The YouView video IPTV project that recently saw Apprentice Alan Sugar installed as chairman has now seen one of the project’s seven set-top box manufacturers pulling out of the joint venture. The French company Technicolor have unexpectedly and without reason pulled their products.

YouView loses a set-top box manufacturer

Lord Sugar who is currently starring in the UK version of ‘The Apprentice’, was appointed Chairman and took over from previous boss Kip Meek. He was tasked with  the mission to get the project launched by early 2012 after a series of delays.

Originally, the ambitious project that is backed by Channel 5, BT, TalkTalk, ITV, Channel 4 and Arqiva, should have launched in June 2011.

A spokesman for YouView said:- “We can confirm that Technicolor have decided to withdraw from YouView set-top box development. However, they were one of seven manufacturing partners and Youview remains on track for a consumer launch in early 2012.”

The loss of Technicolor still leaves six hardware partners which are Humax, Huawei, Pace, Manhattan, Vestel and Cisco. Lord Sugar has a background of set-top box expertise after Amstrad (his company) supplied boxes for BSkyB.

The service designed as a futureproof upgrade for Freeview and Freesat, needs to get launched soon as rival broadcasters, Sky and Virgin Media are taking the lead with their own IPTV systems.

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