A new report from the NPD Group shows that Blu-ray disc consumer awareness is on the rise. According to point-of-sale tracking data, the Blu-ray format is moving further into the mainstream. Q1 sales of Blu-ray players in the U.S. grew to more than 400,000 units. That number is a 72% gain over Q1 2008, and dollar sales increased 14% to reach $107.2 million.

NPD's Ross Rubin said in a statement, "The rising penetration of high-definition televisions and lower Blu-ray player prices are broadening the format’s market opportunity. Even as options expand for accessing movies digitally, Blu-ray is carrying forward the widespread appeal of DVD into the high-definition marketplace."

Early adopters of the Blu-ray format weren't as concerned with pricing as consumers that are now looking to step up to Blu-ray. Currently, the most influential thing in the purchase of a Blu-ray player is the price.

NPD figures show that the average selling price for a stand-alone Blu-ray player dropped nearly 34% from $393 in Q1 2008 to $261 in Q1 2009. According to NPD, buyers who intend to purchase a Blu-ray player in the next six months can expect to pay $214 on average.

Along with sales going up and prices coming down, the report also shows that Blu-ray awareness among consumers is at an all time high. Over the last six months, awareness of Blu-ray has hit 90%. Consumers saying they are extremely or very likely to buy Blu-ray in the next six months totaled 6% of those surveyed compared to 5% who said the same thing in an August report.