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DEG: 3DTV Gets Good Consumer Reviews

New York – A first-of-its-kind study of 3,100 consumer 3DTV
owners conducted for the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) found a largely
positive experience concerning use, enjoyment, performance and price of new
3DTV sets.

The study was released here Tuesday by Warner Home Video and DEG president
Ron Sanders at a NewBay Media Summit on “Connected TV and 3D: Delivering the
Demand,” and after having been conducted for the DEG this spring by market
research firm SmithGeiger. (New Bay is the parent company of TWICE.)

While previous research centered on consumers’ preconceptions
about 3DTV, the DEG said the new study, which is entitled “3DTV Owners: A
Closer Look at The New World of Immersive Home Entertainment,” is the first to
focus on the experience of actual 3DTV owners.

Respondents were asked to assess a number of 3DTV factors,
including: picture quality, perceived price differences, viewing satisfaction,
content preferences, and reaction to 3D glasses.

Of the 60 percent of respondents said they view 3D content on
their 3D-capable TVs, 88 percent rated the 3D picture quality positively,
compared to 91 percent for their 2D picture quality.

Twenty four percent reported watching more television – both in
2D and 3D – since purchasing their new 3DTV.

Also, 85 percent of 3DTV owners consulted said they would prefer
to watch half, most, or all of their programs in 3D. These consumers also
reported that the majority of home entertainment in 3D is better than in 2D,
with 3DTV owners naming feature films on Blu-ray as their favorite 3D
programming.

Respondents said they believe the upgrade to 3D was “well worth
the price,” the DEG said.

The vast majority of 3DTV owners stated that they paid a
relatively small additional fee for 3D capability, and that the feature made their
television worth the extra dollars paid. Nearly 80 percent of those surveyed
said that their 3DTVs were either less expensive, about the same, or just a
little more expensive than a comparable HDTV without 3D capability.

On average, those surveyed by the DEG paid just over $2,000 for
their 3DTV, with more than half paying less than $2,000.

The study also dispelled the notion that the need to wear 3D
glasses was inhibiting consumer adoption, the DEG said. The study found that
out of 3,100 3DTV owners surveyed, only a handful experienced any discomfort
when using active shutter 3D glasses.

More than four out of five (83 percent) stated that it takes
either no time or just a few minutes to adjust to wearing 3D glasses.

Additionally, of those surveyed, 74 percent own two or more pairs
of glasses, with 33 percent buying an extra set during their initial 3DTV
purchase.

More than half (52 percent) of the 3DTV owners surveyed said they
received at least one set of glasses bundled with their television.

Owners of 3DTVs reported having an average of 2.38 pairs of
glasses per home.

As for the kind of 3DTV content viewed, the study found most to
watch a variety of movies, games and sports, and expect even more soon.

The findings show that feature films on Blu-ray 3D are the top 3D
programming choice (78 percent), with animated movies on Blu-ray (77 percent)
and nature or wildlife programs (75 percent) close behind. Football games (67
percent) and other sports were also highlighted as preferred types of home 3D
content.

Regarding delivery to the home platforms, 7 out of 10 of those
surveyed by the DEG use a Blu-ray 3D or 3D-capable player. Forty-four percent
of those owners also purchased their Blu-ray player bundled with their 3DTV.

Many of these consumers are already using their 3DTVs to watch
Blu-ray 3D movies, with most having recently purchased or rented a Blu-ray 3D
title. Additionally, 22 percent purchased that movie when they bought their
3DTVs.

Also, 28 percent of all 3DTV owners reported owning a
PlayStation3 system, with 78 percent of these owners having already upgraded
their PS3 to watch 3D movies, while 76 percent upgraded their PS3 to play 3D
videogames.

Also 68 percent have already purchased a 3D video game, and an
astounding 42 percent of gamers are playing 25 percent or more of their game
time in 3D. In addition to Blu-ray players and PS3s, 40 percent of owners are
receiving 3D content through a cable or satellite channel.

The consumers surveyed in the DEG’s study were predominantly male
(86 percent) and married, (71 percent), with an average age of 51 years old.
The average income was just under $99,000, although 38 percent of those
surveyed reported earning less than $75,000.

Additionally, 78 percent of these 3DTV owners said that their
sets are also viewed by their spouses or significant others; and 86 percent of
these owners have children at home who also watch their 3DTVs on a regular
basis.

The survey measured the inclinations and behavior of purchasers
of 3D-compatible televisions in the U.S. from leading companies LG, Mitsubishi,
Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. The majority of these owners (92 percent) own just
one 3DTV, and nearly all of those televisions (90 percent) are located in the
living room or family room where the entire family can use it.

Of those with a second 3DTV, nearly half (47 percent) use it
primarily in the master bedroom.

The majority of 3DTV owners surveyed (89 percent) own a 3DTV that
measures 50 inches or larger.

 “The results of this
landmark study clearly show that 3DTV owners are overwhelmingly happy with
their 3D experience,” said Sanders. “The research shows that the future for the
home 3D platform is crystal clear – consumers are excited about all of the
content now arriving on 3D.”

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