A scream of rage goes up, a long howl filled with frustration. You forgot to set the DVR to tape the latest episode of Breaking Amish: L.A. But there’s hope yet for cable and satellite customers, as video on demand programming has been improving through the years, and is now available to 60% of American TV households.

Technology appears to be catching up to our nation’s craving for instant gratification, coming a long way from unwieldy devices and yawn-worthy offerings like barely-watched movies and TV shows. Consumers are finally getting what they want, says Nielsen in a new report.

VOD is now in 60% of households, compared to only 37% availability five years ago, reports the Chicago Tribune.

“VOD is not a new technology. It’s been around over 10 years,” said Dounia Turrill, senior vice president of insights at Nielsen. “But the big difference is, over the past year or so, it has really transformed significantly.”

Now that viewing technology is easier to use and networks are more willing to offer up their current programming, more consumers are into it — especially since not everyone has a DVR.

“DVRs are in 50% of households, which by definition means they’re not in 50% of households,” Turrill said. “VOD platforms … provide the ability to time-shift to homes that don’t have the equipment. So, I think that’s a very big development.”

Video on demand reaches 60% of TV homes, Nielsen finds [Chicago Tribune]

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