Access to high-definition television (HDTV) programming significantly affects viewing behavior, making users more selective about what they watch and more likely to plan viewing in advance, according to a recent Knowledge Networks study.
High-definition (HD) reception does not seem to make consumers more likely to watch commercials, though; while they find HDTV ads more “relevant,” they are just as likely to click away from them as regular ads.
The Knowledge Networks report indicates that while 20 percent of homes now have an HDTV set, less than two-thirds (61 percent) of those homes have true high-definition reception.
But the effects of having HD programming are substantial. Among those who get high-definition reception signals, one-third always check their HD channels first when channel surfing or looking for a program. About half “always” make the effort to watch in HD if a program is simulcast in both standard definition and HD. About 70 percent plan their viewing ahead of time, compared with just over half of viewers in non-HD homes.
“The fact that those with high-definition reception habitually prefer HD programs is creating a distinct advantage for those entities that have been able to stake out this beachhead,” said David Tice with Knowledge Networks.
HDTV 101: A beginner’s guide
The source: If you’re a cable or satellite subscriber , you will need a special high-def cable or satellite box that can deliver HDTV channels and shows to your HDTV. High-def boxes usually cost more than regular ones, and in the case of cable, they might not be available in all areas or carry all of the HDTV channels you’d expect. In addition to cable and satellite, there’s a third source available if you connect an antenna to just about any current high-def set: free over-the-air HDTV broadcasts of the major networks, which are available in most areas of the country.
The channels: High-def channels are just like regular channels, but they have the potential to carry HDTV shows. Every cable and satellite provider that offers high-def channels usually offers the regular channel, too. For example, if you subscribe to DirecTV’s HD satellite service, the HD version of ESPN is on one channel while the regular version is on another. There are many more regular, a.k.a. standard-definition, channels than high-definition ones at the moment, but more and more networks are offering high-def versions.
The shows: If you’re watching an HDTV that’s plugged into your new HDTV cable box and tuned to an HDTV channel, then you’re watching high-def, right? Not necessarily. Some HDTV channels, such as DiscoveryHD and HDNet, broadcast everything in high-def, including commercials. DiscoveryHD and the normal Discovery channel, for example, actually have different programming lineups. But most networks simulcast, meaning they broadcast the same shows on both the high-def and standard-def channels. Unfortunately, not every show on a network’s HD channel actually appears in high-def. Many games on ESPNHD, for example, still appear in standard definition, and a number of TV programs on the major networks — especially reality shows and local news — aren’t in HD yet either. Non-HD shows on HD channels won’t look nearly as sharp as the high-def shows do and usually don’t fill the wide screen properly.
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