Console owners not aware of HD graphics! Sheep are going to have a field day!!!

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3161833

"Microsoft and Sony have both been pushing high-definition visuals this generation, but do people care? So far, the hardcore have been the early adopters of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, while the mass market waits for the right games (i.e. Grand Theft Auto IV) and price drops to make this generation financially viable. Naturally, then, you might assume gamers with machines now are aware of their HD capabilities, right?

Right?

As it turns out, not so much. The NPD Group released results from their "Next Gen Functionality & Usage" report and some of the numbers are surprising.

According to the results, only 40% of PlayStation 3 owners polled were aware the machine had a Blu-ray player and about 50% of that number had popped in a Blu-ray movie during the last 10 times they turned on the machine -- the other half didn't use the feature. The study didn't poll about Xbox 360's HD-DVD add-on, as it's not a standard feature with the Xbox 360 SKU. For reference, about half polled knew about the DVD-playback potential of Xbox 360.

The lack of awareness (or interest) isn't limited to movie watching, either -- and here's where you should start paying attention for an idea on how the mass market will respond in the next few years. Only 30% of Xbox 360 owners were aware of the HD graphics capabilities of the machine, whereas that number rises to 50% with PS3. Considering the inclusion of a cheap Blu-ray player in the PS3, that's not so surprising, but, either way, a startling number of "HD gamers" don't know about -- or don't care about -- HD.

"The industry is still in its infancy with regard to this "next-gen" and all the expanded capabilities of the systems," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier to 1UP. "Gameplay is still king, and it may take awhile for the awareness and usage of the additional features to really take hold with consumers."

If so few are even aware of the HD functions, how many who are in-the-know are even taking advantage of it? Speaking anecdotally, my Dad picked up an HDTV a few years ago from Costco and every time I'm home, he's watching everything in SD because he doesn't know better. To him, he's watching TV on the "HDTV" and actually switching to a HD-capable channel doesn't cross his mind -- it's the illusion of having the HDTV feature that makes him think he's actually watching a better picture. In fact, he's making standard definition look worse!"

:?

This will all change in the coming years just watch.

I invested ina brand new 32" samsung lcd HDtv almost 2 months ago, does this make me a bad person? :(

I also have no interest in buying a wii and keeping any of my last gen consoles! :?

HD gamingFTW?

HD really won't come to the masses this gen. ppl will actually be ready for it at the end of this gen and the beginning of the next.Ontain

Eh...If the PS3 lasts ten years like Sony has stated, it'll probably be more like half-way through this generation. I mean, over 25% of American households have an HDTV, so I expect that this will increase by a large percentage each year. HD will be important this gen, especially when they start releasing more games that display in 1080p and as Blu-ray sales pick up and DVD sales start to drop.

This will all change in the coming years just watch.

Trading_Zoner

u mean "just u wait":lol:

Only half the people asked knew that consoles could play DVDs, sounds to me like they were a pretty dumb crowd.Gallion-Beast

More evidence that too many dumb people have way too much money. It's scary.

"I believe that people who have more money than they can hold in both hands, ought to give it all to me."

that survey seems suspect

how do you buy a 360/ps3 and not know it plays movies?

It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Michael85

It's the next standard of monitors and resolutions for all video outputting devices, and it's cool to see too.

that survey seems suspect

how do you buy a 360/ps3 and not know it plays movies?

Absynthetic

Not everyone who buys a console is as hardcore a gamer as the SW crowd... they don't do lots of research on consoles or games... (That's why they buy into hype more too)

this is why the wii will win. and if the support materialises on the console like it has been with the DS then all of the graphics whores will be forced to buy a Wii despite their protests.

Personally HD doesn't bother me too much, a good game is a good game and i'll leave mindless nitpicking to the pedantic fools who care about such things

It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Michael85

not really though its need on bigger tvs maybe on a small 17in tv or something you wont notice a big difference between sd and HD but if you try to play games on big 50in screen things start to look nasty and fuzzy if its not in HD so its more than just propaganda

yup repeat of last gen when people were first buying ps2s they had no idea what a dvd player was and even when they did nobody used the ps2 to watch dvds Gen007

over 25% of American households have an HDTVdewmandew7

Is that actually true? Seems way too high to me.

one thing that wasn't in the poll: "Did you realize that PS3/360 had amazing graphics with a clear picture?"

I gauruntee the results would have been much different...

People know that 360 and Ps3 have amazing visuals, so what if they don't know why exactly?

All that matters is: When they look at a Wii game and a PS3 game side by side, casuals will see a BIG difference...

[QUOTE="dewmandew7"] over 25% of American households have an HDTVtoken08

Is that actually true? Seems way too high to me.

That's what they've been saying. However, this statement came from Sony at last year's E3 (well, they said that 25% households would have HDTVs by year end; whether that actually happened or not, who knows).

HD is still far from being adopted by the masses - and a lot of those with HD TV-sets don't use the HD featrues at all.

That's why the average casual (which in a console's lifespan makes up more than 80% of the user base) don't care about blu-ray, HD-DVD, HDMI and such things. Only we nerds think that they are important features, but very few actually use them.

Kind of makes the endless system wars discussions about HDMI vs composite, HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray, pixelpeeping to compare two different games rendered in HD and so on quite stupid, doesn't it? ;)

one thing that wasn't in the poll: "Did you realize that PS3/360 had amazing graphics with a clear picture?"

I gauruntee the results would have been much different...

People know that 360 and Ps3 have amazing visuals, so what if they don't know why exactly?

All that matters is: When they look at a Wii game and a PS3 game side by side, casuals will see a BIG difference...

Trading_Zoner

Yes they will, then they will buy the Wii... Why? I don't know... but the big difference hasn't detered them yet... I don't see why it'll start detering them now.

It isn't just gaming. It's like the guy was talking about in that last paragraph. Most people in the US with HDTVs have absolutely no idea that they need to receive HD programming to be able to watch TV... in HD, so they never get it. They just don't know. The technology is still relatively early. Give it a few years. As HDTVs become more commonplace, which they are, the general ignorance on this matter will go down.Zeliard9

Oh my parents know... they just don't like the idea of increasing there bills any... im sure they aren't the only people out there who would get HD tv if it didn't cost so much more a month...

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3161833

"Microsoft and Sony have both been pushing high-definition visuals this generation, but do people care? So far, the hardcore have been the early adopters of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, while the mass market waits for the right games (i.e. Grand Theft Auto IV) and price drops to make this generation financially viable. Naturally, then, you might assume gamers with machines now are aware of their HD capabilities, right?

Right?

As it turns out, not so much. The NPD Group released results from their "Next Gen Functionality & Usage" report and some of the numbers are surprising.

According to the results, only 40% of PlayStation 3 owners polled were aware the machine had a Blu-ray player and about 50% of that number had popped in a Blu-ray movie during the last 10 times they turned on the machine -- the other half didn't use the feature. The study didn't poll about Xbox 360's HD-DVD add-on, as it's not a standard feature with the Xbox 360 SKU. For reference, about half polled knew about the DVD-playback potential of Xbox 360.

The lack of awareness (or interest) isn't limited to movie watching, either -- and here's where you should start paying attention for an idea on how the mass market will respond in the next few years. Only 30% of Xbox 360 owners were aware of the HD graphics capabilities of the machine, whereas that number rises to 50% with PS3. Considering the inclusion of a cheap Blu-ray player in the PS3, that's not so surprising, but, either way, a startling number of "HD gamers" don't know about -- or don't care about -- HD.

"The industry is still in its infancy with regard to this "next-gen" and all the expanded capabilities of the systems," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier to 1UP. "Gameplay is still king, and it may take awhile for the awareness and usage of the additional features to really take hold with consumers."

If so few are even aware of the HD functions, how many who are in-the-know are even taking advantage of it? Speaking anecdotally, my Dad picked up an HDTV a few years ago from Costco and every time I'm home, he's watching everything in SD because he doesn't know better. To him, he's watching TV on the "HDTV" and actually switching to a HD-capable channel doesn't cross his mind -- it's the illusion of having the HDTV feature that makes him think he's actually watching a better picture. In fact, he's making standard definition look worse!"

:?

CB4McGusto

not surprising, its amazing how many people I know who own HD TV's and don't know that channel 2,4,5,7, etc are in the 700+ channels in HD. they keep watching channel 2 instead of 702.

it actually pisses me off how people spend so much money on electronic equipment and not take 10 minutes to read the manual so they can know how to use it.

I'm sure everyone here has known someone with a VCR and didn't know how to set the VCR to record something when they are not home.

I don't really care if the masses are ready for it, I'm read for HD and I'm glad Sony and MS are delivering. :DTeufelhuhn

hell yeah, after getting my HDTV I can't watch TV on an SD set, yuck.

my friends 360 went down and he loves Battlefield, but he refused to send the system for repair, he refused to spend any money to fix it. this was before the free repairs. So his brother talked him into buying the PS2 so he can play battlefield on that, well lets just say when he saw the graphics, no HD. he sent the 360 out for repair. I warned him but he wouldnt listen, lol. now he's back on the 360 playing battlefield.

[QUOTE="Michael85"]It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Trading_Zoner

It's the next standard of monitors and resolutions for all video outputting devices, and it's cool to see too.

"Next" standard? Shoot, America's definition of high definition gaming has been achieved since the mid to late 90s on PC monitors. If HD were such a huge priority for games, people simply wouldn't have given consoles the time of day.

Thus, "HD" is just a marketting tool for PR.

teh DVD is winning teh warrrrrr!!!!!!

i havent used my BD player in my PS3 yet either, but i know its there for the FUTURE

R-Dot-Yung

Actually, I pronounced DVD the winner of this format shenanigans 2 years ago. the formats just don't do enough to command the upgrade to anyone other than techno-geeks. DVD looks good on my HDTVs. not as good as HD-DVD movies or Blu-Ray movies (I have both formats)...but they look good enough that you forget you're not watching an HD movie.

In the end, I don't think either format will reach critical mass enough to overtake DVD. DVD is good enough.

[QUOTE="Trading_Zoner"]

[QUOTE="Michael85"]It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Michael85

It's the next standard of monitors and resolutions for all video outputting devices, and it's cool to see too.

"Next" standard? Shoot, America's definition of high definition gaming has been achieved since the mid to late 90s on PC monitors. If HD were such a huge priority for games, people simply wouldn't have given consoles the time of day.

Thus, "HD" is just a marketting tool for PR.

yep. in reality, what we're calling "HD" on these TVs would have been out 20 years ago if not for the politicians. these catch phrases get people caught up.

[QUOTE="Trading_Zoner"]

[QUOTE="Michael85"]It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Michael85

It's the next standard of monitors and resolutions for all video outputting devices, and it's cool to see too.

"Next" standard? Shoot, America's definition of high definition gaming has been achieved since the mid to late 90s on PC monitors. If HD were such a huge priority for games, people simply wouldn't have given consoles the time of day.

Thus, "HD" is just a marketting tool for PR.

They are a standard agreed upon by a consortium of manufactures and content providers...

Your salesman doesn't just make it up, PC doesn't need a set standard of resolutions and refresh rates because we have software to customise that to our liking. TV's require a set standard to make them market friendly and to give content providers a standard to output at.

The HD standard does not apply to computer monitors, monitors are usually equal to 720p or exceed 1080p depending on their specs.

Saying something is HD is a genuine term, but alot of idiots throw it around as if its the second coming.

[QUOTE="Michael85"][QUOTE="Trading_Zoner"]

[QUOTE="Michael85"]It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Dreams-Visions

It's the next standard of monitors and resolutions for all video outputting devices, and it's cool to see too.

"Next" standard? Shoot, America's definition of high definition gaming has been achieved since the mid to late 90s on PC monitors. If HD were such a huge priority for games, people simply wouldn't have given consoles the time of day.

Thus, "HD" is just a marketting tool for PR.

yep. in reality, what we're calling "HD" on these TVs would have been out 20 years ago if not for the politicians. these catch phrases get people caught up.

I actually heard that 720p had been the standard definition for television in the UK since 1970.

Lol @ consolers.

It's not like this is a surprise. HD is just PR propaganda whose sole purpose is to sell "next-gen" machines.Michael85

qft

[QUOTE="Trading_Zoner"]

one thing that wasn't in the poll: "Did you realize that PS3/360 had amazing graphics with a clear picture?"

I gauruntee the results would have been much different...

People know that 360 and Ps3 have amazing visuals, so what if they don't know why exactly?

All that matters is: When they look at a Wii game and a PS3 game side by side, casuals will see a BIG difference...

GundamGuy0

Yes they will, then they will buy the Wii... Why? I don't know... but the big difference hasn't detered them yet... I don't see why it'll start detering them now.

Now is not the time for that. RIGHT NOW were still in the early adopter stage. The infancy of this gen especially with the PS3. Once people really see thier favorite games on an HDTV and see that PS3 is cheaper they will want one. Just watch.

That's to be expected, and that's why the Wii is able to compete with the 360 and PS3 despite its hardware lackings. Same thing around where I live, I went to a neighbor's house for dinner and I noticed the 64" HDTV they had in the living room wasbeing used to watch SD channels, and I simply thought what a waste it was. My gaming friends are quite a bit more knowledgable and are quite aware of the 360 and PS3's ability to do HD, the thing is though, they really don't care. It makes the graphics a little more "flashy" and that's it to them from what they tell me. And none of my gamer friends have even considered using the Blu-Ray or HD-DVD functions in the PS3/360s yet.

Still, I expect the number of people educated about HD to rise in the following years. I expect by the time this gen is over, practically everyone will know about HD.

All that matters is: When they look at a Wii game and a PS3 game side by side, casuals will see a BIG difference...

Trading_Zoner

I don't really care if the masses are ready for it, I'm read for HD and I'm glad Sony and MS are delivering. :DTeufelhuhn

The best and perhaps only logical response to this article from a lem/cow. Any other arguments are moot.

"Next" standard? Shoot, America's definition of high definition gaming has been achieved since the mid to late 90s on PC monitors. If HD were such a huge priority for games, people simply wouldn't have given consoles the time of day.

Thus, "HD" is just a marketting tool for PR.

Michael85

Why do people buy stuff and not know what it does? Thats like me buying a car and someone asks:

"Does that thing have 4 wheel drive?"

"Ummmmmmm....... ummmmmmmmmmm........ idk I just bought it whatever it starts up w00t!"

And what has Nintendo been saying about HD penetration in the mass market? Exactly. [QUOTE="Trading_Zoner"]

All that matters is: When they look at a Wii game and a PS3 game side by side, casuals will see a BIG difference...

Hoffgod

That's some hard ownage right thar.