<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
The schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the NextLevel
Systems,  Inc. financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 1997
and is qualified in its entirety by references to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>      0001035881                   
<NAME>     NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS, INC.                   
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1997
<CASH>                                         162,027
<SECURITIES>                                   26,900
<RECEIVABLES>                                  346,025
<ALLOWANCES>                                   8,712
<INVENTORY>                                    305,199
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               977,808
<PP&E>                                         260,937
<DEPRECIATION>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,856,000
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          524,499
<BONDS>                                        0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       1,478
<OTHER-SE>                                     1,248,944
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   1,856,000
<SALES>                                        1,323,013
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1,323,013
<CGS>                                          958,441
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  958,441
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             14,340
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                52,780
<INCOME-TAX>                                   22,955
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            29,825
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   29,825
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  .20
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  .20