ITV’s high definition television service, ITV HD, launched exclusively on freesat this Saturday, 7th June at 7.15pm.
The first programme on ITV HD was live coverage of the Portugal versus Turkey football match from the Euro 2008 Championships.
Further HD coverage of the Euro 2008 Championships will follow on ITV HD. Both BBC and ITV will be showing Euro 2008 games in HD on freesat.
ITV HD will be available through the ‘red button’.
Viewers with Freesat HD digital boxes or freesat integrated HDTV watching ITV1 will see an on-screen prompt asking them to press the red button to watch in HD. After pressing the red button they will go into the HD service.
To view in HD viewers will need a freesat HD digital box connected to an HD-ready television via an HDMI cable or a freesat integrated HD TV (available soon).
The ITV HD service will be available to freesat homes in England and Wales from launch. It is hoped that SMG (STV / Grampian) and UTV will take the service from ITV at some point in the future.
Later in the year ITV will add top movies and ITV drama premieres to their HD service, alongside other football including Champions League, UEFA Cup, The FA Cup and England Internationals – including 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
