Research* by LG has this week revealed that the TV industry needs to do more to inform and educate consumers about high definition (HD). Results show that although the majority of respondents want to experience HD, over 60 % of those surveyed are yet to invest in it due to confusion.

•    25% of the UK still don’t understand what high definition is
•    80% of people don’t know the difference between HD Ready 1080p and HD Ready
•    62% of Brits still don’t own an HD TV

The main problem seems to be most customers think by buying a HD TV they will automatically see everything in high definition – the research highlights that consumers are suffering from information overload and struggling to keep up with the latest technology and jargon.

But a recent Ofcom report found that incorrect information from retailers, such as the common misconception that HD is currently available on Freeview, frequently added to consumer confusion. The results of these reports show the need for clear and simple consumer education to ensure people know how to get HD and what to lookout for.

George Mead of LG Electronics digital display says,
“The HD industry is booming – with new products being launched more regularly and content becoming widely available – consumer choice has never been greater. It’s key for us to translate this growth into relevant and tangible consumer experiences and the only way this will succeed is through education and by keeping the tech jargon simple and clear.”

Other findings to come out of the LG study include:
•    Yorkshire and Humberside have the lowest understanding of what HD is with 30% of people surveyed believing that owning a TV with an HD Ready logo or a digital box would automatically make all content high definition
•    Wales has the highest understanding of HD with 90% knowing how HD content is produced and viewed
•    After buying an HD TV, over 30% of Londoners thought the reduction in picture quality was due to lighting conditions in the room rather than the lack of HD content running on the screen

This gives us further motivation to make our new official presence on AV Forums work as effectively as possible to help educate and inform. You can find out more about that in Chris’s post from last week.

*Research involved 1000 people over the age of 16 from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland participating in lengthy telephone surveys during August 2008.