Fraction of console owners using video playback capabilities

[Queasy]

Link

How important is DVD/BD video playback to console owners? According to new research by The Diffusion Group, though 80 percent of console owners have the option, only 30 percent realized it was part of its feature set, and only 13 percent actually utilize it - more stats inside.

The new report, 'On the Use of Game Consoles for Movie Viewing', which surveyed 2000 U.S. homes, says that 74 percent of households rely solely on standalone DVD players for watching movies, while a quarter have gone online to purchase or rent digital movie downloads.

Looking more widely at the research results, the report found that approximately half of U.S. broadband households have at least one game console, with 15 percent owning more than one.

The study found that just over half of those that own consoles keep them in the living room, compared to just under a quarter in a second bedroom, and 21 percent in a den or game room.

As above, only 30 percent of DVD-capable console owners said that the console they owned even allowed for DVD playback, a fact, says Diffusion Group "that demonstrates how poorly many consumers understand the capabilities of today?s game consoles and a major barrier to persuading consumers to start using these platforms for non-gaming media consumption."

Finally, the group says that 42 percent of those console owners that have their consoles connected to the internet have watched an 'internet-based movie' on their TV.

Said report author Dale Gilliam III, ?Today?s next-generation games consoles such as the Xbox 360 or Sony PS3 are true digital multimedia powerhouses. Yet very few of these devices are connected to the Internet and, even though these same platforms may feature a high-definition DVD playback system, very few consumers are using them for non-gaming media applications.?

 

[R Nilla]

I voted both, but I only use my xbox to watch HD-DVDs - I watch DVDs on a standalone player. I occasionally used TVersity to stream videos, but haven't messed with it since the Spring update.

 

[purbeast0]

Xbox360 I use as my primary DVD player (used my Xbox1 as it previously), and I use my normal old xbox w/xbmc on it for my media player.

edit:

crap i voted just the DVD/BD one ... I shoulda picked both 😱

 

[mugs]

I think this study might be weighted heavily toward PS2 and Xbox owners as opposed to PS3 and 360 owners. When they came out, people cared about their DVD playback functionality. Now that DVD players are so cheap, no one cares.

In any event, I have a 360 and don't use its media center capabilities or its DVD playback capability. I have a HTPC that I use for both of those.

 

[RandomFool]

I've got a pc that I use for that sort of thing.

 

[Jeff7181]

My Xbox 360 is my DVD player... and I also stream 720p and 1080p video from my Windows Home Server.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: mugs[/i]
I think this study might be weighted heavily toward PS2 and Xbox owners as opposed to PS3 and 360 owners. When they came out, people cared about their DVD playback functionality. Now that DVD players are so cheap, no one cares.

Right, the 45+ million PS2s, 12 million gamecubes and 3.4m wiis aren't media hubs or high-def disc players. The wii (& GC?) don't even play regular DVDs. The 16m Xbox1 were only media players if you hacked them or bought the MS software, both "enthusiast" actions not something casual owners would do.

Only the 8 million 360s and PS3s have media player features built-in, so it's not surprising that most people don't find out about them until they go next-gen console shopping.

 

[Kadarin]

I use my PS3 primarily as a DVD/BD player, and media hub.

 

[mlm]

I use the BD functions, but I have no reason to stream stuff. I'm not so picky that I won't just play it off of my laptop.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

^ for more votes.

Seems more of us use the VP than not, so far.

 

[Kev]

I tried watching a movie using my 360 but it looked like garbage compared to my Oppo DV917H

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Kev
I tried watching a movie using my 360 but it looked like garbage compared to my Oppo DV917H

I tried watching Saving Private Ryan on my 360 and I thought it looked like garbage even compared to a progressive scan DVD player (or my HTPC, which I normally use for DVDs).

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: mugs
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Kev
I tried watching a movie using my 360 but it looked like garbage compared to my Oppo DV917H</end quote></div>

I tried watching Saving Private Ryan on my 360 and I thought it looked like garbage even compared to a progressive scan DVD player (or my HTPC, which I normally use for DVDs).

The 360 has one of the worst DVD players (upscaling or not) in the industry.

I personally don't care/notice that big of a difference, even on my 46" Sammy. (Then again I've always used my XBox and now my 360 as my DVD player) Just don't care to drop $xx to get an upscaling DVD player, I don't watch that many movies anyway.