TIVO'S AMBITION to bring its popular "time-shifting television" system back to Britain has been held back by manufacturing and distribution obstacles, according to its Scottish co-founder.

Mike Ramsay, who relinquished his chief executive post last year but still remains on the board of the Silicon Valley company, told the Sunday Herald that TiVo could return to the UK by having its software embedded into Freeview boxes.

TiVo could issue a licence to a Freeview box manufacturer/distributor for its component and then handle the service aspect itself. But although TiVo has been in "lots of discussions" with potential partners, Ramsay said it had yet to strike a deal.

TiVo originally expanded into the UK, but was forced to pull out after the technology bubble burst and it had to severely tighten its belt. Its efforts were also thwarted when Sky, who had bought a license from TiVo, then opted to use a different technology for its own Sky+ personal video recorder service. Sky still helps TiVo service its 20,000 remaining customers here.

TiVo pioneered the digital video recorder, which allows television viewers to record and organise a personalised programming schedule, skip advertisements and pause and rewind live television.