Market research of Internet set-top boxes in China

An Internet STB (iSTB) is a device that connects to a TV and the Internet and allows a viewer to watch video, listen to music, read articles and play games directly from the Internet on their television. An iSTB is a dedicated Internet device and does not include a DVD player, DVR functionality, TV tuner or other non-essential functionality. I require research assistance in the Chinese market regarding the availability and use of iSTBs. The research should encompass all regions of China including Taiwan and Hong Kong although the data does not need to be regionalized - total numbers for China are fine. At a minimum candidates should be: * familiar with the Internet media market in China * experienced in gathering market intelligence on device installed base, specifications, features and forecasts * Understand how to provide references for all sources of information * Able to read, write and speak Chinese (mandarin) and English * Able to distinguish between company hype and real data Must have basic Excel Spreadsheet and word processing skills. ## Deliverables I require research assistance in the Chinese market regarding the availability and use of iSTBs. The research should encompass all regions of China including Taiwan and Hong Kong although the data does not need to be regionalized - total numbers for China are fine. The specific data I am looking for are: * iSTB Models available. Including manufacturer, device model, price and specifications (including OS and browser used.) The top 5-7 vendors are sufficient. Include foreign vendors in the Chinese market (like Apple with the Apple TV box) * Number of devices shipped or number of devices sold in China (I'm not interested in devices that have been built in China and shipped overseas.) Ideally, I'd like annual or quarterly sales and cumulative totals. * If these are not available I will accept your estimate (in spreadsheet form) provided all assumptions and inputs to the estimate are fully documented. * Any forecasts for sales of iSTBs in China that may be available * Major TV specific media services provided on the boxes. For example, in the US Netflix (for video) and Pandora (for music) have apps for all the major iSTBs. * Major market factors impacting the sale and use of iSTBs * Are there government regulations that impact the use of Internet services on the TV? * Will these regulations change and in what timeframe? * Is the average broadband connection too slow for good quality video? * Are there licensing restrictions that stop TV content from being delivered over the Internet? All data should be derived from reputable sources and properly referenced. These sources can be: * Articles from newspapers, magazines, books * Web articles from reputable sites * Extracts from speeches, webinars, radio and TV shows - provided a proper reference to this material is included * Blogs may be acceptable if they are written by a reputable author with specific knowledge of the iSTB market * Wikis are ***not*** a reputable source (although they may prove useful if they reference reputable sites) Data should be provided in spreadsheets and tables. A detailed written report is not required.