LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- US consumers spent a record 21.2 billion US dollars renting and buying DVDs in 2004, according to a report issued Thursday by Digital Entertainment Group.

    US DVD retail sales grew to 15.5 billion dollars in 2004, an increase of 33 percent over 2003. In addition, consumers spent 5.7billion on renting DVDs, according to the report issued at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show, which opened in Las Vegas.

    When VHS sales and rentals are included, the dollars spent on home video were up 9 percent over last year. Consumers spent a total of 24.5 billion dollars renting and buying DVD and VHS.

    In the fourth quarter of 2004 alone, nearly 530 million DVDs shipped to retail, up 39 percent from 2003. Throughout 2004, the total number of units shipped since launch was nearly 4 billion discs. There are currently some 29,000 DVD titles available acrossa wide variety of genres.

    The report claimed 37 million DVD players were sold in 2004 alone, bringing to 70 million the total number of US households that own DVD players.

    Since launch, more than 127 million DVD players, including set-top and portable DVD players, Home-Theater-in-a-Box systems, TV/DVD and DVD/VCR combination players, have sold to consumers. Approximately 45 percent of DVD owners now have more than one player.

    The group estimates that more than 80 percent of US households will have at least one DVD player by the end of 2005.

    More than 120,000 people from about 110 countries are attending the 2005 international show, the world's largest showcase of latest digital technology and products, which runs from Jan. 6-9.

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