# Nielsen: 20% of households have Portable Video



## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

From a great Multichannel News article: http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6416747.html

"Nielsen will tell its national TV clients Thursday that there are significant differences in the way viewers use digital-video recorders, depending upon how soon after the original telecast they play back the recording and what genre of programming they are watching."

Other highlights:

* More viewers watch DVR'd ads on sports and news shows than other types.

* There is "some form of" portable video device in around 20% of households.

* DVR users are younger, smarter, and richer than average.

* DVR users watch just as much TV as non-DVR users, just not live.

* More DVR viewers are watching with someone else vs. non-DVR viewers.

* Folks are using VCRs a lot less.

Again, check out the whole thing here: http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6416747.html


----------



## DonCorleone (Jan 29, 2006)

FTA Michael said:


> From a great Multichannel News article: http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6416747.html
> * Folks are using VCRs a lot less.
> 
> Again, check out the whole thing here: http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6416747.html


I have to say that I love having the DVR now that I have it. I've generally been against them solely because I couldn't see paying a monthly fee for a fancy VCR. I finally caved because of the hi-def and the huge difference in PQ I would have seen.

With that said, while the starred bullet above is certainly true, VCR's must hugely outnumber DVR's for obvious reasons, so I don't know why Nielsen is paying such attention to DVR's since it's such a small % of the population.


----------



## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

FTA Michael said:


> * DVR users are younger, smarter, and richer than average.


And more sexy. Don't forget more sexy!


----------



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

20% is a LOT of the population...
And that number is only expected to rise.

If a show get's 20% of the viewing population....
It will last for 10 years... so excluding the DVR population from "neilsen" ratings is really skewing the results of what people watch.

It is about time that neilsen and these companies start to realize that DVRs are here... and they are not going anywhere.


----------



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

Earl Bonovich said:


> 20% is a LOT of the population...
> And that number is only expected to rise.
> 
> If a show get's 20% of the viewing population....
> ...


IIRC, starting this May, network contracts will include DVR usage as part of the compensation. ('Bout time...)

Cheers,
Tom


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

It's nice to hear some good news for a change when it comes to this. I've been using a DVR since Spring 2002, in Winter 2002 both TVs in the house had DVRs, now we have two HD DVRs, the next step is coming. Next weekend I'm planning on picking up 2 250GB Maxtor SATA hard drives and hooking them up to each of the DVRs to expand recording capacity.

There are no VCRs in the house, and all video cassette tapes have been disposed of.


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

FTA Michael said:


> * DVR users are younger, smarter, and richer than average.


Well, _two_ out of three ain't bad! 

Since I have _two_ HD DVRs, am I _twice_ as smart and _twice_ as rich?


----------



## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

DonCorleone said:


> IWith that said, while the starred bullet above is certainly true, VCR's must hugely outnumber DVR's for obvious reasons, so I don't know why Nielsen is paying such attention to DVR's since it's such a small % of the population.


While that is true, isn't it reasonable to believe that the majority of viewers who do a lot of time-shifting have moved on to DVRs? Even before I got my first DVR, I had pretty much stopped using the VCR due to its "clunkiness" and lack of PQ.


----------



## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

LOL!!!!

Anyone watch "American Dad" today? I swear they must have been making a point about what is coming.

They are in a scene where something needs to be explained. The scene cuts over to an outside shot of a Burger King with prominant logo. Inside Stan continues to explain to his son the problem. There are Burger King logos everywhere. After he is done his son asks something like, "Why did we have to come to a Burger King to discuss this?".
Stan replies, "Because TV viewing habits have changed. [holds up cup with Burger King Logo and looks at audience] Have it your wayyyyy"

Scene ends.

Expect more things like this on ALL TV shows now. 

BTW, for those that do not have DVRs, they are so much more than a "fancy VCR!" 

See ya
Tony


----------



## DonCorleone (Jan 29, 2006)

paulman182 said:


> While that is true, isn't it reasonable to believe that the majority of viewers who do a lot of time-shifting have moved on to DVRs? Even before I got my first DVR, I had pretty much stopped using the VCR due to its "clunkiness" and lack of PQ.


Yeah, I guess I'm just saying that if you're going to track something other than live viewing, I would think you'd focus on VCR viewing before DVR since it's such a larger sample size exponentially.

And I hear you on the PQ issue, clunkiness, etc. But the average person doesn't want to spend $5, 6, 9, etc. per month on a fancy VCR (aka DVR) since most have a 4:3 tube TV anyway and probably can't afford it. It just seems like Nielsen is skipping over a more representative sample just to grab the "hip" new tool.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

DVRs are much easier to set and use than VCR time shifing ... but I'm sure that Nielson can include the 'old fashioned' time shifting via 'tape' as 'some sort of DVR' when calculating delayed viewing. The type of technology used is less important than the fact that it is being used.


----------



## BaldEagle (Jun 19, 2006)

FTA Michael said:


> * More viewers watch DVR'd ads on sports and news shows than other types.


 I thought one of the main reasons for DVRing a show was to get rid of the commercials? Why would anyone watch ads on something that was recorded?


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Perhaps they are watching live via DVR using trick plays for their own "instant replays" and making breaks for bathroom/food runs where they want the breaks in programming instead of when there is a break in the game.

For example, I watched the Superbowl via DVR so I could make my own breaks. (Obviously the commercial content is special in the Superbowl as well.) Yet I have TV shows that are DVRd that remain unwatched for weeks.

Sports are probably more likely to be watched live or close to live than any other program (the game is less impressive if you know the outcome). Even though people are watching using a DVR, they may be closer to live and have to deal with more commercials than other types of recordings that are watched much later or next day.


----------



## lwilli201 (Dec 22, 2006)

The article does not say that 20% of households have a DVR. It said that 20% of households have some form of personal video device. I don't think all PVDs have DVR capabilities.


----------



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I thought the same thing when I saw that Tony. The BK scene was a classic.


----------



## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

lwilli201 said:


> The article does not say that 20% of households have a DVR. It said that 20% of households have some form of personal video device. I don't think all PVDs have DVR capabilities.


And you are 100% correct. I couldn't get the original article to come up for me yesterday, but as soon as I verified it this morning, I fixed the OP and thread title. Good catch!


----------

