HDTV owners prefer Blu-ray to streaming
November 19, 2008
A consumer study commissioned by the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) indicates HDTV and Blu-ray Disc player owners still find packaged media — such as Blu-ray discs — preferable to alternative Internet streaming and download services to play premium HD movie and video content.
The independent study surveyed the inclinations and behaviour of more than 1,100 HDTV owners in the US, along with 500 HDTV owners each in the UK and Japan.
HDTV owners familiar with Blu-ray favour the format over downloading and streaming by a nearly 10-to-1 margin, with almost 70 per cent of those respondents citing the fact that "you actually have a physical disc that you can keep" as a key factor in their decision to buy Blu-ray. Additionally, nearly nine out of 10 Blu-ray users express likelihood to recommend the format to potential buyers.
The study found that 96 per cent of Blu-ray owners said they had experienced downloading or streaming video over the Internet, but when they compared them the majority sided with Blu-ray while only 3 per cent said downloading or streaming was better than Blu-ray. Thirty-five percent of respondents were in the middle. Sixty per cent thought the sound quality of Blu-ray was better than streaming or downloading; 57 per cent said the overall entertainment experience was better with Blu-ray than with streaming and downloaded material. Thirty-seven per cent said the availability of content was better for Blu-ray vs. 16 per cent for downloaded or streaming content. On price, Blu-ray didn't fare as well but still held a slight lead over downloading and streaming.