[0] Digital Settop Box and Service Sales to Exceed $54 Billion by 2004.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2001

MindBranch, Inc., the world's leading provider of high-value market research, in conjunction with MRG (Multimedia Research Group, Inc.) announced today the release of a new study, Home Gateway Report: Worldwide Digital Settop, Service and Server Analysis & Forecast -- 2001-2004. Based on Return-on-Investment Analyses, the report predicts that by the year 2004 the growth of STBs (Settop Boxes) alone will exceed $11.5 billion in annual sales, while the growth of related digital services such as Electronic Program Guides (EPG), Video-on-Demand (VOD), Interactive TV (ITV), and Enhanced TV (ETV), should exceed $11 billion annually. This will result in combined revenues of $54 billion for the digital services industry by the year 2004.

Today's advanced PC and communications technologies, combined with open STB architectures, have created an industry that shifts power into the hands of the consumer. "STBs will become more like cell phones insofar as they can come in a variety of flavors, configurations, and prices," says analyst Chris Schwafel of MRG, Inc. "They can satisfy the increasing demand for more personalized, customized services."

In an easy-to-read, versatile format, the 325-page report separates the worldwide market into six geographic regions and three categories: satellite, terrestrial, and digital cable -- providing insight into international as well as local STB markets. Through Return-on-Investment findings, the report outlines the future of digital cable and profitability over digital satellite by using TS / VOD (Time-Shifted VOD) and unused bandwidth.

A total of 40 home gateway companies in five key sectors are profiled based on results from both a consumer survey and supplier survey. Suppliers include: Broadcom Corporation, C-Cube Microsystems, Inc., CacheVision, Inc., Intel Architecture Group/Home Products Group, Motorola, National Semiconductor Corporation, Philips/TriMedia, SandCraft, Inc., SCM Microsystems, Inc., Hughes, Network Systems, Pace Micro Technology PLC, Panasonic Technologies, Inc., Pioneer Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics NV, Scientific Atlanta, Inc., Sony Corporation, Thomson Multimedia S.A., Advanced Digital Broadcast, ReplayTV, Inc., Cisco, iMagicTV, Inc., Liberate Technologies, Inc., Metabyte Networks, Inc., Microsoft TV, NDS Group PLC, OpenTV, Inc., PowerTV, Inc., Sun Microsystems, Inc., Wind River Systems, Inc., Gemstar - TV Guide International, Inc., National Broadcasting Company, Inc., RespondTV, Inc., The Weather Channel, Wink Communications, Inc., Concurrent Computer Corporation, DIVA Systems Corporation, nCube Corporation, SeaChange Corporation, WebTV Networks, Worldgate Communications, Inc., and AOLTV.

For further information on this report, including a full table of contents, list of exhibits, and description information, please visit http://www.mindbranch.com/find/title.php3?&code=R190-009.

MindBranch, Inc., is an authorized marketing agent for more than 250 technical publishers and consulting firms worldwide. For information regarding this report or to place an order for this study, please contact the communications team at 800/774-4410 or 413/664-6185 if calling from outside the United States. Or e-mail [e-mail] today.