How People Watch Netflix on TV

The number of U.S. households relying on dedicated set-top/plug-in devices (a.k.a. digital media players) to watch Netflix on a TV set continue to grow, according to a new GfK study.

By contrast, videogame systems — while still the most common hardware for Netflix viewing on a TV screen — are used much less than they were three years ago.

The study shows that 28% of those who stream Netflix on a TV used a digital media payer (such as Chromecast, Apple TV, or Roku) to do so; nearly double the 2013 level (15%) and about five times the 2011 statistic (6%).

The spike comes as ownership of the players among all homes has increased tenfold — from 2% to 21% — since 2010.

Some of today’s higher-end TV sets, which have streaming capabilities built in, have also become popular — with use of buy-in streaming reported by 28% of those who watch Netflix on TV — up from 20% a year ago and 13% in 2011.

Conversely, reports of watching Netflix on TV through a videogame system have dropped to 43% — down 5 percentage points from 2013 and almost 20 point below the 2011 level (62%).

The new reports shows far-reaching generational differences in how people access Netflix.

Generations X and Y are twice as likely as Baby Boomers to use a video game system to watch Netflix on TV.

Capabilities built into TV setts are highly preferred by Gen Y Netflix viewers, and both Generations X and Y show strong use of digital media players.

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