• by Wayne Friedman , September 7, 2011

Alternative devices for viewing TV/entertainment content have been growing -- but nowhere has this gain been more evident than with video-game devices. 

Knowledge Networks says that in 2011, playback/recorded content via video-game devices amounts to 12% of all 13- to-54-year-olds who watch streamed or downloaded TV programs or movies through a video-game system at least once a month.

The biggest category for alternative TV viewing, according to the survey, is DVDs -- which register 60%, slightly down from the 2010 total of 62%. DVR content, the second-largest category -- increased to 36% from 34%. Streaming video over a PC rose to 24% from 20%. Video On Demand services followed, grabbing 20% from its previous number of 17%. Blu-Ray usage was also up 14%, from 8%.

Netflix also continues to see big growing numbers. Forty-nine percent of its current customer base have used the service in less than a year. The service has around 22 million subscribers.

The study says 46% of all 13- to-54-year-olds have used Netflix at least once, with 35% watching at least one TV or movie on a monthly basis. Fify-two percent of Netflix customers are between 13 and 31; 46% are 32 to 45; and 35% are 46 to 54 years old.

Concerning new technology and Netflix, 11% of its broad swath of consumers 13-64 have used the service via mobile device. The biggest use here comes from its 13-31 customers, at 17%. Older boomers have only used Netflix via a mobile device at a 3% rate.