Personal Video Recorder Use Surging

Personal video recorder (PVR) shipments nearly tripled in 2004, thanks to the broader knowledge of the technology through products like TiVo and the addition of the feature to most cable provider's product lineups.

Altogether, nearly 11.4 million units were shipped - up from 4.6 million the year before according to research firm In-Stat.

"The deployment of PVR products has been a success story for both pay-TV service providers and consumer electronics manufacturers," says Mike Paxton, an In-Stat analyst. "While the current growth of PVRs is being spurred by satellite TV set top box products and DVD recorders with built-in hard disk drives, other product segments like cable TV set top box-based PVRs are also flying off the shelves."

The study also found that those with PVR devices are highly satisfied with their service, as 89 percent of PVR householders indicated they were either extremely or very satisfied.

North America remains the biggest market for the technology, followed by Japan. The two accounted for nearly nine out of every 10 PVR units shipped last year.

In-Stat called 2004 a "banner year" for PVR services, as the worldwide number of subscribers ballooned from 3.6 million last May to 9.2 million today. With the added subscribers came more revenue, making the industry a $4.3 billion business in 2004.