History
The channel has its origins in HD-kanalen, a channel set up jointly by SVT and TV4 AB to broadcast the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The channel was transmitted by satellite on Canal Digital and from terrestrial transmitters. When the World Cup ended, the terrestrial frequencies were shut down. HD-kanalen continued on satellite, mostly broadcasting test films and promos from SVT HD and an experimental simulcast of The Marriage of Figaro in August 2006.
In October 2006, HD-kanalen became SVT HD and started simulcasting programmes from the other SVT channels. Its first programme was the feature film Lost in Translation, broadcast on October 20, followed by SVT's 50th anniversary show Välkommen på 50-årsfest which was the first live high-definition programme produced by SVT.
In late 2006 SVT HD broadcast the Swedish dramas En uppstoppad hund, Mästerverket, Snapphanar and AK3 and the movies Girl with a Pearl Earring, 21 Grams and House of Sand and Fog. Its first children's programme was the Christmas calendar LasseMajas Detektivbyrå, its first current affairs programme was Böglobbyn and its first documentary was The Planet.
SVT HD's first live sports broadcast after the 2006 World Cup was the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007. In early 2007, SVT HD broadcast the BBC series Planet Earth, the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 and dramas.
On May 27, 2007, the channel became available terrestrially in the capital region using spare capacity on the frequency used to transmit TV Finland.
Programmes broadcast in summer 2007 included Bleak House; Live Earth; the 2007 World Championships in Athletics; and Allsång på Skansen, the first live entertainment programme since the October anniversary show.
In the autumn of 2007, SVT HD started simulcasting upscaled programmes from SVT24 in the evening when no high-definition programmes were available. From June 16, 2008, this was changed so SVT HD would simulcast upscaled SVT1 instead.
Read more about this topic: SVT HD
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