"To better gauge consumer appeal for and understanding of HDTV services, Scientific-Atlanta commissioned a nationwide telephone survey of over 500 U.S. high-definition television owners. Results show that nearly half (49%) of HDTV owners surveyed are not taking full advantage of their HD televisions, as defined by receiving HD channels and having special equipment to watch HD programming (including an HD set-top box, a CableCARD, and/or an antenna). Close to one in four (28%) of HDTV owners reported that they did not get any special equipment from their service provider to watch HDTV channels because the picture quality was already improved with the purchase of an HDTV. 23% of HDTV owners did not invest in special equipment to watch HDTV channels because a message at the beginning of the programs they watch tells them that those programs are being broadcast in HD. Nearly one in five (18%) reported that they believed the HD television would give them high-definition channels without additional equipment."I experience all the time with guests at my house. I will have the set on a non-HD channel and I get comments about how nice the HD picture is. Then I switch over to an HD channel and their jaws drop.