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According to market research firm- In-Stat/MDR's report with its
life-like detail and impressive audio performance, HDTV service
is also exciting TV broadcasters and multichannel service providers.
Available widely, albiet in a few select countries, HDTV service
is being marketed as a premium service that has the potential to
boost incremental monthly revenues for cable and satellite operators.
It also providing terrestrial TV broadcasters with a new weapon
in their fight against pay-TV services.
Currently, just over 4 million worldwide TV households receive
and watch HDTV programming, although most industry insiders expect
that number to climb rapidly over the next few years. Increasing
consumer demand for HDTV service is also driving sales of new consumer
electronics products, such as HDTV sets and HD-capable set top boxes.
However, there are still several market challenges that are reigning
in the growth of HDTV services. These include the need for more
HD programming, lowering the cost of HD equipment, increasing the
availability of HD service, and better educating the public about
the benefits of HDTV, says the report.
According to In-Stat/MDR report:
Total worldwide terrestrial, satellite, and cable TV households
that are watching HD programming on an HDTV set are projected to
rise to almost 6 million by the end of 2004, and ultimately reach
45 million by the end of 2008.
HDTV service remains extremely limited in its reach, with only
four countries offering the service beyond an experimental basis.
These countries are Japan, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
However, a few other countries, mostly in the Asia-Pacific region,
are expected to roll out limited HDTV services in the next year.
Japan is leading the HDTV charge with over two million households
receiving and watching HDTV programming. The US is second with just
over 1.5 million households, say the relase.
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