MONTEREY, Calif., Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Announced today by SNL Kagan, a division within S&P Capital IQ and SNL, global set-top box (STB) shipments maintained elevated levels in 2015, buoyed by demand in emerging market such as China and India. Worldwide STB shipments are on track to reach 253.1 million in 2015, up marginally from 248.6 million in 2014, as the global multichannel market swelled to an estimated 959 million subscribers, according to SNL Kagan estimates for global volumes.

Highlights from the SNL Kagan report:


    --  Worldwide cable STB unit shipments are forecast to reach almost 75
        million units in 2015, roughly the same total that shipped in 2014. With
        many of the world's largest cable TV markets approaching saturation, or
        experiencing increasing competition from other pay TV platforms, demand
        for cable STBs is expected to be flat in the near-term.
    --  Satellite STB unit shipments continue to be the largest market segment,
        on track to account for 47% of all global STB unit shipments in 2015.
    --  The market for IP (Internet Protocol) STBs is also projected to remain
        relatively flat over the next few years, as growing demand for IP STBs
        in Europe and Asia is offset by declining demand in North America.
    --  Shipments of DVR (Digital Video Recorder)-enabled STB products trended
        lower in 2015. Select service providers are reducing their DVR product
        purchases due to cost concerns, and other are introducing cloud DVR
        services, which can obviate the need for an installed DVR-enabled STB.
    --  HD (High Definition)-enabled STBs are forecast to account for 76% of all
        global STB unit shipments in 2015, which means there are still more than
        60 million SD STBs shipped.
    --  Despite higher volumes, product revenues are forecast to also continue
        decreasing. By 2019, STB product revenues are projected to be $14.55
        billion, down from $17.50 billion at year-end 2015.

About SNL Kagan

SNL Kagan, a division of S&P Capital IQ and SNL, is a comprehensive resource for financial intelligence in the media and communications sector, including the broadcasting, cable, entertainment, motion picture, telecom, wireless, satellite, publishing, new-media industries and media technologies. The SNL Kagan suite of products integrates breaking news, comprehensive data and expert analysis into an electronic database available online and updated around the clock. For more information, visit www.snlkagan.com.

About S&P Capital IQ and SNL

S&P Capital IQ and SNL Financial, a business unit of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), is a leading provider of financial and industry data, research, news and analytics to investment professionals, government agencies, corporations, and universities worldwide. The newly combined firm integrates news, comprehensive market and sector-specific data and analytics into a variety of tools to help track performance, generate alpha, identify investment ideas, understand competitive and industry dynamics, perform valuation and assess credit risk.

For more information, visit www.spcapitaliq.com or www.snl.com.

Copyright © 2015 by S&P Capital IQ. All rights reserved. The information contained in this Press Release and any referenced reports are for information purposes only. S&P Capital IQ Parties assume no obligation to update the information contained herein or in any referenced reports ("Content") following publication in any form or format. The Content is provided on an "as is" basis.

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SOURCE S&P Capital IQ and SNL