Technology giant Pace today revealed new details about a set-top box which could give millions of people access to digital TV.

The Saltaire-based firm has set a £99.99 price tag on its digital television adapter - which allows analogue televisions to receive digital services.

The Pace Adapter enables the broadcast of the free digital channels which usually come with cable or satellite packages into non 'pay TV' homes, without the subscription charges.

Pace hopes the 'off-the-shelf' device - details of which were revealed in the Telegraph & Argus last May - will speed up the number of homes joining the digital revolution.

On sale from March 30, the adapter just plugs into the back of any TV set - and gives the user the choice of later upgrading to pay-TV services, without purchasing extra equipment.

Malcolm Miller, chief executive of Pace Micro Technology, said: "This announcement brings us one step closer to the goal of affordable digital TV for all, and in turn cements the UK's global leadership in digital TV take-up as we work towards the target digital switch date of 2006-2010.

"The onus is now on the Government to continue to support industry initiatives by providing clear, unbiased information to the public about Digital TV."

Pace has designed the adapter to work on a building-wide basis, so that one box will convert multiple TVs.

Independent research conducted on behalf of the firm in November, 2001, revealed as many as half the population did not realise that a complete switch to digital was being considered for this decade.

Those findings threw a shadow over the Government's plans to convert the remaining 60 per cent of the population to digital by 2006-2010.

But the company hopes its new product, which is lightweight and can fit in the palm of a hand, will make that goal more achievable.