With a 10-hour time difference between Finland and western Canada and most events taking place overnight Finnish time, HD digital decoders with hard discs for recording have been selling particularly well. Certain cable and satellite broadcasters are offering HD broadcasts of the Vancouver Olympics.
Kari Ikola of the Expert electronics store in Hakaniemi in Helsinki says that there is always a surge in television sales shortly before major sports events.
“We have sold out our recording HD decoders. Now we are waiting to see if we can get more of them before the Olympics,” says Sami Vepsäläinen of the OnOff store in Tammisto.
HD Broadcasts on Satellite and Cable
YLE’s Olympic coverage will be in the standard formats, but HD broadcasts will be available on certain satellite channels, and through cable networks with whom YLE has signed a cooperation agreement.
At present, only about two per cent of Finnish households subscribe to high definition channels. About half of homes have televisions capable of receiving HD broadcasts, but most still lack decoders suited for the purpose.
YLE begins its Olympic broadcasts on Friday evening, Feb. 12.