More than a decade after the first attempt to launch such a service, HDTV is beginning to have an impact in Europe, says a new survey by the research firm Strategy Analytics.
Europeans bought 70,000 HDTV displays in 2003, the report said, and demand is growing rapidly as consumers buy the latest LCD and plasma flat panel displays. By 2008 the analysts predict that 17.4 million homes will have HD-capable TV sets; 2.6 million of these homes will have bought set-top boxes to receive HD broadcasts.
Europe’s first and only HDTV broadcaster, Euro1080, has just launched a satellite-based service offering four hours of programming per day. The report predicts more will soon follow.
The report recommends that consumer electronics manufacturers, programmers and broadcasters establish a European HDTV forum to coordinate standards and avoid unnecessary market fragmentation.
For more information, visit: www.strategyanalytics.com.
