Kathrein offers HD+ on CI boxes

Pascale Paoli Lebailly ©RapidTVNews | 02-02-2010

German set-top-box manufacturer Kathrein will offer the owners of its HD receiver series UFS 9xx the possibility of receiving SES Astra’s HDTV platform HD+. A software update for the so-called legacy module to enable reception through the conventional common interface slot CI is currently in preparation, the company announced at its headquarters in Bavarian town Rosenheim.

According to Ralf Exler, the director of Kathrein’s development department, the software will be released as soon as the legacy modules become available, which HD+ envisages for May or June. The modules will be sold through an online shop which will be opened at the end of February. The legacy module, which includes 12 month access to the HD+ channels, will cost less than €100. If viewers want to continue reception, they will have to pay €50 per year.

Besides Kathrein, other manufacturers including Humax and TechniSat have announced software updates through which HD receivers currently on the market can be upgraded for HD+ reception using the CI slot. The update ensures that the boxes are capable of meeting the commercial broadcasters’ HD usage restrictions, for example to prevent ad-skipping when watching recorded programmes from the hard-disk.