Blu-ray Awareness Tops 60%, But Hardware Penetration Low

Sixty percent of U.S. consumers are aware of Blu-ray discs, but hardware penetration for the high-definition DVD format sits at only 9 percent, according to a new survey.

Research firm Interpret, LLC has found that Blu-ray and HD DVD owners continue to buy standard-def DVDs at a rate of 7.7 to 8.7 for high-def titles during the past six months, but more available Blu-ray titles are needed to grow that difference.

"Winning the format war was just the first step for Blu-ray," says Interpret CEO Michael Dowling. "Now, movie studios worldwide need to work together to address the structural challenges to the format's growth."

Interpret suggests that low HDTV penetration rates are hindering Blu-ray's adoption in the U.S. and worldwide.

"The UK, US, and Japan represent opportunities to grow the Blu-ray installed base quickly," says Dowling.

"In France and Germany, studios will need to work in parallel with HDTV manufacturers to more rapidly grow the HDTV installed base first."

The survey asked 600 adults ages 18-54 in the U.S. during January, right after Warner Bros. announced their decision to support Blu-ray only, which started a chain of events that eventually led to HD DVD's demise.