Mediaweek Begins DVR Analysis Series

Posted on Monday, April 21, 2008 by MegaZone

Mediaweek has begun a series of articles on DVR usage based on exclusive research by consumer research and consulting firm OTX. Considering Mediaweek’s audience, it isn’t surprising that they’re focused on the influence of DVRs on advertising and ratings. The study collected data from 3,500 DVR users during January 2008. One thing surprised me a bit:

Interestingly, the data shows that not everyone in a DVR household uses their DVR. In fact, in DVR-enabled households, 13 percent of people don’t use the device. Whether these people have never used the device or used it once and found no value is certainly worthy of, and will receive, future exploration.

At first I had trouble imagining having a DVR in my home and not using it. But then I thought about it, and realized I have TiVo which is very usable and user-friendly. And then I remembered that my parents have a Scientific Atlanta 8300HD and they hate it. It has randomly lost all their recordings, died completely a couple of times and needed to be replaced, and is generally so hard to use that they’ve pretty much given up on it. So I suppose I can see why some might not use it, and I am curious as to what their further stories uncover in that regard. (For the record my parents are moving into a new home soon and I’ve already sent them a TiVo HD with lifetime to setup in the new place. I couldn’t let them keep using that SA abomination.)

Read the whole article and I’ll keep an eye out for future installments.

About MegaZone

MegaZone is the Editor of Gizmo Lovers and the chief contributor. He's been online since 1989 and active in several generations of 'social media' - mailing lists, USENet groups, web forums, and since 2003, blogging.    MegaZone has a presence on several social platforms: Google+ / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / LiveJournal / Web.    You can also follow Gizmo Lovers on other sites: Blog / Google+ / Facebook / Twitter.
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  • http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ Gryphon

    I gave my first TiVo to my mother when I bought the bigger-disk unit I have now, complete with the original box, all the docs and cables, the whole shmeer. That was something like three years ago. She’s never even hooked it up. I’ve told her about 40 times that wiring it is no more complicated than connecting a VCR, but she has some kind of mental block about it; she just won’t do it. This is a woman who works with technology for a living, you understand. She’s involved with the training program teaching the public-school teachers of Maine how to use the laptop computers, wall projectors, video recording equipment, and so forth that the state has lavished on the school systems for the last six or seven years. She’s not your stereotypical “baffled by the microwave oven” American woman in her fifties. I don’t get it, but there it is.

  • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

    So go hook it up for her when she’s not home. :-)

  • ADIDAIllini

    We upgraded my in-laws Time Warner cable to the DVR package a couple of years ago for Christmas. My father in law loves it because he typically works late so he can still catch his shows. My mother in law, however, seems to be overwhelmed by it all. If there is something she wants to see but won’t be around for, she’ll take the time to set up a recording ala a VCR. Otherwise she’s just as happy watching live TV.

  • http://hdtivo.wordpress.com hdtivo

    I have personally contributed to the 13%, having had a SA DVR for many months which I “never” used. In fact I still have it; I just no longer pay the DVR fee and the box operates as a mere cable box for a Series2 (that´s a TiVo :) )