Russian HDTV

Russians are getting an influx of HDTV offerings.

Platforma HD, the new Russian all-HDTV platform has selected the EUROBIRD(TM) 9 satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) to deliver new HD content across western parts of Russia to the Urals. The new platform was launched in August in order to offer Platforma HD’s first subscribers the Beijing Olympics in HD with the Eurosport HD channel.

They’re using Eurobird 9, formerly Hotbird 2, in the 9 degrees East position, which doesn’t provide optimal coverage (as shown above). Hungarian HDTV, Hello HD, is also on the Eurobird 9, as we blogged a few months ago. But Platforma HD says they’ll be moving it to the 36 degrees East location in 2009. (Incase you read Russian, check it out here…)

This is bad news for people adding an LNB to their dishes in order to receive hundreds of Free-to-Air (FTA) channels from adjacent HOT BIRD at 13 degrees East.

We’re guessing this was all timed to coincide with the IBC show in Amsterdam, considered to be THE NAB show of Europe.

Speaking of Russian programming, Disney just announced that it is making its first Russian film. The movie will be based on some of Russia’s most famous fairy tales and is expected to be released next fall.