High-definition televisions are predicted to outsell analog television sets this year, according to a forecast released last week at the 2006 International CES Show in Las Vegas.
The Consumer Electronics Association projections show that HDTV sets will outsell analog sets by 89 percent in 2006. Total unit sales will hit 15.9 million and will generate more than $23 billion in total DTV revenue.
CEA also reported that DTV sales grew 60 percent to $17 billion in 2005. The association pointed to the growing popularity and falling prices of LCD and plasma flat panels as major factors. Combined, they accounted for 40 percent of all DTV sales by dollar. Analog and digital LCD TVs combined for $3 billion and 4 million units. Plasma TVs sold nearly 2 million units for a total of $4 billion in sales.
According to association president and CEO, legislation mandating a hard cut-off date for analog broadcasts will drive HDTV sales even higher.
