Amstrad to make Sky+

["Kenneth Watt" <kwatt@xxxxxxx>]

Amstrad to make Sky+
AMSTRAD has signed two separate manufacture and supply agreements with Sky.

Under the terms of the deal, Amstrad will supply Sky+ set top boxes, while
the second deal will see it supply a new Sky-branded combined keyboard and
remote control.

The Sky+ deal brings to end Pace Micro Technology's exclusivity of a
contract to supply the digital satellite broadcaster with the premium
set-top boxes.

Amstrad points out that these two agreements are in addition to its ongoing
supply of standard digiboxes to Sky.

The Amstrad Sky + box will join the existing product towards the end of the
2003 calendar year.

Sky+, which first launched in September 2001, Sky+ gives subscribers
greater
flexibility and control over how and when they watch TV.

It utilises a dual-tuner and hard drive enabling viewers to record one
channel while watching another at the touch of a button, store up to 20
hours of programmes on the Sky+ planner without video tapes, automatically
record all new episodes of a series, and pause or rewind live TV.

Meanwhile, Amstrad said that the new combined keyboard and remote control,
which will be known as the Sky Navigator, will be sold as an upgrade option
as part of Sky's new accessory range.

The accessory range is a line of 11 Sky-branded products which will soon be
available in more than 3,000 retail outlets across the UK and Ireland.
First
shipments of the Sky Navigator are scheduled for the second half of 2003.

According to Amstrad, digital satellite viewers will be able to use the Sky
Navigator in conjunction with all standard digiboxes as well as Sky+.

It will combine all the existing key functions from the standard Sky remote
control and Sky+ remote, as well as QWERTY and numeric keypad functions.

Simon Sugar, Amstrad's commercial director, said: "As Sky's first and
therefore longest serving set top box supplier, Amstrad welcomes this
opportunity to become a key Sky supplier of the Sky + set top box, Sky's
premium product.

"Sky has chosen Amstrad for its long standing experience in set-top
box
manufacture and its proven reliability and efficiency.

"Sky and Amstrad have been pioneering partners in this industry for
the past
14 years and we at Amstrad place great importance on the successful
continuation of this relationship."

Brian Sullivan, Sky's director of new product development, added: "We
are
excited that a valued manufacturer such as Amstrad is entering the PVR
market as a partner for Sky+."

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Apologies for the cross-post ;)

K.