Luxembourg-based M7 Group, owner of the Skylink DTH platform, has started test transmissions of a new DTH bouquet aimed at Hungary.
The M7 Group has fired up a new transponder for distribution of Nat Geo HD and Nat Geo Wild HD on the Astra position at 23.5 degrees East, which was previously used by the now defunct Bulgarian DTH platform Satellite BG.
The group is now also using the transponder for test transmissions of a large number of Hungarian TV channels encrypted in Irdeto. The list counts 22 TV channels, including both public and private broadcasters and three radio stations.
In addition, the broadcaster has put up a further 16 virtual channels consisting of international broadcasters including Eurosport HD, History HD, Nickelodeon TV Paprika, Disney Channel, Minimax, Duck TV, MGM, Viasat Explorer, Viasat History, Viasat Nature, JimJam, AXN, Filmbox HD, and Spectrum HD.
The appearance of the channels was first noted by the Czech Parabola website, which has full details of the transponders now in pilot phase. M7’s Jaromír Glisník told the website that the virtual channels are there to provide a Hungarian language EPG. With regards to a future possible Hungarian DTH service, he said that this is “a long term option” of which he could not disclose any details.
The M7 Group currently owns and operates DTH platforms in The Netherlands (Canaal Digitaal), Belgium (TV Vlaanderen and Telesat), Austria (Austria HD), and Skylink for Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
