IDTV production reaches 6 million units in Brazil

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

According to its Ministry of Communications (Ministério das Comunicações) Brazil will close the year with six million integrated digital televisions (IDTVs) having been produced. This should increase in 2011 as it will become mandatory for TVs above 26″ to have a digital tuner built-in. This was already a requirement for TVs above 32″ in 2010.

Set-top box prices are also falling. In 2007 the price of a digital TV converter was more than R$1000 (US$600). Converters now average around R$200. IDTVs today cost the same as a converter on its own did three years ago.

Digital broadcasting is available to about 90 million people in 425 cities across Brazil. Full coverage is scheduled for 2016, when the analogue service will be switched off.