• by Wayne Friedman , March 28, 2014

Internet set-top boxes -- those small plug-in USB stick-like devices for TV sets -- are big with some millennials. Older media consumers also favor the new consumer product.

The video content/media research firm The Diffusion Group says that media consumers 25-34 and 45-54 are the biggest users of those devices.

Overall, 14% of U.S. broadband homes currently use Internet set-top box devices, like Google’s Chromecast, Roku or Apple TV to access video content.

The reports says heavy marketing of these devices is targeted for those in their late 20s and early 30s -- but not as much for the younger 18-24 group, who tend to use other video content device access like that of game consoles. Diffusion says 29% of adult broadband users are likely to purchase a new Internet set-top box (iSTB) in the next six months. In addition, 48% of current iSTB users are likely to purchase another iSTB device.

Diffusion says at least 60% of U.S. broadband home have at least one TV connected to the Internet -- around 54 million TV homes.

In another recent Diffusion report, conducted with 1,671 users, adult broadband media consumers 55+ said they spent 61% of their daily TV time watching live broadcast/cable programming versus 4% watching from online video platforms.

In contrast, those 18-24 years of age now spend more of their daily TV time watching online video sources -- 33% -- than from traditional TV sources -- 29%.

Friends Watching TV photo from Shutterstock