Audio Video News

HDTV sales are typically booming at this time of year. Conventional wisdom has it that the Super Bowl is the reason. Is it really?

That's more or less the question Retrevo put to consumers and the answers may surprise you. Yes, 11 percent buy because of the Super Bowl, but nearly as many--10 percent--buy due to the Olympics. Another four percent are more interested in the Academy Awards, Sweeps Week, and other TV staples. But a whopping 75 percent confirmed that "events don't matter as much as a great price."

"We're not saying Best Buy should give the HDTV department the week off before the Olympics but if Best Buy and others really want to bring buyers into the store they should add on some killer HDTV deals," commented the Retrevo oracle.

Several more questions related to the Olympics. Can you get it in HD? Forty-nine percent didn't know, while 38 percent said yes, by cable or satellite. Seven percent will get it off the air, five percent will get it but not in HD, and one percent plan to change their service to get it in HD.

While 63 percent will watch the Olympics on TV, 14 percent will use a computer, and 1 percent a mobile device. Another 22 percent won't watch any Olympic coverage at all.

As for the 5.1-channel soundtrack to be available in the Olympic telecast, 50 percent don't have surround gear and don't care, 31 percent have surround gear but didn't know the Olympics would be in 5.1, and only 19 percent have surround gear and expect to use it for the Olympics.

See Retrevo blog.