French channels set for HD launch on Fransat

French broadcaster TF1 Group has chosen to launch HD versions of free-to-air channels TMC and NT1 on the Fransat satellite platform.

The channels will be available on satellite in HD ahead of the planned transition of the country’s digital-terrestrial platform to MPEG-4 next year. Fransat already airs 10 digital-terrestrial channels in HD – TF1, France 2, Arte, M6 and the six new channels launched on DTT in December 2012: Chérie, HD1, L’Equipe TV, 6Ter, Numéro23 and RMC Découverte.

The HD services will be available to Fransat customers with DVB-S2 and MPEG-4-capable decoders. TMC airs a mix of scripted content, magazine programmes and general entertainment shows while NT1 broadcasts a mix of reality shows and fiction.