13% Own an HDTV

[Tom Snyder]

Article on a recent survey says 13% own an HDTV.

See the article HERE

Do you think Milwaukee is higher than that or lower?

[Kevin Arnold]

Interesting. I think the number of HDTV's is about the same in this market but that a large portion of the total is used only to view DVD's and standard television. I know several people in this position. They don't want to spend the extra $$ for the cable box, saying that TW's prices are high enough as it is and they do tend to nickle and dime you to death. DirecTV and DISH have a significant $$ entry fee to get up and running and then its back to nickle and dime time.  Buying a STB is still an expensive proposition to which they respond that new sets will have the tuners anyway.  Program suppliers, cable companies, and manufacturer's seem to have a problem seeing beyond this quarter's profits.

[Dan the Man]

I would have to vote lower. Out of eveyone that I know "reasonably" well, there is only one or two people other than myself that can receive and watch an HDTV signal.

We here in Milwaukee are a conservative, slow moving group for the most part.

[nateerb]

How many of the 13% don't use them properly? While watching at a friends house I discovered he didn't even know he had to switch inputs to see hidef on his new Mits big screen. He had been demoing downconverted composite video to his family and friends for three months before I got over there.

This technology needs convergence in a big way - OTA and Sat/Cable tuners in the set, with Sat/Cable industry support.

My 2 cents...

[mhz40]

I don't think it's that high anywhere...
The article also states that the 13% number is higher than the industries reported figure and there is some confusion in the consumer mindset.  Seems to me a small slice of the respondends could have considered 'digital' reception (cable or satellite SD) as HD, which it's not.

[foxeng]

As was pointed out in AVSForums, 13% is high. There are only 8 million sets that have been shipped into the country since 1998 (there are no US manufacturers) There are 100 million homes in the USA. Assuming that all 8 million sets wound up in homes (which we know DIDN'T happen since production houses and trucks and TV stations have the most at this time) that is only 8% and as you guys have pointed out here, not all of the ones in homes are viewing more than 480. That number works out to be about 3% of homes.

Interesting bit of fiction, but not there yet.

[Snard]

Originally posted by foxeng
As was pointed out in AVSForums, 13% is high. There are only 8 million sets that have been shipped into the country since 1998 (there are no US manufacturers) There are 100 million homes in the USA. Assuming that all 8 million sets wound up in homes (which we know DIDN'T happen since production houses and trucks and TV stations have the most at this time) that is only 8% and as you guys have pointed out here, not all of the ones in homes are viewing more than 480. That number works out to be about 3% of homes.

Interesting bit of fiction, but not there yet.

I just re-read the article in question, and here is the key passage:

For example, 13% of people surveyed say they currently own a high definition TV set - a much higher percentage than the industry's reported figure.

So, not knowing the cross-section of people that they contacted, the 13% number could be accurate.

[StarvingForHDTV]

In addition, I'm sure some homes have more than one set.

Starving