Gaming Consoles a Huge Part of the Netflix Experience

Gaming consoles like Xbox 360 and PS3 have become popular platforms for consumers to watch content from Netflix a recent study found.

According to research from Nielsen, half of all Netflix users connect to the service with a game console (Wii, PS3 or Xbox Live). Twenty five percent of the respondents connecting to Netflix are using Nintendo's Wii, 13 percent are using PS3 and 12 percent are using Xbox Live.

On the flip side, users of Hulu mostly connect to the service through the computer. Eighty nine percent of Hulu users connect to the service this way. The next most popular way users connect to Hulu is by hooking up the computer to the TV. Hulu users barely use Xbox Live, PS3 and Wii.

Internet TV services like Apple TV and Google TV have yet to break out according to the research. Only one percent of both Hulu and Netflix users said they connect to the service via Apple and Google TV. Five percent of Netflix users actually connect via Roku, another internet TV provider. However, the overall impact of internet TV is very little.

The report from Nielsen also looked at what types of content are popular on Hulu and Netflix. The research firm concluded not shockingly that TV shows are immensely popular on Hulu while movies reign supreme on Netflix. Seventy three percent of Hulu users watch TV with only nine percent looking for movies. On Netflix, 53 percent are watching movies while only 11 percent are watching TV shows.

New research from research organization Pew Internet Research and network enterprise management supplier Allot Communications recently highlighted the growing prominence of over the top video providers on the internet.

"The rise of broadband and better mobile networks and devices has meant that video has become an increasingly popular part of users' online experiences," Kathleen Moore of Pew, said in a statement.

Hulu could be a possible buy target for Apple, which has struggled to provide a popular online video service. iTunes has taken over the music industry but doesn't offer a popular video service. The video service Apple has now hasn't caught on.

Netflix, on the other hand, is well established and financially successful. However, the company has fallen out of favor with many consumers recently because of a price hike. Its streaming and DVD-by-mail service is currently $9.99 for both. Netflix has decided to split them up at $7.99 each. Together, both will cost $15.98.

Follow Gabriel Perna on Twitter at @GabrielSPerna