Audio Video News

Last week, the Consumer Electronics Association reported that factory-to-dealer sales of digital television (DTV) products posted their fourth consecutive month of growth in November by topping 22,000 units, bringing total year-to-date sales to 97,481. According to these numbers, November's record sales brought total sales since introduction (August 1998) to 110,657.

The CEA reports that actual DTV sales in November were 22,634 units, an increase of 6% over October's sales. This means that fourth-quarter DTV sales have already reached 44,066 units, representing an increase of 67% over total third-quarter sales, and 303% over second-quarter sales, with one month still remaining.

CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro says that "DTV sales have taken off this quarter, pushing sales levels ahead of our projections. There is no question that the future of television is digital. These sales figures show that more and more consumers are realizing DTV's benefits every day." The CEA also states that its projection that DTV product sales since introduction will reach 120,000 units by the end of 1999 appears to be on target. The CEA estimates that sales will reach 600,000 in the year 2000, and projects that the first 10 million sets will be sold by 2003, the next 10 million by 2005, and that 10.8 million sets will be sold in 2006.