sky Deutschland, and HbbTV. The TT-micro S855 is a twin-tuner PVR-ready receiver, capable of displaying/recording two channels at once with external storage, and is equipped with a CI+ interface certified for the HD+ German high definition platform. The box has also been certified for use with CI+ modules for the Sky Deutschland pay-TV platform.

In addition, the TT-micro S855 has a broadband connection built-in and is HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) compliant, supporting Internet browsing and the HD+ SmartTV interactive apps portal.

HD+ and Sky Deutschland broadcast from the ASTRA satellites at 19.2°E.

Visit www.ttgoerler.de for more information

The German free-to-view encrypted high definition platform HD+ is now viewed in over 1.9 million homes two years after the service launched in November 2009. Of the 482,000 viewers who in the first year bought HD+ receivers with 12 months free viewing, HD+ says that nearly 305,500 have paid the €50 fee to continue viewing the HD channels for a further year, and expects the number of fee-paying viewers to reach 1 million by the end of 2012.

Twelve channels broadcast in high definition from ASTRA 19. 2°E in the HD+ platform – Comedy Central, kabel eins, N24, Nickelodeon, Pro7, RTL, RTL2, Sat.1, Sixx, Sport1, Tele5 and VOX .

Visit www.hd-plus.de for more information

The German versions of both international shopping channels, QVC and HSE 24 have started broadcasting in high definition from ASTRA 19.2°E. QVC Deutschland and HSE24 Deutschland now broadcast from ASTRA in all three formats, SD digital, HD digital and analogue.

QVC has also started a catch-up video service of the previous 7 days’ programmes available to HbbTV compatible TVs and set-top boxes with an internet connection. SES ASTRA is a founding member of the HbbTV project.

Visit www.qvc.de and www.hse24.de for further info

With interest in HD TV in Germany boosted last year by big sporting events such as Formula 1 racing, the Olympic Games and the football World Cup broadcast in HD for the first time, research by the German consumer electronics trade association, GFU, suggests that at the end of 2011 there will be 31 million households in Germany able to receive high definition TV.

GFU says that the German market for HD set-top boxes, to receive platforms such as HD+ and Sky Deutschland from the ASTRA 19.2°E satellites, increased by 169% in 2010.

Meanwhile, HD+, the encrypted free-to-air platform delivering Comedy Central, kabel eins, Nickelodeon, Pro7, RTL, RTL2, Sat.1, Sixx, Sport1 and VOX in HD to Germany, has revealed that 66% of viewers have renewed their €50/year service fee for the platform after their initial 12 months free trial, and over 827,000 HD+ receivers have been sold

Visit www.gfu.de or www.HD-plus.de for further info

High definition channels Nickelodeon and Comedy Central have joined the German HD+ platform. HD+ offers encrypted HD channels to DTH homes in Germany from the ASTRA 19.2°E satellites and already carries HD versions of eight channels, kabel eins, Pro7, RTL, RTL2, Sat.1, Sixx, Sport1 and VOX.

Visit www.HD-plus.de for more info