Bradford firm Pace Micro Technology has devised a box which could revolutionise how people watch televison.

The set-top box, being shown off at the IBC 1999 media event in Amsterdam, can record live television on a hard disk without needing a video recorder.

It opens up the possibility of technology which can automatically record programmes viewers are likely to enjoy.

Pace engineering director, Tim Fern, said: "If you are watching a live Grand Prix and the telephone rings, you can pause the action. The set-top box streams the event onto the hard disk drive and on returning to your seat, you can begin to watch again from the point at which you paused the race."

The new box has been developed in co-operation with Israel-based NDS. Saltaire-based Pace said it had produced more than 2.5 million set-top boxes for 19 broadcasters.

It has a contract to make 100,000 boxes for North America and has customers in Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Asia.

Pace chief executive Malcolm Miller said: "The digital TV market is moving at a phenomenal rate and Pace is using its technological and manufacturing expertise to ensure that it remains ahead actively shaping its development.

"As we ramp up production for the busy Christmas selling period and beyond into the new millennium, we are confident that we will quickly surpass the three, four and five million marks even faster, as we continue to drive the world-wide digital revolution."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.