US consumers spent $22.8bn buying and renting DVDs in 2005,an 8% increase on 2004, according to figures from trade organisation theDigital Entertainment Group (DEG). But overall US consumer spending on video- including VHS rental and sell-through as well as DVD - actuallydeclined slightly, from $24.5bn in 2004 to $24.3bn.

The figures, released by the DEG at this week's ConsumerElectronics Show in Las Vegas, give the industry additional cause for concernafter the news of a 4% drop in North American theatrical takings for 2005.

The biggest growth area in the video market was DVD rental,which grew 14% to $6.5bn, according to the DEG. DVD sales grew 5% to $16.3bn,though unit sales increased by 10%.

Figures compiled by the DEG based on data from the ConsumerElectronics Association showed that an estimated 37m DVD players were sold toUS consumers in 2005. That brings the total number of DVD households in the USto 82m.