The number of televisions estimated that sit unused in closets.
The EPA estimates that nearly 100 million unused televisions are currently taking up precious, beautiful space. (source: EPA, July 2008)
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People rent and people buy. The mix they do depends on several factors. Obviously income is one pro-rent factor, which would tend to correlate with the cheaper player.
Another factor, unique to the format war, is risk. When you buy a disc, you take an investment risk in addition to the cost of the player; renting has no such risk. By the time one buys 10 HD DVDs, the investment in discs matches that of the player. If you are uncertain, you don't double down.
I support HD DVD, but I can see things for what they are occasionally.
A bright side is that once folks see the risk of HD DVD diminish, sales will go up, on a per-owner basis. Positive feedback leading to the chance of a BIG jump in sales. I suspect this is one of the reasons the BD execs do their monthly "The End is Near" pronouncement. FUD is part of the BD strategy.