BSkyB has taken another significant step toward its launch of High-Definition TV (HDTV) services in the United Kingdom. It announced that it is working with Thomson as the initial Set-Top Box (STB) manufacturer for its HDTV service. The deal is a major boost for Thomson. The Sky HDTV box will also feature a similar PVR (Personal Video Recorder) capability to the existing Sky+ box.

Speaking at the DVB World conference in Dublin, Ireland, BSkyB COO Richard Freudenstein also confirmed that BSkyB was still on track to launch HDTV services in 2006. He also commented, “Innovation and technology leadership are at the core of the Sky brand. By introducing HDTV, our ambition is to raise the bar again. We want to re-affirm that the digital satellite platform is the home of the highest-quality viewing experience available.”