Saltaire set top box maker Pace has signed a deal to help media mogul Rupert Murdoch's expand his global TV empire.

The Salts Mill company is providing a "substantial" number of boxes to Sky Italia, the new Italian satel-lite broadcaster.

The TV company is 80 per cent owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and 20 per cent by Telecom Italia.

Mr Murdoch's News Corp operation already owns interests in Britain through BSKYB, Fox Television in the US and the massive Star network across Asia.

Pace is expected to begin deliveries in the summer to support the launch of the new Italian service which will offer viewers more than 100 channels.

Pace Micro Technology is a leader in digital television technology.

The Company's primary focus is in the development of what is calls 'innovative home gateway' (set-top box) solutions for operators, broadcasters and telecom companies.

The latest deal comes on the back of the company signing a deal to supply set-top boxes for the largest commercial TV operator in Northern Europe.

The deal with Viasat will see it use Pace's set-top boxes to provide pay-per-view TV across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.