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Demand for gallium arsenide devices from direct broadcast satellite (DBS) markets will grow healthily through to 2012, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics’ latest forecast, as DBS platforms continue to implement digital video recorder capabilities that allow consumers to record content, pause live TV and skip advertisements.

Demand will largely come from the LNB (low-noise block down-converter) function for receiving digital TV content , for which GaAs component volumes will increase at a compound annual average growth rate (CAAGR) of 12% through 2012.
The increasing popularity of personal video recorders (PVRs)/digital video recorders (DVRs) requires multiple tuners in the set-top box as well as multiple LNBs to deliver two or more content channels to the consumer and to implement interactive functionality, such as the ability to record programs while viewing another channel.

“PVR/DVR functionality translates to multiple LNBs, thus GaAs will benefit from this trend as multiple components are used in LNBs,” notes Strategy Analytics’ Asif Anwar. “However, while volumes will increase, low ASPs [average selling prices] will counter revenue growth, with CAAGR limited to 6% through 2012.”

Stephen Entwistle, VP of the firm’s Strategic Technologies Practice adds, “The same trends lead to multiple tuners in set-top boxes, but silicon technologies dominate this market. We don’t envisage any major shift trends limiting overall GaAs demand from this market.”

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