U.S. HDTV households top two-thirds, says Leichtman Research Group

Sixty-nine percent of U.S. households have at least one HD television set, up from 17 percent in 2006, according to new research from Leichtman Research Group (LRG). Over the past five years, 52 percent of U.S. households adopted HDTV.

According to the research, 48 percent of HDTV households have more than one HDTV. Overall, about one-third of all U.S. households now have multiple HDTV sets, up from about one-sixth of all households two years ago, and 4 percent five years ago. Yet, about 45 percent of TV sets in HD households, and close to 60 percent of all TV sets in the United States, are not HDTVs.

These findings are based on a survey of 1302 households throughout the United States, and are part of a new LRG study, "HDTV and 3D TV 2011," the company's ninth annual study related to HDTV. Among the other findings:

  • 85 percent with annual household incomes greater than $75,000 have an HDTV compared to 67 percent with annual household incomes of $30,000 to $75,000, and 48 percent with annual household incomes under $30,000;
  • Mean reported spending on an HDTV set was about $940, 23 percent less than two years ago, and about half the reported spending five years ago;
  • Among those getting HD programming from a cable, satellite or telco TV provider, the perceived mean number of channels of HD programming is 75, up from 53 two years ago, and 28 five years ago;
  • Less than 3 percent of all U.S. households currently have an HDTV set that is 3-D-capable, and 45 percent of this group do not watch any content in 3-D;
  • Nearly 80 percent of adults in the country have heard of 3-D TV; of those, 5 percent are very interested in getting a 3-D TV;
  • 21 percent of all households purchased a new TV set in the past 12 months, and 19 percent of all households plan to purchase a new TV set in the next 12 months.

The findings are based on a telephone survey of 1302 adults 18 years of age and older throughout the continental United States that was conducted in November 2011. The random sample of respondents was distributed and weighted to best reflect the demographic and geographic make-up of the country. The overall sample has a statistical margin of error of +/- 2.7 percent.

Discuss this Article 1

Anonymous (not verified)
on Aug 25, 2012

While I find it completely possible for two-thirds of all US households to have a (so called) HDTV, or ATSC TV within their walls, there is no way in the world that two-thirds are getting over-the-air ATSC signals.

Before the change over, my neighbors and our household lost over-the-air reception. Yes, we had NTSC before the change, we have no reception now. Well, actually, we can pick up a Franken FM station's audio, but that is a different subject (and it is 20 dB higher than it should be if the rules were complete).

We have put up external antennas, used 10 and 20 dB amplifiers in different combinations, and tried different tuners. Nothing works. And, we are in the green zone on Antenna Web. We are well under 30 miles from the DC transmitters.

Frankly, I really HATE paying for TV (cable), but I am moving more and more to DVDs and the Internet, and have less and less need for OTA TV. Hey, I used to get it. Maybe the Obama Administration is right and TV spectrum should go to Wireless providers! No, I don't really believe it.

The FCC and broadcasters should make it work like it used to work. It may take some massive power increases, and the Low Band stations are going to have to be allowed to go to High Band or hopefully UHF, but the big thing is the modulation scheme. We need to dump 8VSB and get to COFDM as fast as possible. Hey, I am very well willing to pay for converters or new receivers (tuners) in order to get OTA TV once again.

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