Digital Signal Trend Brightens Up Market Outlook of Set Top Boxes

The Market Intelligence Center (MIC) of the government-backed Institute for Information Industry (III), which tracks the information/communication technology market, estimated 2010 shipments of set top boxes to reach 198 million systems worldwide thanks to the trend of converting analog signals into digital signals.

The MIC data show that beginning 2010 several European Union state members including Spain, Britain, France and Belgium will intensively convert analog signals to digital signals, making Europe the most attractive market for Taiwan`s suppliers of set top boxes.

Also, the same tallies show that there are close to 480 million cable TV subscribers worldwide now, with 150 million of which receiving the telecasting packed in digital signals. The DIC estimated over the next two to three years mainland China will accelerate digitization of its telecasting, creating a demand for over 37 million set top boxes in 2010.

Institutional investors estimated that Japan and South Korea will stop sending analog TV signals in 2010; the United States, Taiwan and France will stop the transmission in 2010 to 2011; and Britain, Italy, Portugal and mainland China no later than 2015.

Chairman JC Hung of set top box maker Sandmartin Group pointed out that regardless of the financial crisis, which has plagued the world economy, set top box is one of the few industries that still maintain growth. He estimated the global market for the box to begin taking off in 2010 and grow at annual rate of 5-10 percent in the next three years.

Prime Electronics & Satellites Inc, another leading set top box maker in Taiwan, also estimated market for the digital signal receivers to trend upward in the next few years.

Source: CENS