Two and a half years since the launch of digital TV in Brazil, the penetration of this technology is still very small. Among the main beneficts offered by digital TV to fixed devices (TV sets), only high definition television (HDTV) is available on a commercial scale, being nowadays the main appeal to the adoption of digital technology. In Brazil, the consumption of high definition content has occurred mainly by Pay TV subscribers, a group formed basicly by high-income households. To increase the understanding of the stimulus and barriers to adoption of high-definition Pay TV in Brazil, fifteen interviews with people from high-income households were conducted, under the light of diffusion of innovations theory. Afterwards, a survey was made with a convenience sample of Pay TV subscribers without subscription of HDTV services, investigating the relationship between the perceptions of high-definition attributes and the adoption intent of HDTV services. Results showed evidence that perceived resources, cost-benefit of content available in HD, perception of relative advantage, ownership of HD television sets and frequency of moviegoing are relevantly related to adoption intent of high-definition Pay TV services.