Although prices of 3D television sets have dropped significantly since last year's holiday period, sales for them have not taken off, seeming to reflect falling interest in 3D in general as the year ends. What has taken off, according to a study by Parks Associates and reported today by Home Media magazine are so-called smart TV's -- that is, television sets that can connect to the Internet to receive movies and TV shows on demand without the necessity of set top boxes. These are outselling 3D TVs by nearly two to one, according to the study. "The combination of a maturing product ecosystem with great holiday deals is putting smart TVs within the reach of the American middle class," said principal analyst Kurt Scherf. He also noted that those who do buy smart TVs are also likely to engage in so-called cord cutting, especially when it comes to pay-TV channels. "Smart TVs expand a household's available content choices without raising content costs," Scherf said. "Consumers pay a premium for the device now, but our research indicates these purchases could be part of a long-term plan for many budget-conscious households to reduce their overall [content] expenditures."

20/12/2011