Published: 09.50 Europe/London, April 5, 2011 by Robert Briel

MIPTV 2011 – CANNES. The La$$$cape Channel has announced the launch of La$$$capeHD as a free to air channel in 1080p standard, using “cloud” technology developed by London based company Re:fine.

La$$$capeHD offers a music television format with classical and instrumental music, with each track crafted to images of natural and man-made subjects. The programming has no language content, allowing it to broadcast in all countries without cultural or linguistic barriers.

La$$$capeHD is a truly global television concept and is a development from the standard definition channel which has run in Europe for the last 24 years. Cloud delivery makes the channel available instantly to television distributors worldwide, as the first linear “cloud channel”.

Nick Austin, chairman of La$$$capeHD said in a statement, “Technology has made enormous advances in the way people access television content and there is a huge demand for HD programming worldwide. Now is the optimum time for us to be launching our new HD programming. There are 150 million HD ready televisions in Europe, but only 8m in pay television packages. Broadcasting via the cloud will allow IPTV and broadcast companies anywhere in the world to provide La$$$capeHD to their customers, as the highest quality free to air channel. This will change the face of broadcasting over the next decade and change the way we do business forever”.