Satellite broadcaster Eutelsat and consumer electronics firm Vestel have announced the first smart television set that utilizes hybrid technology to receive video signals from satellite and broadband simultaneously.
The technology, called Sat.TV connect (stylized as Sat.tv Connect), is targeted at homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa where broadband Internet may not be reliable enough to receive linear TV, and where Eutelsat works with one or more broadcasters to provide their channels over satellite.
Sat.TV Connect allows compatible smart TVs to receive linear channels over satellite, without a set-top box, while a home Internet connection is used for interactive features, such as on-demand video playback or shopping. TVs featuring Sat.TV Connect have access to a robust electronic program guide that offers “now,” “tonight” and “week” views, along with full program listings of shows and movies airing across Eutelsat’s channels.
Eutelsat and Vestel made a joint announcement at the DVB World 2025 show this week to unveil the first smart TV with Sat.TV integration, which will be sold throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa under the Vestel and Telefunken brand names later this year.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to bring the Sat.TV service directly into Vestel’s Connected TV,” Jean-Luc Deroudilhe, the Senior Vice President of Advanced TV Services at Eutelsat, said in a statement. “With native support for DVB-I and Hbb TV, users can enjoy a very large choice of free satellite channels with a truly enhanced experience and without the need for an external set-top box.”
“Our strategic partnership with Eutelsat to integrate Sat.tv into Vestel Smart TVs reinforces our commitment to innovation,” said Atınç Öğüt, the Deputy General Manager of Vestel Consumer Electronics Product Management. “By pioneering native support for DVB-I, Vestel is not only enhancing the viewing experience, but also shaping the future of television. We are proud to deliver a seamless, future-proof solution that brings greater accessibility, convenience and enriched content to audiences worldwide.”
In addition to its own brand and Telefunken, Vestel manufactures TVs sold under the JVC, Polaroid, Toshiba and Panasonic brands through licensing agreements with those companies. Its TVs use a number of different operating systems, including Android TV, TiVo OS and
