# More Than Half Of U.s. Households Own A Digital Television



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Consumer Electronics Association (who hosts CES in Vegas next month):


> "I am proud to announce our nation has hit this digital milestone. With 50 percent of U.S. homes able to experience the reality of digital television, we have crossed a critical threshold," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. "2008 will continue to demonstrate the growth and success of DTV, with nearly 32 million units forecasted to ship. Consumers are particularly keen to add HDTV to their homes, with high definition expected to account for 79 percent of total DTV shipments in the U.S in 2008."


The rest of the article: http://www.cesweb.org/press/news/rd_release_detail.asp?id=11425

Happy HD New Year!
Tom


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Tom Robertson said:


> Consumer Electronics Association (who hosts CES in Vegas next month):


I'm dubious. I'm thinking that the number is less than 30%.


----------



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

The previously reported numbers had been in line with about 30%. Since ATSC has been required since March and with Christmas sales, I'm guessing that made up the difference. Quicker than I would have expected.


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Tom Robertson said:


> The previously reported numbers had been in line with about 30%.


I always try to keep in mind who is offering the numbers. The CEA is highly motivated to convince people that they need to buy new equipment.

I'm sure there are enough units out there to place them in 50% of the households, but the number of people who have cable and satellite (and don't need nor use their digital tuners) suggests to me that the penetration isn't a solid vote for DTV.


----------



## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

The press release does not seem to give their research method. This makes me wonder if they are simply dividing the number of households by the number of TVs. This would be seriously skewed.. I have two DTVs and I'm sure I'm not the only one.


----------



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

We will just have to ask at CES.


----------



## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

You are reading more into the statement than what he said.

"50 percent of U.S. homes able to experience the reality of digital television" does not say that 50% of American households have digital TV. Take the 30% figure you support and add other means of digital reception, like Dish and DirecTV, you easily get 50%.

JMHO - the spinmeisters strike again.


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Jim5506 said:


> You are reading more into the statement than what he said.


You're ignoring what was said. The article makes repeated references to DTV which is very specific and limited to OTA digital broadcast according to ATSC standards.


> Take the 30% figure you support and add other means of digital reception, like Dish and DirecTV, you easily get 50%.


Neither DISH Network, DIRECTV nor terrestrial distribution (CATV) utilize or produce DTV in the U.S. Gummint sense of the term.


----------



## tonyd79 (Jul 24, 2006)

I can believe the number. It doesn't say using digital OTA. Everytime I go into any store that sells TVs, I see people buying. Since all sets are digital anymore, those sets have to go somewhere. There are a lot of TV sales out there.

Of the people I know what kind of TV they have (friends, family) the digital penetration is probably closer to 80%. 

Does the number have any significance in terms of ATSC? Not really. Most I know that have digital capable TVs have cable or satellite as their source. 

Put it this way, it is easily believable that we went from 30% to 50% in about a year. That means 1 in 5 households bought at least 1 TV in the past year and got digital because that is what is available. Just churn of TVs would give you 10-20% new households with a new TV. Then you have those who are deliberately buying HD. Not that hard a number to believe.


----------



## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

tonyd79 said:


> Since all sets are digital anymore, those sets have to go somewhere. There are a lot of TV sales out there.


Do you see any of those $200+ 15" TVs flying out the door? Do you see any of the $100+ recorders moving through the checkstands?


> Of the people I know what kind of TV they have (friends, family) the digital penetration is probably closer to 80%.


Among those I run with, it is about 10%. I think there are five digital televisions in three out of 30 households. All of us with DTV capable televisions have satellite or cable and I'm the only one with an OTA antenna.


> Does the number have any significance in terms of ATSC? Not really. Most I know that have digital capable TVs have cable or satellite as their source.


I think this is key to interpreting the claim.


----------



## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

I also doubt this.. I am in different people's houses every day and I'd say the number is approx. 25~30% of households with at least one HDTV.


----------



## csgo (Oct 15, 2006)

n3ntj said:


> I also doubt this.. I am in different people's houses every day and I'd say the number is approx. 25~30% of households with at least one HDTV.


Just keep in mind that DTV does not mean HDTV.


----------



## ApK (Mar 6, 2006)

“I am proud to announce our nation has hit this digital milestone. With 50 percent of U.S. homes able to experience the reality of digital television"

That's all he said regarding that particular statistic. He said nothing about HD, he said nothing about ATSC. Nothing even about the DTV standard in that sentence. 

50% of households will still get get programming if analog is turned off today. That's all he's saying. All sources, for whatever reason.


----------



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

In the original article, that I didn't not quote fully (tho I now realize I could have), it is clear that 50% of households have a digital TV.

Since it is a press release, I'll quote it fully here:


> Press Release Detail
> MORE THAN HALF OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS OWN A DIGITAL TELEVISION
> 
> Milestone of 50% DTV Penetration Arrives as the 2008 International CES Showcases DTV Innovations
> ...


Happy HD New Year!
Tom


----------



## ApK (Mar 6, 2006)

Tom Robertson said:


> In the original article, that I didn't not quote fully (tho I now realize I could have), it is clear that 50% of households have a digital TV.
> 
> Since it is a press release, I'll quote it fully here:
> 
> ...


That appears to be a case of an under-informed copy writer using imprecise, misleading language. Would NOT be the first time.


----------



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Or was it Gary Shapiro being a bit loose with his terms in the first sentence of his quote and less so in the rest? There too he more clearly is talking about HDTV, not cable or satellite forms of digital. 

Of my parents, siblings, and children, 3 of 10 do not have HDTV. (I'm the only one with multiple HDTVs, mostly because I retired several elderly SD TVs in the last move.)

Happy New Year!
Tom


----------



## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

csgo said:


> Just keep in mind that DTV does not mean HDTV.


Yeah, good point, but I think most people with digital TVs have HDTV capable units.


----------



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

It seems that for the purposes of this discussion and February 17, 2009 the criteria is "will I still be able to watch TV?" not so much the is it HD either in source or display.

Over time, people will choose for themselves if they want HD capability. 

Happy New Year!
Tom


----------

