PC TV tuner market faces myriad of new challenges

SCOTTSDALE, USA: Demand for PC-TV tuners has fallen off from 2008’s level due to the worldwide economic recession, reports In-Stat.

The market also faces fundamental challenges, including slow consumer demand, increased competition from online television and other programming sources, and lower prices due to a shift from hybrid analog/digital tuners to digital-only tuners. One hopeful development is that Microsoft’s Windows 7 and the new version of Media Center will include better connectivity solutions for PC-TV tuners.

“Opportunities for growth will be for hybrid analog/digital tuner manufacturers to increase share by lowering prices, or for new entrants to leapfrog the analog and hybrid segments by aggressively targeting the emerging digital-only segments, albeit with lower margins,” says Gerry Kaufhold, In-Stat analyst. “Overall, selling PC TV tuners is going to be a tougher business going forward.”

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
* 2009 unit shipments will see a net decline of nearly 11 percent. Moderate unit growth will resume in subsequent years, driven nearly exclusively by digital-only tuner shipments.
* Worldwide PC-TV tuner revenue likely peaked in value during 2008, at about $1.4 billion.
* The European region is by far the largest geographic market for PC TV tuners, representing more than 50% of worldwide revenue.
* PC tuner growth in notebooks will significantly outpace other segments, which include desktops, retail sticks, and retail add-in cards.
* ATSC M&H mobile video in the US may create significant upside for digital-only tuners.