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Gamers so far are largely ignoring the built-in capabilities of the multimedia features included with game consoles.

A study from The Diffusion Group, shows that while 80 percent of those owning a game console have the ability to play a DVD or download online video, only 13 percent use the feature.

Of the 13 percent, most only use the DVD tool for watching movies (74%), while a quarter of them have went online to buy or rent a digital movie.

“Today’s next-generation games consoles such as the Xbox 360 or Sony PS3 are true digital multimedia powerhouses,” said Dale Gilliam III, director of primary research and author of the report. “Yet very few of these devices are connected to the internet and, even though these same platforms may feature a high-definition DVD playback system, very few consumers are using them for non-gaming media applications.”

One of the conclusions of the study was that the lack of use originates in consumers not understanding what the game consoles can do. I'm not so sure that's the case.

Most game users are pretty tech savvy. To say they don't understand what can be done with them probably isn't what the cause of the lack of use is. It's probably that they choose not to use the features when they have other means of doing it.

I think people just like using their DVRs for playback, rather than the consoles; the same with viewing DVD movies.

What the report probably says but doesn't want to conclude, is at this time people have rejected it as the multi-purpose tool that companies were hoping they would become. Currently there are a lot of existing ways people can do the same things the consoles are now fit to do. People simply like the way they've been doing it.  I don't think it's a lack of understanding, it's rather a decision consumers have made.