from www.broadbandtvnews.com -Penthouse Digital Media Productions, PH Media and Russia’s General Satellite have launched the first pan-European linear adult HD channels.

Penthouse HD1 and Penthouse HD2 are hardcore services and will broadcast to markets where such content is already available (France, Spain and The Netherlands).

Penthouse HD meanwhile offers soft core content and is targeting such markets as Germany and the UK. All three channels are distributed by Eutelsat’s Eurobird 9A at 9 degrees East, which covers Europe and the CIS, and is already used by the Russian Platforma.

PH Media will represent the three channels exclusively in the CIS, while offering the rest of Europe the channels non-exclusively to direct to individual dish owners.

General Satellite will provide middleware and proprietary set-top boxes.