Set-top sales on the wane; PVR features on the rise
In-Stat/MDR reports that for the first time since they were introduced in 1996, digital set-top boxes are experiencing falling revenue, with shipments forecasted to drop by 30 percent in 2002:
Posted by Mitch Ratcliffe at November 25, 2002 01:39 PM | TrackBack
Worldwide digital cable set top box unit shipments are forecasted to drop 30% in 2002, from 14.4 million unit shipments in 2001, to just over 10.1 million in 2002.
However, the slumping market has not significantly affected the introduction of new products. "Even with a shrinking market and increasing competition from new manufacturers, most leading cable set top box manufacturers are continuing to develop new digital cable set top box products," says Mike Paxton, a Senior Analyst with In-Stat/MDR. "Two of these new types of boxes, the PVR-enabled cable set top box and the high- definition cable set top box, are experiencing strong demand as some cable operators continue to expand the availability of advanced interactive cable services."