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HDTV: Lots of hype, little interest |
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Tuesday, 24 January 2006 |
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A recent poll from the U.S. shows that while 90% of all Americans have heard of high definition television (HDTV), only 47% say they know anything substantial about it, and just 15% say they are somewhat or very likely to get HDTV.
Ipsos Insight, the firm that undertook the research in late Ocober and early November 2005, found that the number of consumers aware of HDTV hasn’t changed since 2004 and that if the industry wants to sell more sets, then HDTV marketers will have to "take the initiative to expand the base of consumers who understand HDTV’s features and benefits, in order to convert them into buyers,” said Todd Board, leader of Ipsos Insight’s Technology & Communications practice.
 Americans possess a high awareness of HDTV
The study found that for HDTV to become a widely adopted, consumers will need to overcome the "worth it" hurdle. The firm describes the "worth it" hurdle as sort of a crude consumer calculus that compares the benefits of new technology versus the cost and hassle of implementing it. If the benefits are greater than the hassle then the technology is worth it.
“Among the fairly static group of U.S. consumers that report familiarity with HDTV in the past year, the perceived benefits have remained quite high,” added Board. “The critical issue today is that many consumers know HDTV exists, but haven’t been convinced that it offers enough benefit to justify replacing their current TVs.”
“The ‘worth it’ hurdle impacts all new technologies, whether they’re gimmicky or offer clearer benefits to the consumer,” said Board. “The lack of growth in consumers’ HDTV purchase intentions in the past three years suggests that the value proposition hasn’t been made compelling enough to enough consumers yet."
 The Numbers of Americans Somewhat likely or likely to buy HDTV remains low
Despite the gloomy numbers from this research, the news isn't all bad for proponents of HDTV. The Consumer Electronics Association is still projecting record digital television (DTV) sales in 2006 with the forecasters predicting over 18 million units sold, including four million LCD televisions and two million Plasma TVs.
Discuss and Learn MoreDiscuss this story in our High Definition Television (HDTV) forum in the Digital Forums . Membership is free and with over 75 forums and 15,000 members, there is always something new and interesting to discuss.
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