Find yourself peeping through your neighbors’ windows? Those giant TVs are hard to ignore.

A recent study from Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (LRG) says that one-quarter of U.S households have at least one high-def set in the home—about twice the number from two years ago.

That’s great for the manufacturers, but not necessarily for consumers. LRG also says that even though people have these sets, most are not achieving all of its HD wonder. The study says that 53 percent are watching HD programming from a multi-channel provider (cable, DBS or telco), while 4 percent are tuning in via broadcast only—with about 20 percent thinking they are watching HD, when they are not.

My father-in-law was one of those people. He spent years wondering what the hoopla was about high-def. I had to inform him that he needed to upgrade his cable box. Count him in LRG’s 41 percent of owners that needed to be told how to receive HD programming.

Also interesting is how 40 percent of owners also think they have a high-def DVD player—even though the sales numbers aren’t backing that up.

There are a few other neat “really?” specs in the study; check out LRG’s website for more info.

Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.