In a move to reach a wider audience, the BBC HD channel is now available through BBC iPlayer.

The BBC has announced a series of major changes to the BBC iPlayer including offering high definition streams and downloads.

HD TV provides an exceptional viewing experience with up to five times more detail than standard definition television, offering vivid colours and crisp pictures.

The BBC’s HD channel, previously only available through satellite and cable, features a range of programmes from across BBC TV channels. This year the Doctor Who specials, the new series of Dragons’ Den and the BBC’s revival of classic sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin are all due to be major features.

Anthony Rose, Head of Digital Media Technology at the BBC commented that the move: “marks a significant milestone in boosting video quality over BBC iPlayer.”

The iPlayer has been an enormous success with more than 387 million requests to stream or download since its launch in December 2007.

Danielle Naglar, Head of BBC HD, said: “It’s great that we’ve been able to bring the BBC HD channel to the BBC iPlayer family. For some people this will be their first experience of high definition viewing, allowing them to see and hear programmes that they love from the BBC in the very best quality possible.”

Other changes unveiled by the BBC include a new internet speed diagnostics page and the full release of the new BBC iPlayer Desktop, the Adobe-AIR based cross-platform manager that allows Windows, Mac and Linux users to download BBC programmes, including those in HD.