AUSTAR to Use Thomson Hardware, OpenTV Software for New PVR ServicePay-TV provider AUSTAR provides service to regional and rural Australia to around 525,331 subscribers.

According to the company, it will use hardware from French electronics giant, Thomson. Pricing was not disclosed. The box will incorporate a digital terrestrial tuner to receive free-to-air DTT signals, three satellite tuners; a 160GB hard drive; and conditional access technology from Irdeto Access.

It will also have two-way interactive TV capabilities, and will run OpenTV's OpenTV Core middleware and that company's PVR 2.0 software Australia's other major pay-TV provider, Foxtel, also uses OpenTV's middleware and PVR platform.

"In opting for Thomson's PDR, our customers will enjoy the best interactive television experience, watching what they want, when they want," AUSTAR CEO, John Porter, said in a prepared statement.