According to ABI Research, shipments of set-top boxes (STB) are expected to peak this year, at least in mature markets, and then commence a gradual decline.
However the rolling series of analog TV shutoffs in countries around the world, combined with the strong uptake of high-definition (HD) TV sets, mean that HD STBs will form a growing fraction of the total market.
HD STBs are expected to account for about 30% of all STB shipments as soon as 2010, accompanied by a progressive movement from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 for content delivery.
