Communications and Technology Industry Research

What’s more important – having clean clothes, hot food or being able to tape your favorite television program?

 

A new survey, conducted by NDS (News - Alert) Group, examines what’s more important to Americans and found that digital video recorders such as TiVo have become the second most essential technology in a home, behind mobile phones. DVRs were ranked more important than washing machines and microwaves.

 

Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Jupitermedia, said he was “not really surprised” and noted that, although it’s taken a decade for DVRs to become relatively widespread in the consumer market, “people who have them, love them.” One reason it took so long, he says, was because it was originally hard to explain.

 

“When you told people it could record TV, they said they have a VCR,” he added. It took a while for people to realize that, with one-button recording on the TV schedule, DVRs could dramatically change the TV-watching experience.

 

A DVR (digital video recorder) is a device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive or other memory medium. The term includes stand-alone set-top boxes, portable media players and software for personal computers. Some consumer electronics manufacturers have started to offer televisions with DVR hardware and software built in.

 

The international survey of 1,000 owners of digital video recorders also found that DVRs make for a “happier home life,” in the U.S., Britain, Australia and Italy.

 

Washing machines and microwave ovens are considered more indispensable than DVRs in the category of “household appliances,” according to the survey. They were the only appliances to rank higher than DVRs in that category, it says.

 

DVRs can be enjoyable for individuals and couples, according to NDS. The study found that DVR owners with partners say the device makes for “a happier home life.” And, the level of satisfaction is not limited to the United States, where 89 percent of Americans say the DVR increases their enjoyment of TV. In Britain, 81 percent of viewers agree, as do 80 percent of Australians and 78 percent of Italians.

 

Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said a DVR is “much easier to operate” than a videocassette recorder. About 58 percent said they are watching more interesting programs, since the DVR allows watching any TV program at any time, without having to record it on a VCR.

 

In fact, many users want another DVR, including 52 percent of Americans, 30 percent of British, 49 percent of Australians, and 57 percent of Italians. The London-based NDS has interest in the survey’s results, being that it’s a provider of DVR technology to pay-TV operators worldwide.

 

Gartenberg expects DVR growth to continue, and, as it does, TV watching to change from “watch this show at this time.” In fact, he said some viewers are already moving into wanting or having “a premium DVR experience” with high-definition recording, the ability to record several channels while watching live TV, and more. He also noted that DVR makers are using this growth to position DVRs as hubs for family entertainment, with downloading of movies and music in addition to TV recording.

Eve Sullivan is a contributing editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To read more of Eve's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Eve Sullivan