Why aren’t HDTV owners watching HD content?
High-definition televisions are becoming ever more popular. But if the viewers of Britain are anything to go by, the vast majority aren’t making the most of the technology.
A survey of 2,000 people carried out by YouGov and reported by the BBC, found that 56 percent of households have at least one high-definition set. However, just 9 percent of people watch either HD broadcasts or Blu-ray DVDs.
One explanation for this is that 81 percent of those surveyed admit to “not getting the best” from high-tech gadgets in general. However, this seems to have been the result of a vaguely worded question about general attitudes rather than specifics.
There may also be a regional element to this. Without wishing to start a Transatlantic techno-war, there’s certainly an argument that when it comes to standard definition TV, Britain’s PAL system is superior to that offered by the NTSC system used in the countries such as the United States. That could mean that the difference between standard and HDTV is, while noticeable, less spectacular, meaning people might be less inclined to go to extra expense or bother.
The most likely explanation, however, is cost. To receive HD television in the U.K., you’ll usually need to pay a higher subscription rate for cable or satellite, buy a new receiver, or both. While it might seem pointless to buy an HD-ready television and not then get HD content, it may be the case that people who were buying a new television anyway decided to opt for an HD set despite not intending to get HD content immediately. That could be either as intentional “future-proofing” or because the model they would have chosen anyway happened to be HD ready.
It’s also all-too-sadly possible that there are some people who don’t quite know what is going on and believe that having a HD set automatically makes all content appear in high definition. These are likely the same people who most consider “HDTV” to be a disappointment, particularly when watching low-quality content such as VHS and finding it looks far worse than on a smaller, lower-resolution set.
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December 11th, 2009
I don’t know the situation in the U.K. But here in the U.S. , you can get free Hi Def content by hooking up a outdoor antenna to your TV and get Hi Def local stations Over The Air.
True here in the U.S. if you want Hi Def cable or satellite it costs more. But it is not worth the added expense.
December 11th, 2009
Here in Canada you pay more for cable or satellite and you pay more for the hardware. All for very little HD content.
I pay big bugs to get very few HD channels and it really sucks.
December 12th, 2009
Have to totally disagree with Ralph’s comment about not worth it. Even a sub par HD feed over cable or satellite looks FAR better than SD on practically ANY decent HDTV. If your eyes are so bad you can’t tell the difference, see an optometrist.
From my BlackBerry Storm…