Royal Philips Electronics announced it has opened the first Authorized Test Center (ATC) in Europe for high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI)-compliant products.

The site ? in Caen, France ? is the third HDMI ATC to be opened worldwide, and will improve global testing capacity and help speed the delivery of HDMI-compliant solutions to market. HDMI technology offers the Connected Consumer superior image quality for next-generation TV. Furthermore, HDMI offers a simple and secure way to connect audio and video equipment and install home theater systems compatible with new HD standards.

According to market analyst firm In-Stat, approximately 3 million TV sets were installed with HDMI connectors in 2004, representing 18 percent market share of the digital TV space. By 2006, the analyst firm expects HDMI to be installed in approximately 20 million TV sets, bumping market share to 42 percent.

The Philips ATC will comply with the rules edited by the HDMI consortium. Additional information on the HDMI ATC operating rules and conditions can be found on the HDMI consortium site: http://www.hdmi.org.