Audio Video News

44% of HDTV Owners Watch Standard-Def

SV Staff  |  Mar 25, 2008

Studies from ABI Research are perfect for making us feel embarrassed about Americans' home theater habits. And after we feel ashamed, we just feel angry.

Earlier this month, the research firm reminded us of how bad we are at slinging video around a home network - only 7% of us with HDTVs have figured out how to do it.

Today comes a reminder that things are even worse. While 41% of TV owners have an HDTV, only 56% of HDTV owners subscribe to an HD service package. 

We suppose that's slightly better than an earlier ABI report that said fewer than half of HDTV owners subscribe to HD packages, but its not much of an improvement.

A reminder: Best Buy wants to prevent new-HDTV owners from being duped into thinking their picture quality looks great with standard definition signal. Buyers of $1000+ HDTVs at Best Buy can  get $30 off the price of a DirecTV monthly HD bill for a year.

We can't help but wonder that if the government spent as much money on high-def signal awareness as it does on the public service announcements for the analog-to-digital switch in 2009, whether ABI's next study would show a vast majority of HDTV owners watching true HD. -Rachel Rosmarin

ABI Research

COMMENTS
jasonbf's picture
Submitted by jasonbf on October 24, 2013 - 9:47am

I'm one of the 44% who do not subscribe, simply because broadcast TV, besides being free, is all hi def on the numerous primary channels...I see no need for very expensive hi def subscriptions...Is it not possible that, like me, many of the non-subsriber 44% utilize broadcast?

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