HDTV Intenders to Significantly Impact High-Def DVD Battle — Community

#1 Dec 11, 2007 at 4:00 am

According to research from The Diffusion Group, close to one-third of non-HDTV households are interested in purchasing a new HDTV in the next six months - a very encouraging sign for HDTV manufacturers and, by relation, high-def DVD manufacturers. More interesting, perhaps, is that the same research found that the characteristics of these "HDTV Intenders" vary widely from that of current HDTV owners. HDTV Intenders tend to be younger, single, more ethnically diverse, and have lower annual household incomes than current HDTV owners - in many respects more characteristic of mainstream consumers than the early adopters who today own an HDTV.

While this trend could in theory benefit either Blu-ray or HD DVD, the data suggests otherwise. Among HDTV Intenders who are likely to purchase a new high-def DVD player in the next six months, 43% prefer...

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#2 Dec 11, 2007 at 4:40 am

Sounds like music to your ears Shane! :)

#3 Dec 11, 2007 at 2:45 pm

I certainly hope this report (claiming that "early adopters" preference for Blu-Ray will be overcome by early mass-market consumers' price sensitivity, i.e., HD-DVD) is wrong.

It ignores the impact early adopters have on others. However, the Blu-Ray manufacturers should certainly knock off another $100 so that price stops being an issue.

#4 Dec 11, 2007 at 4:37 pm

If the HDTV Intenders don't even have a HDTV yet, how can they possibly know which Hi-Def DVD format they prefer?

#5 Dec 12, 2007 at 9:59 pm

Shane,

Any thoughts on why the report states that early adopter who have not yet purchased a system would prefer Blu-ray? Because it is also a gaming system?

AaronS

#6 Dec 13, 2007 at 1:32 am

I think the implication is that they would prefer Blu-ray because they are more tech-savvy and less price sensitive.

- Shane

#7 Dec 13, 2007 at 5:10 pm

I would agree that early adopters, being more tech-savvy, would prefer Blu-ray for a number of performance/value reasons. On the other hand, knowing what I think I know about human behavior, later adopters will definitely be more sensitive to price issues, and will flock to HD-DVD 'en masse'.They won't care about little issues such as disk capacity, they want to join the HD club as soon as affordably possible. Developers of Blu-ray players had better get their act together and drop those prices instead of resting on their laurels the way they did with Beta VCRs. And I mean NOW.