Growing HDTV Demand and IPTV Potential

[Audioholics]

The standards for digital TV have been in place since 1994. It has only been in the last few years that the sale of HDTV sets got interesting. While the Wonderful World of Disney sparked the sale of color TV sets, sporting events like the soccer World Cup and football's Super Bowl have driven the demand for digital TV - especially large flat screens. With digital TV becoming more affordable by the day, the demand for high def home entertainment is growing steadily according to industry observations...
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[ironlung]

SD is good enough.

Is anyone but me bothered by some of the stats in recent articles? Heres a few of my favorites:

15% of US adults plan to get HDTV

Does this mean 85% DON'T plan to?


and from an older article

HDTV sets made up 21% of overall TV sales; that number will rise to 70% of overall TV sales by the end of 2010. Additionally, 63% of U.S. TV households will have an HDTV set by 2010.

2010?!?!?!?! 63% by 2010. 30% still buying new SDTVs. No wonder I have such little programming on my HDTV. No wonder service/content providers are in no rush to broadcast/produce HD.
40% will still NOT have an HDTV by 2010

No one but a few web forum maniacs want HD content.

Any one else bothered by the grim state of HD?

128 bitrate MP3 and SDTV are good enough I guess!

 

[Audioholics]

Stats are pretty meaningless without the full picture. For instance, these numbers are designed to invoke a particular picture of the industry. They likely include sub 3" screen sales... In case you haven't noticed, the DVD Insider presents some interesting info, but does have a negative bent towards new DVD technology and high definition formats for various reasons.

 

[ironlung]

"Stats are pretty meaningless"...I agree

Stats are pretty meaningless without the full picture. For instance, these numbers are designed to invoke a particular picture of the industry. They likely include sub 3" screen sales... In case you haven't noticed, the DVD Insider presents some interesting info, but does have a negative bent towards new DVD technology and high definition formats for various reasons.

Numbers can be manipulated to represent what you want to support.

Anecdotally speaking very few of my friends and family are slightly interested in HDTV. 1 in 10 want an HDTV only a few more know anything about it.

My comcast cable channel guide does not lie...98% SD even on HD channels!

 

[gellor]

I just have to say along these lines, I just got a call from my parents. They actually want to buy an HDTV once they move in the spring. So that's one more for their statistics, at least.

 

[bloosqr]

I just have to say along these lines, I just got a call from my parents. They actually want to buy an HDTV once they move in the spring. So that's one more for their statistics, at least.

Anecdotally, I think HDTV will only saturate once it hits the same price range as normal TVs that normal people purchase aka sub $500. I dont know many casual tv watchers who think the current price range of tv's are justifiable purchases.

As a lurker of these forums I have a hard time myself justifying spending $1500+ on something that looks like a moving goal (720p,1080i,1080p) (let alone the hdmi/dvi debate/standards). The other possibility is that perhaps hd-dvd/blu-ray will spur tv sales as finally people will have a lot of shows to watch.

That said we have two HD-TV's in our house, (1) is a $300 elgato hooked to a 20" mac g5 and one is a cheap windows hdtv card $100 hooked to a dell monitor both acting as PVRs. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of college kids use their monitors as hdtvs now given the space constraints and the cost effectiveness of going that route and space constraints. I wonder if that will spur hdtv sales once that generation graduates in the same way all the kids who got addicted to broadband in college needed their fix after they left?

 

[BMXTRIX]

I agree entirely. Pricing on HDTV sets is still way more than they should be. You really don't see almost anything in the cheap places to shop. Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Those places that carry inexpensive TVs have their shelves lined with 4:3 displays, and new 4:3 displays arriving daily. Those are what a lot of people are going out to buy right now.

Forget about replacing that set in the next 5 years either! Those are 10 year sets for a lot of people. I still have both my 4:3 sets that I bought 10+ years ago, and they work great. Why would I replace it with something else?

Okay, yes, I already replaced them, and moved them to other rooms, but the point is, that they are now 'spare' sets. Not everyone can afford to have spare televisions around.

I think HD content is a different issue altogether though. I WANT HD programming. I am not buying DVDs right now. I'm saving my DVD buying money for HD discs. DVDs, in my opinion, are a dead format to me. They have been dead for over a year - for me. The quality jump to HD discs will be phenomenal and I want that. I don't want to repurchase half my collection on HD discs, so I'm not buying anything until I get an HD player. Probably a PS3.

Will it be enough to push more consumers to HD? Probably not a big push, but it will definitely be a push. I think the PS3 with Blu-Ray and HD gaming, combined with the XBox360 will be the biggest pushes for HD displays in quite a while. Once a 8 year old plays some HD gaming, he will start bugging his parents to see the difference.

Whiny kids get results.

 

[ironlung]

Just Curious

BMXTRIX or any one else with an HDTV. How much of your viewing is higher res than 480p? Not including upscaled 480i/p signals. Do you think you recieved good value purchasing an HDTV so early?


I did not consider myself an early adoptor until I looked through my program guide.

Most of the beautiful HDTV projectors and plasmas will be long dead when there is 'some' programming.

PS3 is at least 8 months away. Your assuming there will be more than just games available.

My 34" HD Sony has the same viewable area as my 27" SD Sony in 4:3 mode. Why did I spend $1600?

As wishy washy as everyone is about HD channel availability. It does not look good at more content being available any time soon. Try to get a date when ESPN2HD, PPV, Bravo HD, UPN HD will be added to Comcast. E! and OLN just borrow INHD2 for the few minutes of HD content they produce.


If any one reading this is considering an HDTV don't bother. Get a great progressive scan SDTV and you'll be set for 10 years and still have a roll of $20's left over.

 

[ducker]

do I plan on getting a HDTV in the near future? Yes

do I plan on upgrading/shelling out more money to cable/satalite company? No

So why bother with HDTV? I simply want the larger widescreen format for movies.

One the price for actual HDTV content comes down I'd consider it. But many (if not all) companies are considering HDTV premium content.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Until 75% of basic cable is HD, 4x3 will remain the TV 'state of the art'. Joe 6-Pack is not buying a 60" Plasma to watch Judge Judy in stretch mode. Since 0% of basic cable is HD right now, I don't see any reason to buy an HDTV yet (plus it'll give em another decade to work some bugs out).

 

[krzywica]

HD Rocks

If any one reading this is considering an HDTV don't bother. Get a great progressive scan SDTV and you'll be set for 10 years and still have a roll of $20's left over.[/QUOTE]


I would disagree with you there, I have Cox digital cable and the HD content is free(except an extra $3 a month for the DVR box). The HD channels look spectacular!!!!! Mostly the Discovery Channel, and the INHD channels. They thing that dissapointed me was not all the channels look stellar. Like ESPN, a notable impovement over SD but not quite HD quality. And the PBS channels just plain blow. But being prepared for the 360 launch is just priceless.

Oh and if you like pc games you just cant beat far cry or battlefield 2 on a 65" HDTV with 2 6600gt's running your games in full HD glory. You should try it some time, and I guarantee you will be singing a different tune.