According to a new study from The Diffusion Group almost one-third of non-HDTV households are interested in buying a high-definition TV set in the next six months, and the majority are leaning towards HD DVD.

The company asked consumers considering buying a high-def set if they were likely to buy a high-def DVD player and among those who said yes, 43 percent said HD DVD would be their likely choice while 27 percent said Blu-ray. Thirty percent said they were not decided which high-def DVD player they would buy.

The Diffusion Group said the typical “HDTV Intenders” tend to be younger, more ethnically diverse and have lower annual incomes than current high-def owners. And with HD DVD player prices now starting under $200 – around $100 less than the least expensive Blu-ray player – the lower HD DVD price could appeal to the lower-income group.

“The next wave of buyers is comprised of early mass-market consumers, a much larger segment with a focus on practical considerations such as price. It is TDG’s opinion that the format which can best address the needs of mainstream consumers will emerge as the winner of this format war," said Michael Greeson, president and principal analyst with The Diffusion Group.

The Diffusion Group conducted two separate research surveys for its study, one in October of 1,500 US adult internet users and one in November of 2,000 US adult broadband users.

Story filed 17.12.07