Among owners of plasma televisions, 9 percent have plasma televisions between 50 and 59 inches and 6 percent said they had television screens measuring 60 inches or more

The future of television is big in more ways than one, according to The NPD Group report, "Taking Stock: The Consumer Perspective on Television Ownership." This report, based on a recent survey conducted by The NPD Group, explains the purchasing habits of consumers considering a television purchase, and how new technology features such as liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma have become key factors in the decision-making and purchasing process.

With the proliferation of digital television, interest in larger screen sizes utilizing LCD and plasma technologies has grown, capturing the imagination of the public and driving consumers back to stores to purchase the latest the industry has to offer. While glass tube televisions still remain the overwhelming majority of TV sets owned in America, the demand for televisions with larger displays and the latest technology is growing. Today, 6 percent of the market is made up of LCD televisions, with projection televisions commanding over 9 percent and plasma televisions representing 1 percent.

When it comes to TV sets using the latest technologies, households with higher incomes tend to be the primary purchasers. For instance, while there is a 6 percent penetration for projection TVs for those earning less than $50k per year, there is a 19 percent penetration in households earning above $100k per year. The pattern is similarly striking for plasma televisions, where penetration rises from less than 1 percent for those earning under $50k per year to 4.3 percent for those earning above $100k per year.

"The sticker shock of new display technologies has kept most consumers from enjoying their incredible picture quality," said Ross Rubin, a director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. "However, as prices for these televisions fall, consumers are increasingly drawn to the design and versatility of their svelte profiles.

Screen Size

The popularity of TV display technologies tends to vary with screen size, with glass tube technology being the most popular in the 21 to 29-inch range, and LCD and plasma televisions dominating sales for larger screen sizes. While 27 percent of all LCD televisions owned have screen sizes in the 24 to 29-inch range, almost 26 percent own LCD TVs with screens between 40 and 49 inches in size. Among owners of plasma televisions, 9 percent have plasma televisions between 50 and 59 inches and 6 percent said they had television screens measuring 60 inches or more.

Premium Services

With high-end televisions comes the need for premium television services. LCD owners are opting for premium television services with 34 percent currently subscribing to digital cable and another 22 percent subscribing to a satellite dish service. Plasma owners have the highest penetration of both digital cable and satellite dish subscriptions, at 36.9 percent and 33.3 percent respectively.

Viewing Habits and Satisfaction

Survey results show that the main living room is still the center of television entertainment. The majority of LCD owners (56.8 percent) display their set a TV stand or table and another 26 percent position it inside an entertainment center. Surprisingly, only 3.5 percent have mounted their LCD on a wall. On the other hand, 45.3 percent of plasma TVs are displayed on a TV stand or table and over 25 percent are wall mounted.

When looking at satisfaction, 66.1 percent of LCD owners and 68.3 percent of plasma owners rate their television experience as excellent. The most common gripe among LCD owners is that the device "does not go with décor" and for plasma owners, the most popular complaint was an inability to see the picture from certain angles.

"While the three most important factors for consumers continue to be price, picture quality, and screen size, a television’s aesthetics weigh heavily for most consumers," said Rubin. "In many cases, a television’s design was more of a driver than its ability to receive high-definition TV signals."