Study: DVRs in 36 percent of U.S. homes

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- The Leichtman Research Group says its study of digital video recorder use nationwide indicates 36 percent of all U.S. homes use the TV recording devices.

The research firm said while 36 percent of the 1,300 U.S. households surveyed reported having a DVR device, respondents said more than 90 percent of their total TV viewing involved watching non-recorded television, The Hollywood Reporter said Friday.

The "On-demand TV 2009: A Nationwide Study on VOD and DVRs" study said at least 65 percent of respondents with a DVR device begin by watching non-recorded television programming before switching to recorded series.

Study respondents said 98 percent of their TV viewing still takes place on their televisions despite the increased popularity of streaming TV series on the Internet.

No margin of error or polling dates for the study were reported.

The Leichtman group said in the report the average U.S. household enjoyed 130 TV channels in 2008, an increase of 61 channels compared with eight years earlier, the Reporter said.

"This proliferation of channels led to the development that most impacts TV today -- audience fragmentation," the firm said in the report.