08.07.2008 — Shipments of integrated digital TVs (iDTVs) will grow to 143 million in 2013, says an IMS Research study.

That number would be more than double the 52 million iDTVs that were shipped in 2007.

The IMS study says it believes the days of settop boxes are numbered.

"In Japan, iDTVs already displace about 1.7 million satellite set-top box shipments each year, having reduced that market from 2 million unit shipments in 2003 to just 0.3 million in 2007," says IMS Research analyst Stephen Froehlich.

"While the conditions in Japan that allow this are unique, it is clear that US cable operators are working towards the creation of an even more compelling situation in the hopes of eliminating most of the $200 cost of a DVR."

iDTVs with tru2way technology will also contribute to the reduction of settop box shipments, the study says. The NCTA says about 372,000 settop boxes have been displaced by iDTVs as of June 2008.

LG and Funai recently added tru2way support, and LG says its 2009 HDTVs will support the technology. Sony also recently adopted the technology.

An ABI Research study says about half of U.S. cable subscribers will have tru2way by 2013.

"Forthcoming tru2way iDTVs will be designed specifically to add interactive functions, presenting a real risk of reduced cable set-top box volumes in the U.S.," Froehlich says.