Sun 18 introduces three channels in HD format

Sun18 has announced the HD format launch of three channels - COLORS, CNBCTV18 Prime and History Channel. The three channels will offer 1080i picture with 5.1 Dolby digital sound.

COLORS HD and CNBCTV18 PRIME HD services will be running ad free in the first phase of launch.

Commenting on the move Gaurav Gandhi, chief operating officer, Sun18 North, and head, international business, Viacom18 said, “Sun18 welcomes the addition of the 3 HD channels to its portfolio. High Definition broadcast offers a distinct and superior audio-visual experience to the television viewer and  that coupled with strong content from our network channels like COLORS, CNBC TV18 PRIME and HISTORY make it an extremely compelling consumer proposition.  We believe that over the next few months DTH platforms will expand their HD bouquet and digital cable too will add HD as an additional offering for its consumers. Sun 18 is working with all potential partners to make these three services available PAN India.”

On the new channel CNBCTV18 PRIME, a statement from Sun18 informed, "CNBC-TV18 Prime HD is CNBC-TV18’s new premium business news service, focused on the needs of India’s rapidly expanding investor and financial services community. The PRIME HD service has been designed specifically to target the highly involved business news viewers and investors in the country especially CEO’s, analysts, brokers, investment professionals, fund managers and active retail participants. Fusing the power of broadcast news with the essence of the financial data terminal, PRIME HD will operate on a seamless and unique ‘2 window’ screen architecture, that will offer rich and in-depth live VIDEO and DATA content to viewers simultaneously."

To avail of the HD experience, viewers will need to have an HD TV set and an HD set-top box from the DTH platforms such as Airtel, Dish TV and Videocon and digital cable providers like Hathway.