Switchover success
Over a third of older telly addicts preparing for the digital TV switchover feel more confident with new technology, while a quarter of those surveyed by Digital UK consider themselves more technologically empowered as a result.
Digital UK's research found around 64 percent of people forced to convert to digital, as analogue signals are phased out, are keen to try other forms of gadgetry. It also confirmed that close to 100 percent of TV sales in the UK are now digital
Approximately 36 percent of people want to try a digital TV recorder, while between 20 percent and 30 percent of those surveyed are keen to try a digital camera, the internet, a mobile phone, red button service or MP3 player. However, most people remained reluctant to try computer games or sat-navs with just 12 and 13percent respectively willing to give them a whirl.
The World Cup has also pushed people into investing in new TVs, providing a 9 percent boost to sales of new digital TVs. Although there are an estimated 60m TVs in the UK already, Digital UK said nearly 1m are sold every month in Britain, mainly thanks to the space-saving virtues of flat screen TVs.
The research found almost 80 percent of Brits were confident making the switch to digital, with 90 percent declaring the programme quality as better than analogue. Furthermore, one in three people said they wished they had swapped over sooner.
While the majority of people said the switchover's main benefit was the increased amount of channels on offer, nearly two thirds of Brits have noticed better reception, with another third boasting better picture and sound quality.
Interestingly, most people said they would rather give up the cinema, radio or their mobile phone, rather than lose their digital TV, if push came to shove. Digital UK said 5m homes have now gone digital, with the analogue signal switched off in about a quarter of the country. A further 20m homes are destined to make the switch by the deadline of 2012
David Scott, chief executive of Digital UK, said: "It's still early days for TV switchover but there is clear evidence that the benefits of digital TV are welcomed by the vast majority of those who have upgraded most of whom have found it a straightforward process. It's also pleasing to see evidence that switchover leaves a positive legacy with significant numbers of viewers gaining the confidence to try other technologies.
"With a quarter of the country already fully switched to digital TV and a further 11 million homes due to switch next year, it's good news that retailers have finally stopped selling analogue sets. Having said that, people shouldn't assume they need to replace their TV for switchover, virtually any old television can be easily converted to digital simply by connecting a digital box."
The general public's enthusiasm to adapt to using new technology will come as good news to Ed Vaizey, minister for culture, communications and the creative industries, who will make a speech about the future of radio tomorrow.
It is hotly tipped he will lay out a revised plan for digital radio switchover, although the department said the content of his speech is being kept strictly under wraps. While DAB radio and internet listening still accounts for a small amount of the radio audience, the present plan would force a digital switchover in 2015, providing over half of listeners had adopted digital technology by then.
Demonstrating increasing demand for digital radios, Pure has announced it has sold a record number of radios in June, with volumes up by 20 percent year-on-year. The firm said the World Cup, Wimbledon and the BBC and Digital Radio UK-backed ‘digital radio amnesty' campaign was responsible for the sales boost.
