Japan Satellite Television (JSTV), the UK-based pay-TV channel for Japanese people living in Europe, has ordered digital set-top-boxes from German manufacturer Galaxis. The Lubeck-based company will immediately begin with producing the boxes in Berlin; the first deliveries are expected later this month. JSTV will close its analogue Astra (19.2 degrees East) feed at the end of this year and continue in digital MPEG-2/DVB with Cryptoworks encryption on Eutelsat’s competing Hot Bird position at 13 degrees East. The Galaxis boxes follow the specifications of the German independent digital alliance FUN: They are equipped with Common Interface slots and the embedded Open TV software system. The boxes will be subsidised for existing subscribers to just pounds150 (Euro 250) including installation and VAT. Meanwhile, JSTV and an accompanying service from NHK Tokyo have started test transmissions within Globecast’s digital package on Hot Bird transponder 94 (12.597 GHz V, SR 27.500, FEC 3/4). The official digital launch will take place in June.