Shaanxi Consolidates DTV Set-top Box Development
China Securities Net, 6/03/09
A performance report and founding ceremony were respectively held on June 2 in Xi'an for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT)'s cable television applications technology research laboratory, which is operated in cooperation with Shaanxi Broadcast & TV Network Intermediary (600831.SH). The joint research laboratory established by Shaanxi Broadcast & TV Network Intermediary has thus far researched, developed, and manufactured 500,000 unified-solution set-top boxes (STBs), with plans to increase production to 3 mln such STBs within the next 3 years.
Wang Xiaojie, director of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT)'s Science and Technology Department, stated that nearly 50 mln households nationwide have completed digital cable television conversion.
Editor's Note: Shaanxi started conversion of its cable TV networks to digital in 2006, converting a total of 1.1 mln households by the end of 2008. However, in use among these users, there are already 12 different models of DTV set-top box from 8 different brands, with 7 different chip solutions, creating significant challenges in further development, provision of warranty and repair service, uniform management, and technology support. The new research laboratory is expected to help address these problems by providing unified platforms, applications, warranty and repair, and management.
Keywords: consolidation statistics 600831.SH cable TV DTV SARFT Science and Technology Department set-top box Shaanxi Broadcast & TV Network Intermediary television Wang Xiaojie warranty