Half US multi-channel households have DVR
December 3, 2012
More proof that DVRs have entered the mainstream has emerged with fresh consumer research from Leichtman Research Group.
The research and analyst firm found that 52 per cent of households in the US that subscribe to a multi-channel video service have a Digital Video Recorder (DVR), compared to 4 per cent of TV households that do not subscribe to a multi-channel video service. In addition, 43 per cent of all households with a DVR now have DVR on more than one TV set. About 20 per cent of all TV households now have DVR on more than one TV set, an increase from 6 per cent five years ago.
The survey also found an increase in Netflix subscribers having a premium service (51 per cent of Netflix subscribers who subscribe to a multi-channel video service this year versus 43 per cent last year, and 40 per cent in 2010), and a decrease in those who would consider dropping a premium service because of Netflix (20 per cent this year versus 36 per cent last year, and 32 per cent in 2010).
Other related findings include:
- 71 per cent of Telco video subscribers, 63 per cent of DBS subscribers, and 42 per cent of cable subscribers, have a DVR
- 81 per cent with DVR on more than one TV set rate the service 8-10 (on a 1-10 scale with 10 being excellent) – compared to 73 per cent with DVR on one TV set
- 70 per cent of all digital cable subscribers have used VOD – compared to 58 per cent in 2007, and 25 per cent in 2004
- Overall, 59 per cent of digital cable subscribers, and 64 per cent of Telco video subscribers, used on-Demand in the past month
- 68 per cent of VOD users who also have a DVR agree (8-10) that their TV service is better because they have both VOD and DVR
- 26 per cent of Netflix subscribers use Watch Instantly daily, and 59 per cent weekly
- 79 per cent of Netflix Watch Instantly users use it to watch movies and TV shows on a TV set
These findings are based on a survey of over 1,300 households throughout the United States, and are part of LRG’s study, On-Demand TV 2012: A Nationwide Study on VOD and DVRs. This is LRG’s eleventh annual study on this topic.
“The percentage of all TV households in the US with a DVR has essentially doubled over past five years, and DVR is functionality is expanding to more TV sets in the home,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group. “Consumers are increasingly integrating DVR, as well as VOD and Netflix, on-Demand TV viewing into their TV viewing patterns.”