Viewers who claim not to want digital television often change their minds after a trial of the service, according to new research commissioned by a consortium of interested companies.
The
Go Digital study found that before the trial approximately one fifth of participants said they were not interested in receiving DTV; after the trial, 68% had decided that they would convert and many others showed increased interest in the platform. Just 6% said they were still not interested in digital TV.
Increased channel choice and enhanced picture and sound quality are cited as some of the key benefits of DTV. Personal video recorders (PVRs) were also popular, as they can be set in conjunction with digital electronic programme guides (EPG), making them easier to programme than ordinary video recorders.
Findings from Go Digital will inform the Digital Television Action Plan, which is designed to ensure that the Government’s criteria for digital switch-over are met.
The 300-home survey was conducted in the West Midlands and was operated and funded by: BBC, BSkyB, Channel 4, Dentsu, DCMS, DTI, Dixons, Endeva, ITC, MindShare, ntl, Nokia, Novapal, Pace, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Telewest Broadband, The Digital Network. The project was coordinated by the Independent Television Commission.
