MUMBAI: China's first High Definition broadcast television service is now on air. China Central Television (CCTV), China's largest broadcaster, has launched a channel of sports, movies and other High Def programming using SeaChange International, Inc.'s broadcast digital video systems.

CCTV first deployed SeaChange systems in 2004 to launch its 24-channel Standard Definition television service, which is transmitted globally via satellite. In 2008, CCTV will produce and originate complete Olympics coverage for China and the world, states an official release.

"SeaChange systems are engineered and proven to reduce costs for television operators while offering the most efficient storage system possible," said SeaChange VP Asia Pacific Chris West. "Our customers are diversifying with High Definition and other new output, and taking full advantage of the future-proof path of our flexible systems to grow however necessary. We are very pleased to help yet another customer achieve an industry first."

SeaChange has also collected its second consecutive award for excellence in video storage from the Beijing International Radio, TV and Film Equipment Exhibition. Broadcast MediaLibrary was named an "Outstanding Product" in the prestigious Product, Technology and Application Project Awards at China's top industry gathering recently in Beijing. Employed by broadcasters around the world, Broadcast MediaLibrary provides television operators with hundreds of terabytes of centralized, format-independent media storage, the release adds.