Over Half U.S. Households Own Digital TVs

The Consumer Electronics Association says that over half of U.S. households already own digital televisions - good thing, since analog TV is scheduled to be switched off in just over a year.

New research from the Consumer Electronics Association finds that over 50 percent of U.S. households currently own digital televisions. Furthermore, the CEA sees strong growth in the digital television market in the next year as the United States prepared to turn off analog television broadcasts on February 17, 2009. For 2007, the association believes the industry saw an 11 percent growth in revenue; for 2008, the association predicts a 13 percent growth in revenue and an overall 17 percent unit sales growth.

“I am proud to announce our nation has hit this digital milestone. With 50 percent of U.S. homes able to experience the reality of digital television, we have crossed a critical threshold,” said Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO, in a statement.

The CEA forecasts 32 million digital TV sets will be sold next year in the United States, with 79 percent of those systems being high-definition sets.

In the meantime, industry watchers expect sales of digital television converter boxes—devices which enable old-style analog televisions to access digital TV by (essentially) adding an external digital tuner) to lag until the digital television transition is imminent. Beginning January 1, 2008, the federal government will launch a coupon program through which all U.S. households can receive up to two $40 coupons towards the purchase of digital television converter systems.