CANAL+ Group and Philips are teaming up to roll out High-Definition Television (HDTV) broadcasting in France.

CANAL+ and Philips will together develop a range of differentiated services and products. This will include the HDTV set-top boxes that will decode HD programs from CANAL+. Philips plans to start delivering the 'HD MediaSat+? in the first half of 2006 to support the HD CANAL+ LE BOUQUET launch, and the 'HD MediaSat+ PVR? (a combination of Set Top Box and Personal Video Recorder) from mid 2006.

Philips recently starred at the CANAL+ Yearly Convention in Paris, showing HDTV pictures to 1200 French consumer electronics dealers. Philips is now demonstrating the superb picture quality of HDTV in 500 French outlets. Equipment includes HD-ready FlatTVs, HD generators, DVP 9000 state-of-the-art DVD players and HDTV set-top boxes showing the CANAL+ HD trailer through the ASTRA satellite.