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Tag: game-consoles

  • Game Consoles Main Driver in Online Video Growth


    Networked video game consoles are the most used devices for bringing web video to the TV in the US – and look set to remain so until 2013, according to an In-Stat report.

    It found that 29 per cent of US 25 to 34 year olds with game consoles already use the devices to watch streaming video off the Internet.

    That’s going to keep growing and by 2013, over 10.7 million consoles will be used as Web-to-TV mediation devices in the US.

    The range of connected consumer electronics devices delivering web video into the living room is also growing.

    Device types include digital media adapters (DMAs), pay TV set top boxes, Blu-ray player/recorders, HDTVs and media-center PCs.

    Keith Nissen, In-Stat analyst, said that while still at the early adoption stages, the impact of bringing web video to the TV will bring both opportunity and threats to a range of companies in the electronics and TV markets.

    He said that by 2013, the revenue from Web-to-TV streaming services will grow to US $2.9 billion.

    "Currently Web video is largely additive to traditional TV revenue streams," he said.

    "However, ultimately web video to the TV will force a complete restructuring of today’s video distribution ecosystem."

    Other findings of the In-Stat research include:

    • Two separate in-home content delivery networks (CDNs) are evolving in the digital home—one for broadcast media services (e.g., cable TV), the other for Internet-based broadband services
    • Within five years, the number of US broadband households viewing Web-to-TV content will grow to 24 million
    • Video content will be optimized for broadcast or Web-to-TV based on content type

  • Blu-ray Players To Become Leading Connected Device


    Nearly two-thirds of US viewers want to watch Internet-based streaming video on their home HDTV, according to research.

    The results endorse the growing trend for set manufacturers’ to launch internet-connected HDTVs, as was evidenced at last month’s CES.

    In-Stat’s consumer survey reveals that 64 per cent of US respondents are "somewhat, very or extremely interested" in watching net-based streaming video on their household TV.

    However, the study found that few home network users currently have permanent connections between their consumer electronics devices and their home networks.

    Those that are most commonly connected are game consoles.

    However, the report said that as more connected devices become available it is Blue-ray DVD players/ recorders that will emerge as the leading connected device.

    Joyce Putscher, In-Stat analyst, said the primary reasons that more devices are not connected to home networks are:

    • consumer awareness/knowledge
    • availability of network-capable CE products on retail shelves
    • prices of network-capable CE products
    • competition with non-network-capable CE products (like docking stations)
    • lack of perceived need by some consumers


    Among the other findings were the following:

    • Almost 43% of the Windows PCs used in North American homes in June 2008 had Media Center functionality, up from 32% in 2007.
    • The worldwide media server-capable device market is estimated at $50 billion in 2008.
    • A proliferating set of competitors are offering a range of Digital Media Adapter/Player/Receiver (DMA/DMP/DMR) devices, including Apple, Cisco, Denon, Hewlett-Packard, Roku, Samsung, and many others.