Color TV Continues To Dominate U.S. Family Rooms, But Interest In Digital Television Is Rising Fast

Household Penetration Of Digital Video Products Poised For Rapid Growth

29-May-03

Color TVs with screen sizes 20 to 25 inches and those 27 inches and larger represent the largest portion of video products owned by U.S. consumers in 2002 and continue their stronghold in 2003, according to a new eBrain Market Research consumer survey. The percentage of consumers owning color TVs with a screen 20 to 25 inches increased from 55 percent to 72 percent year-over-year. Household penetration of color TVs with a screen 27 inches or greater (not including projection TVs) increased from 47 percent to 62 percent. DVD players are the third most-owned video product among consumers and, along with the color TVs mentioned, exhibited the strongest growth in ownership since 2002. DVD player ownership increased from 35 percent to 57 percent--a 22-point increase. ""We think that this 57-percent self-reported number is inflated,"" said Sean Wargo, Senior Industry Analyst for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). ""However, our best estimates put household penetration of DVD players in the 35- to 37-percent range, still making it one of the top three video products in consumer homes.""DVD players and digital cameras are on the top of non-owning consumers' lists of video purchases expected in the coming year. Thirty-two percent of non-owning consumers plan to buy a DVD player this year, and 25 percent plan to buy a digital camera. Fourteen percent of non-owning consumers expect to buy color TVs with a screen 27 inches or greater in size (not including projection TVs) and 12 percent expect to buy color TVs with a screen size of 20 to 25 inches.Notably, in addition to continued expectations to purchase DVD players, there is a large jump of 16 percentage points in interest among non-owning consumers in buying a high-definition television (HDTV) sometime in the future, from 47 percent to 63 percent. Non-owning consumer interest in purchasing a digital camcorder sometime in the future also increased from 41 percent to 57 percent.Data cited in this release came from a report designed and formulated by eBrain Market Research. For more information, visit www.eBrain.org.The quantitative study for 2003 CE Ownership & Market Potential was administered via telephone interview to a random national sample of 2,000 U.S. adults during February 2003. eBrain Market Research is responsible for all content and analysis in the report.