More homes have a game console than a cable box

Think twice before you say that using a game console to watch TV will never go mainstream because according to a survey from the Yankee Group, more people have a gaming console at home than a cable set-top box -- in fact the survey says that 2 percent more households have a game consoles than a set-top box. Now of course any survey that relies on normal people to report what technology they use, is automatically in question, but we do believe that going forward, people with box fatigue would ditch the cable box first. This is a super easy one considering how much more a console can do and in some cases even completely replace the role of the cable box -- we would like to see the Wii and the PS3 join the 360 in the States at pulling double duty like this. The fight for the living room is just beginning, so we'll be keeping a close eye on this one, but considering how crappy most cable boxes are, something has to change to make this a fair fight.

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted Mar 7th 2010 3:45PM]

Why is this only on Engadget HD? Seems like a good candidate for the main site, and if anything should be only there on not on the HD part.

[BenD Posted Mar 7th 2010 3:46PM]

@engadgetcomexcludeengadget

Unless you rely on OTA HD, most use a set-top box to get HD.

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted Mar 7th 2010 3:46PM]

Hmm, does that mean that more people will have access to Netflix instant streaming than the news when it comes to the wii next month?

[engadgetcomexcludeengadget Posted Mar 7th 2010 3:49PM]

@BenD Are you a straw; err I mean the author? Because I can downrank you, mwahahaha!

[BenD Posted Mar 7th 2010 3:50PM]

@engadgetcomexcludeengadget

Yeah, I'm unique like that. I think everyone deserves to be down ranked now and then.

[FORDY Posted Mar 7th 2010 6:43PM]

@engadgetcomexcludeengadget

The PS3 can.. I thought there was that lil DVR adapter thing..?

[BenD Posted Mar 7th 2010 6:43PM]

@FORDY

It doesn't work in the US.

[conscious Posted Mar 8th 2010 11:09AM]

This number is probably possible due to many people having dishes rather than cable boxes.

[Granger Posted Mar 7th 2010 4:48PM]

So does this only count PS3 / 360 / Wii owning homes?

It adds up either way, but if you include homes that haven't even entered the current generation, or only own a classic console they had when they were kids, of course it's going to skew the results.

[knewman Posted Mar 7th 2010 5:40PM]

good ol' statistics

[IseWise Posted Mar 7th 2010 5:41PM]

2% is not a huge margin by any measure and combined with a survey of people answering questions about their tech would lead me to believe that they are probably pretty even. That being said, both cable companies and console manufactures should try to work out agreements for multi-room viewing via the game consoles, it would be a win-win.

[itsafish Posted Mar 9th 2010 4:22PM]

@IseWise Yeah, we already have that in the UK thanks to British Sky Broadcasting :). most of the channels i get downstairs on the box in my room plus a bucketload of on demand stuff from most of the channels and this is included in my subscription. I thought the glorieus US would of have had this .

[landoncube Posted Mar 7th 2010 6:48PM]

Attention Rassmussen: Do not count dorm rooms or basement apartments as 'Homes.'

[nrb Posted Mar 7th 2010 6:55PM]

We've a PS3 and a Wii. Total cost $500.

We don't have cable. Saving ~$1400 for the two years we've had the gaming machines.

The PS3 (and to some extent the Wii) can view Netflix, Hulu, and other sources.

Cable's days are numbered, unless they find another way to provide their services.

[hodedofome Posted Mar 8th 2010 10:27AM]

I'm a part of this statistic. My 360 gives me netflix streaming, and all the broadcast tv i record on my pc is streamed via media center. So my dvr (hdhomerun) cost me a whopping $150, which is about 2 or 3 months of paying for cable. I'd only want cable for a few channels anyway (espn, discovery etc). However, the main selling point is playing rock band, call of duty or madden is way more fun that watching some crap show on a has-been-or-never-will-be network.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2010 9:23PM]

I'm in this group.

Sidenote, my dad, who was a crazy big sports fan, used to pay 300 dollars a month for his cable to get all the college and everything else sports, as well as broadband(not business broadband.) I mean, 3,600 a Year!?! I couldn't believe it when I found out.

Most people I know are paying at least 50 dollars a month for their cable( 600 yearly) and some are twice that, and these people can't seem to figure out how I can afford those expensive computers and that broadband.

No cable frees up a decent amount of money.