YouView loses set-top box supplier

By Andy Clough
published

Technicolor has pulled out of Freeview's YouView internet TV video-on-demand project

Technicolor has pulled out of YouView, Freeview's much-delayed internet TV video-on-demand service.

The set-top box manufacturer was one of seven suppliers involved in the project, along with Humax, Huawei, Pace, Manhattan, Vestel and Cisco.

"We can confirm that Technicolor has decided to withdraw from YouView set-top box development," a YouView spokesman told MediaGuardian. "However, they were one of seven manufacturing partners and YouView remains on track for a consumer launch in early 2012."

The £115m project, which is backed by Channel 5, BT, TalkTalk, ITV, Channel 4 and Arqiva, was originally due to launch in June.

Lord Sugar – yes, he of The Apprentice fame – replaced former Ofcom mandarin Kip Meek as chairman of YouView in March. We'd imagine some employees are worried they might be fired.

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Andy Clough
Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.