Accelerating the firm's previous forecast, DisplaySearch expects LCD TV shipments to more than double from 41 million units this year to 96.9 million in 2009, while CRT TV shipment will drop from 138 million units to 90.4 million in 2009.

The TV market is projected to grow an average of 3 percent annually on a unit basis and 9 percent in revenue. Total unit volume will surpass 200 million units in 2008, said the firm.

In a related matter, Matsuno said the decision of two Taiwanese companies, AU Optronics Corp. and Quanta Display, to merge will alter the large LCD market.

AU is expected to complete the purchase of Quanta by Oct. 1, which Matsuno believes will propel AU into more direct competition with Korean LCD suppliers Samsung and LG Electronics, AU now ranks a distant third in sales to those companies.

After the merger, "The market will be competed by three top tiers," Matsuno said.

Combined, AUO and QDI's share of the large LCD panel (10-inch and larger) market is 21.4 percent, surpassing Samsung's 20 percent and LG Philips LCD's 17.6 percent. In notebook PC displays, AUO and QDI combine for a 27.8 percent share, exceeding Samsung's 23.4 percent and LG Philips's 21.3 percent.

"AUO will gain a greater voice among notebook PC OEMs after the merger," Matsuno said.