Audio Video News

According to statistics released last week, factory-to-dealer sales of digital television (DTV) products closed out the year by posting a fifth consecutive month of growth in December. Numbers released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) indicate that DTV sales last month surpassed 23,000 units, bringing sales figures for 1999 to 121,226, and total sales since the introduction of DTV (in August 1998) to 134,402.

CEA also stated that DTV sales in December increased by 5% over November's sales, to a one-month record of 23,745 units. Total fourth-quarter DTV sales equaled 67,811 units, representing a 157% increase over third-quarter sales and a 467% increase over second-quarter sales.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA, states that "there can be no denying that DTV is the future of television. These sales figures show that consumer interest in DTV is growing every day. In 1999, DTV became a retail reality. In 2000, expanded programming will be necessary to exponentially grow sales. We are thrilled at this prospect, and encourage everyone in this industry, from manufacturers to broadcasters, to help us continue the DTV momentum."

CEA projects that the first 10 million DTV units will be sold by 2003, the next 10 million in 2004 and 2005, and that 10.8 million will be sold in 2006.