Audio Video News

A new study of HDTV owners reveals rather surprising results. Frank N. Magid Associates polled first-time HDTV set owners.  Of the households who just purchased HDTVs, 41 percent don't have any way of viewing HD content from their cable or satellite provider.  Compare that to the 80 percent of long-time HDTV owners who already have HD cable or satellite.

Are consumers just confused about HD, and do they think that the the DTV transition is suddenly going to upgrade their service to HD?

Keep reading to see what the folks at the company who conducted the survey thinks.

According to a report on MarketWatch:

"The majority of consumers have the arrangements they need to continue receiving local broadcast television channels following the digital transition (85 days from now), but still have not ordered the necessary service which will provide them with the high-definition programming they expect," said Maryann Baldwin, Vice President, Magid Media Futures. "We believe that many of these HD service rejecters believe they will automatically start receiving their programming in high-definition concurrent with the digital broadcast transition, which, of course, is an incorrect notion."

"Cable and satellite providers need to prepare for the day after the digital transition (February 18, 2009). We believe there will be a jump in HD service demand following the digital transition when HDTV owners realize the transition only pertains to the reception of local television signals, not the delivery of high-definition programming for their cable network lineup," said Jill Rosengard Hill, Senior Vice President.

If you know anyone like those in the survey, do us all a favor. Educate them, but most importantly, get them some HD content so they can really enjoy their new HDTV. They'll be blown away by what they've been missing, and you'll be a hero.  —Leslie Shapiro 

MarketWatch