The latest holiday season numbers are now in, and the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) is reporting that manufacturer-to-dealer video products sales in December, 2000 grew by 15% over last year's figures, giving a total of more than 6.4 million units shipped, and culminating a year of strong growth. The CEA reports that total sales of video products in 2000 reached 67.8 million units, representing a 12% increase over total sales for 1999. The trade group adds that the year finished with sales increases in almost every category.

Speaking last week at a meeting of the Association of Local Television Stations (ALTV) in Las Vegas, <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A>'s Gary Shapiro announced that actual unit sales to dealers (not to end consumers) of digital television (DTV) displays and integrated sets reached 648,429 in 2000, surpassing earlier industry estimates and accounting for $1.4 billion. Shapiro says that these figures represent more than 400% growth over 1999 sales. In addition, 36,794 stand-alone set-top receivers were sold to dealers in 2000, says Shapiro.

According to the latest estimates, released last week by the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA), unit sales to dealers (note: not sell-through to consumers) of digital television (DTV) displays and integrated sets achieved 625,000 in 2000, accounting for $1.4 billion in sales. The CEA projects that unit sales of DTV sets and displays will show 80% growth in 2001, reaching 1.125 million or $2.1 billion in sales. The trade group also forecasts unit sales of 2.1 million in 2002, 4 million in 2003, 5.4 million in 2004, 8 million in 2005, and 10.5 million in 2006.

Both <A HREF="http://www.cbs.com">CBS Television</A> and <A HREF="http://www.sony.com">Sony</A> report that they have recently entered into an agreement for CBS to produce the upcoming 2001 Sony Open golf tournament live in HDTV on the CBS Television Network starting January 20.