Of the estimated 39 million U.S. households that now own an HDTV set, just 22 million -- or 56% -- are actually receiving high-definition programming from a cable provider or another source, according to research firm In-Stat.
The 22 million U.S. HDTV households at the end of 2008 -- defined as households having an installed HD-capable TV set and that also receive and watch HD programming -- represented an almost 40% increase from the year prior, In-Stat said.
The findings are in line with other industry research. For example, Leichtman Research Group estimated in a November 2008 report that about 58% of all households with HDTVs are now watching HD programming from a multichannel video provider, while about 18% of HDTV owners continue think that they are watching HD programming but are not.
According to In-Stat, HDTV service remains limited to a relatively small number of countries, primarily the U.S. and Japan. At the end of 2008, there were over 36 million HDTV households worldwide, up 24% from 29 million at year-end 2007.
In Europe, the research firm predicted, it will be 2011 before the number of HDTV households in the region reaches the 10 million mark.
Cable and satellite TV operators provide HD programming to almost 80% of all HDTV households, with the remainder subscribing to telco TV services or relying on free over-the-air HD broadcasts.
In-Stat is a division of Reed Business Information, which publishes Multichannel News.
