Switched Digital Video Will Give Cable Operators a Big HD Boost

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Switched Digital Video (SDV) technologies provide an excellent, long-term approach that is helping cable operators keep up the pace with expanding High Definition TV and super-high-speed data services, reports In-Stat. SDV is a new technology that distributes video more efficiently over cable TV coaxial lines, the high-tech market research firm says. SDV will enable cable operators to better compete with rivals in digital broadcast satellite and telco TV.

“Initial deployments will create a strong market for upgrades, which will become dominant in 2012,” says Gerry Kaufhold, In-Stat analyst. “The strategic key to success for vendors will be winning early deployments, because follow-on upgrades will be lucrative. World-class professional services, staff training, and the ability to remotely monitor and repair SDV installations will be the winning formula.”

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• The market for SDV equipment, software, and services is expected to grow from about US$165 million during 2008, up to more than US$1 billion in 2012.
• North America will be the biggest market, with Asia coming on strong later.
• Large cable TV systems will drive early growth for SDV.
• Medium cable TV systems will become an important segment as early as 2009.
• Even small cable TV systems will turn to SDV in large numbers after 2010.

Recent In-Stat research, Worldwide Switched Digital Video for Cable TV (#IN0803787MBI), covers the worldwide market for SDV. This report is the first to offer a complete “bottoms-up” market model, estimating the annual costs for new and upgraded Switched Digital Video installations, the number of large, medium, and small headends expected to use SDV, and the annual value of the SDV market in four geographic regions. Cable TV operators, equipment vendors, telco TV (IPTV) operators, and satellite services should all purchase this report because they need to see how the market will develop.