CEA Projects Sales of 3 Million Digital Cable Ready HDTV Sets in 2005; HD Programs Increasing
March 14, 2005
Sarasota, FL - Three million Digital Cable Ready (DCR) sets will be sold factory-to-dealer in 2005, building on the installed base of more than one million sold last year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
"The DTV transition is booming with more than 16 million DTV units sold since introduction," says CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro. But consumers, he insists, need more information to help them better understand the transition phase, and on Thursday, he called upon broadcasters, the cable industry, and all affiliated industries to do more to educate viewers.
"For instance, it's a no-brainer that broadcasters should be promoting DTV on their analog channels. And cable - the industry that by law must create a competitive retail market for cable equipment - must join in promoting Digital Cable Ready sets and the requisite CableCARD. Beyond that, the CableCARD must be made readily available by the cable operator at an affordable cost," said Shapiro.
Shapiro's comments coincide with the increasing amount of television programming being produced in High-Definition. Popular television programs available in HD include: on ABC -- Desperate Housewives, Simple Rules, My Wife & Kids, According to Jim, Less Than Perfect, George Lopez, Blind Justice, Boston Legal, Alias, Hope & Faith; on NBC--American Dreams, Crossing Jordan, Happy Family, Ed, ER, Frasier, Las Vegas, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The West Wing, and Whoopi along with upcoming made-for-TV movies. CBS already has extensive primetime programming in HD as well as their daytime soap opera Young and Restless. Numerous sports programs are available in HD on ESPN HD; movies and entertainment are presented in HD via HBO HD, Discovery HD, and PBS HD, with more HD programming on the way.
On Tuesday, March 15, CEA will host its annual HDTV Summit where industry and government leaders will consider various DTV issues, including ways to better educate consumers, and more. The 10th annual HDTV Summit: The Analog Cut-off: What will it take? What are the opportunities? begins tomorrow at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center.
The event will open with two congressional keynote addresses by the Honorable Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and the Honorable John Ensign (R-NV), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness. A complete conference schedule and registration for the event is available online at www.CE.org/hdtvsummit.
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