(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 22, 2004 ) Unterföhring/Betzdorf, -- Just six weeks after the first simultaneous broadcast in advertising financed German Free-TV of high-resolution HDTV (High Definition Television) in parallel with conventional digital standard resolution, ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion and SES ASTRA have arranged yet another HDTV/SDTV Simulcast. On 29th and 30th November, "Die Nibelungen – Der Fluch des Drachen“ [The Nibelungen – The Curse of the Dragon], the "TV Event of the Year" on Sat.1, can also be received via ASTRA 19.2° East in the new, high-resolution HDTV standard.

Sat.1 viewers with suitable receiving equipment can experience this epic two-part movie about Siegfried, Brunhild and Princess Kriemhild in crystal-clear picture quality. The visual experience will be completed by Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, providing viewers with true cinema quality in the living room. Technically speaking, the broadcast will be simulcast in parallel to the SD signal, the film being played out in HDCAM SR (1080i/50 Hz) and delivered to an MPEG-2 HD encoder with a data rate of some 1.4 gigabits/s. The DPC (Digital Playout Center) based in Unterföhring, Germany, is responsible for the re-multiplexing, the modulation and uplink of the HD signal and ensures that the signal is DVB-conform. The symbol rate is 22 MS/s. The HD broadcast of "Die Nibelungen – Der Fluch des Drachen“ can be received via ASTRA Transponder No. 31 on frequency 11.671 GHz.

Technical Data:

ASTRA 19.2° East
Transponder 31
Frequency: 11.671 GHz
Polarisation: Horizontal
Symbol Rate: 22 MS/s
FEC: 5/6
Service Name: Sat 1 HD
Service Provider: ProSiebenSat.1

For further information please contact:

Yves Feltes
Senior Manager, Press Relations
Tel 352 710/725-311
Yves.Feltes@ses-astra.com
www.ses-astra.com

Christian Garrels
Communications, ProSiebenSat.1
Produktion
Tel. 49 89/9507-6145
christian.garrels@P7S1Produktion.de
www.hdtvforum.org
ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion (www.P7S1Produktion.de)
DPC (Digital Playout Center) (www.dpc.tv)

Contact Information:
SES ASTRA
Joseph Nchor
Tel:
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