Tech experts say HD DVD sales will rise

Dallas (TX) - After the "early adopter" era ends early next year, the mass market will likely seek HD DVD for its price advantage, according to a newly released study on the subject.

The Diffusion Group, a research firm specializing in the tech market, released a report on the HDTV and high-def DVD industry. The firm says that it is still too early to judge the outcome of the format war because it is still just early adopters who are making up the consumer base.

Sign up for our newsletter and be in with a chance to win one of two high performance graphics cards.

TDG’s survey of Americans found that those who already own a high-def DVD player are five times more likely to call themselves "early adopters" than those who don’t. They were also more likely to want extra features such as high-tech gaming and top-of-the-line specifications. Because of this, "the remaining early adopters who have yet to buy a high-def DVD player and which (not surprisingly) show a preference for Blu-ray," said TDG in its report.

That crowd isn’t the decider of the war, though, it says. The group claims that "mass-market consumers who, while less enthusiastic about technology per se and very price sensitive, are more likely to favor HD DVD," based on the data it received from survey respondents.

Among people who classified themselves as "HDTV intenders" who do not already own HD equipment, 43% said they prefer HD DVD, compared to 27% who said Blu-ray. 30% were undecided.