There are twice as many Americans watching video on their computers than there were this time last year, according to a recent study from ABI Research, which surveyed nearly 1,000 users.

In 2007, ABI found that 32 percent of users were watching video online, but that figure has spiked to 63 percent of those surveyed in 2008.

"Consumers are changing their online habits quickly," ABI's Digital Home Research Director Michael Wolf said in a statement. "Broadband speeds have continued to increase at the same time that Hollywood has decided online distribution is a legitimate monetization opportunity that will increase total return on their video assets, and expand audiences."

Hollywood's vote of confidence in online video can best be seen by the recent success of Hulu, the joint video venture from News Corp. and NBCU. Despite early doubts, Hulu has managed to excite a core audience eager to watch feature-length films and television online. But more than that, Hulu has managed to gain critical support from advertisers that are keenly aware of the engagement potential of long-form video content.