HDTV ownership is growing, albeit at a much slower pace thanks to the global economy. I know several people who have bought a new HDTV and proudly shown it off to their friends. Then you sit down to watch a fight or a big game on it and you realize they didn’t spring for the HD service.

That is sort of like buying a new sports car without springing for gas, what's the point. The reason is usually the same, I don’t watch enough TV for HD or I can’t tell any difference. Whatever. If you can’t tell a difference in SD and HDTV programs, you need to rush to the optometrist right now.

It seems that getting a HDTV, but skipping on the HDTV programs isn’t uncommon. In-Stat reports that at the end of 2008 there were 39 million homes in the US with HDTVs installed, but a full 17 million of those homes lack HD programming. That is surprising, I guess there are lots of folks who wanted a thin TV, but don’t want to cough up the extra $10 per month for HD cable or satellite service.

Via In-Stat