November/December 2021

More articles in this issue:

More than 26 million U.S. households have a home theater system, with the potential to grow by 50% in the next 12 months. On average, owners have nearly three extra devices connected to their home theater. DVD/Blu-ray players, video game consoles and digital streaming devices are starting to outpace cable/satellite boxes. Nearly half of owners use their home theater for virtual meetings for work and/or school, 93% did so for the first time during the pandemic. With many companies adopting permanent work-at-home policies, this use of home theater systems is likely to increase. 

The Home Theater Market

• 22% U.S. households have a home theater.
• 11% are prospective home theater owners.
• 67% are non-owners.
• 86% of those with home theaters have an average television screen size of 61 inches.
• 14% of those with home theaters have a projector with an average screen size of 103 inches.

Peripheral Devices Connected to Home Theaters

• 44% of people with home theaters have a DVD or Blu-ray player
• 43% of people with home theaters have a video game console.
• 42% of people with home theaters have a digital media streaming device.
• 41% of people with home theaters have cable or satellite tv.
• 32% of people with home theaters have a computer connected to it. Of those 32%, 26% have a laptop computer, 26% have a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player and 18% have a desktop computer

Attitudes Among Owners

• 76% of home theater owners think that audio and video is equally important.
• 16% of home theater owners think that audio is more important.
• 9% of home theater owners think that video is more important.
• When considering purchasing home theater components, 42% of people think sound quality is most important, 40% think cost is most important, 31% think picture quality is most important, 28% think that user-friendliness is most important, 25% think that wireless connectivity is most important and 24% think that screen size is most important.