7 in 10 Buyers Say Their Next TV Will Be DCR-HDTV
April 07, 2005
Sarasota, FL - Seven in 10 consumers plan to purchase a digital cable-ready (DCR) high-definition television (HDTV) as their next TV, according to data released on Monday by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
The figure was announced by CEA at the National Show, the annual cable industry conference being held this week in San Francisco, where CEA is also showcasing a sampling of the many digital cable-ready products now available to consumers.
The new DCR high-definition sets, which provide access to digital HDTV programming and other premium channels without a set-top box, are favored by 71% of U. S. consumers, according to a random telephone survey conducted earlier this year by CEA Market Research. These "plug-and-play" products are now available through retailers nationwide.
CEA is showcasing a variety of DCR products at the National Show including plasma and rear-projection displays as part of the association’s campaign to urge the cable industry to support and promote the CableCARD, the security device consumers must obtain from their cable provider to view HD and premium programming on DCR products.
"It's the beginning of the end for the DTV transition," said CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro, "and with 70% of U.S. households relying on cable for their primary TV signal, support from the cable industry for these plug-and-play sets is paramount. He added that the cable industry "must join the consumer electronics industry in promoting digital cable-ready sets and the necessary CableCARD. Beyond that, the CableCARD must be made readily available to consumers by cable operators at an affordable cost."
CEA also announced that three million digital cable-ready HDTVs are expected to be sold in 2005, building upon the installed base of more than one million sold in the second half of 2004, when DCR sets were introduced.
Product introduction followed years of negotiations between the consumer electronics and cable industries on the digital cable "plug-and-play" agreement that was approved by the FCC in September 2003.
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry through technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels.
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