Ever Heard Of A DVD Recorder? Many Americans Haven't, A New Survey Shows; "A Lot Of Confusion Out There'; Despite affordable prices, majority of U.S. households don't own a DVD recorder.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: PATRICK SEITZ

Consumer electronics firms after years of work are making DVD recorders at prices low enough for most households, but a new survey shows several issues might still slow sales.

The poll says many people don't know much about this emerging consumer electronics product. More than that, it found that most people record few or no TV shows, so they might not need the product.

DVD players are the fastest-selling consumer electronics product ever, but they've long had one perceived drawback -- people can't record with them. In the meantime, TiVo and other makers of DVRs, or digital video recorders, have gained steam. They let people record TV shows on computer hard disk drives instead of removable discs, but often require a monthly subscription.

So, now that companies like Gateway, Panasonic, Philips and Sony are finally getting DVD recorders down to mass-market affordable prices, the machines should be flying off the shelves, right?

Well, no. A recent poll of 2,000 U.S. adults by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence found that nearly 40% had never heard of the product. And the Consumer Electronics Association says only 2% of U.S. households own DVD recorders.

"Consumers simply don't know or understand all the functionality that's here right now (in DVD recorders)," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with Jupiter Research.