Set top box projections......................
Digital Set-Top Box Market Ready to Roll, Says ABI
OYSTER BAY, N.Y., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- A worldwide conversion from
traditional analog broadcasts into clear robust digital images is creating a
windfall for those producing consumer set-top boxes. The global installed
base of digital set-top boxes will reach 252 million units by year-end 2004.
Two key factors driving the demand will be the use of digital set-top boxes by
both DBS and cable subscribers. Growth in terrestrial digital TV decoder
boxes are likely to be significantly slower, according to the findings in
"Digital Set-Top Boxes: World Markets, Architectures and Vendors."
"The digital set-top box is not just at the convergence point between
consumer electronics and computing, but also communications," said ABI analyst
Navin Sabharwal, the author of the report. "Given the media-centric role that
the device will play in the home ABI believes that it will become a
significant enabler to the 'networked home.'"
ABI examines the worldwide market for digital set-top boxes and describes
how the digital set-top box will fit into the emerging "networked home" from
the perspectives of data, audio/video and control applications.
In North America, the number of DBS subscribers is growing robustly and is
projected to hit 28 million by 2004. New DBS subscribers will make for
healthy sales while many existing DBS customers will also upgrade to
second-generation digital boxes, taking advantage of new interactive
offerings. European DBS operators are aggressively seeking to migrate their
current analog subscribers to digital services. Digital DBS will also do well
in other parts of the world that have little or no cable alternative.
By 2001, digital DBS set-top boxes will account for the lion's share of
the market, dropping 29% beyond 2001 as the digital cable set-top box
installed base will grow rapidly from 2001 to 2004. It is estimated that the
cable platforms will account for almost half of all digital set-top box sales
by 2004, according to the report.
The ABI report also forecasts some interesting regional patterns. North
America's share of digital set-top boxes is projected to decline by 21% from
1999 to 2004. Europe and Asia are projected to grow rapidly in terms of
installed base, accounting for half of the installed base.
Allied Business Intelligence, Inc. is an Oyster Bay, NY-based technology
research thinktank publishing strategic research on the broadband, wireless,
electronics, automation, energy and transportation industries. Details of
these studies can be found at alliedworld.com. Or call
516-624-3113 for more info.
SOURCE Allied Business Intelligence, Inc.
Web Site: alliedworld.com
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