The sixth annual Communications Market Report has just been released by Ofcom, and reveals just how much the  appetite among consumers is growing for recording broadcast programmes for playback later. Nearly 9 million PVRs have been sold since 2000, helped in large part by the move to digital broadcasting. Here we set out key metrics on the take-up and use of PVR products and identify trends in consumer attitudes towards PVR use.

Key findings:

• More than a quarter of consumers (27%) claimed to use a PVR at the end of March 2009, equivalent to 7 million homes, according to Ofcom research. This rose to nearly a third of consumers (31%) in multichannel television homes.
• These figures are a little lower than those for operator and sales data, which suggest that nearly 9 million PVRs had been sold in the UK at the end of March 2009. The five million Sky+ boxes (launched in September 2001) made up the majority of the UK PVR universe at the end of Q1 2009, followed by Freeview+ and Freesat+ and Top Up TV devices, which together accounted for around 2.6 million devices.
• 15% of viewing across the five main PSB channels in 2008 was of programmes recorded using a PVR, according to data from BARB, the television industry’s audience measurement organisation. In Sky+ homes this rose to 19%.
• Adults aged 16-34 are the group most likely to watch programmes recorded on a PVR; 19% of viewing among this age group was on a recorded basis in 2008 according to BARB, compared to 11% for viewers aged 55 and over.
• High-definition programmes are among those most viewed after their initial broadcast in Sky+ homes, according to viewing data from the SkyView panel. A third of viewing of Drama serials and series in Sky+ homes is recorded.
• 42% of consumers said that they watched a greater variety of programmes since owning a PVR, although a third (33%) disagreed with this. Eighty per cent of consumers believe that they watch more programmes that they enjoy because they have a PVR.
• PVRs are becoming increasingly advanced, offering viewers search functionality and ‘push’ video-on-demand, where programmes are downloaded to the hard disk drive, for example. Hard drives are also increasing in size; some PVRs offer up to 250 hours of recording, up markedly from the 40 hours available on early generations of devices.
• The average retail price of PVRs for the Freeview market had fallen to £106 at the end of March 2009, down from £172 in March 2005, according to GfK sales data. Similarly, the costs of DVRs from the main pay-TV operators have fallen.
• Consumers are using a range of services to ‘catch up’ on television programmes including online catch-up TV and TV-based video-on-demand.

The report shows around a fifth (19 per cent) of viewing in Sky+ homes is timeshifted, more than for subscribers to Virgin Media’s V+ service who timeshifted 12 per cent of viewing; and some 9 per cent of viewing in Freeview PVR homes was time-shifted programmes. Ofcoms research also suggests that PVR owners enjoy a better TV experience, where 8 out of 10 TV viewers with a PVR say that they watched more programmes that they enjoy, and over 40 per cent said that they watched a greater variety of programmes since getting a PVR.

Source: Ofcom August 2009

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BSkyB (Sky) has chosen Global Invacom to supply its new four-channel satellite channel router (SCR) incorporating Entropic’s Channel Stacking Switch (CSS) technology. This new solution will help Sky address demand from residents in multi-dwelling units (MDUs) for their Sky+ and Sky+HD set-top boxes and multi-room services.

Expanding Satellite Services for Multi-Dwelling Units

Many residential buildings, especially older ones, have limited cable access making it very difficult to cost-effectively address the growing consumer demand from those in such buildings for Sky+ and Sky+ HD, the UK’s most popular digital video recorder (DVR) and high-definition (HD) services respectively. Sky’s new four-channel SCR is designed specifically to address multi-dwelling units with limited cable access by leveraging the multi-tuner support enabled by Entropic’s CSS chipsets. CSS technology is able to support multiple tuners over a single cable. Sky’s new multi-switch can support up to two PVRs and a number of future Sky+ and Sky+HD boxes will have SCR technology built in to take advantage of this new multi-tuner support.

We are very pleased that Global Invacom has successfully incorporated Entropic’s CSS technology in our new SCR,

said Pascal Wharton, head of Sky Homes at BSkyB.

This technology will help us to cost-effectively expand our coverage for the MDU market and meet the entertainment demands of our customers without costly retrofitting or rewiring.

With the new multi-switch, Sky can more easily upgrade existing customers to its popular Sky+ and Sky+HD boxes. This capability, supported by CSS technology, will help satisfy the additional demand from MDUs for DVR functionality and increase customer satisfaction.

Flexibility and Scalability

Global Invacom was selected as the OEM of choice to deliver the Sky SCR. The four-channel SCR multi-switch was designed to be flexible and scalable. The SCR can be deployed in dwellings with single cable topographies as well as in dwelling with twin “shotgun” cable infrastructures. Further, since the SCR was designed to be cascade-able, allowing multiple switches to be deployed in a series, it can provide programming to any size MDU.

Entropic’s CSS technology has been a key part of the solution that enabled Global Invacom to develop the SCR meeting Sky’s requirements in the MDU market,

said David Fugeman, sales and marketing director at Global Invacom.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Entropic and delivering innovative cost-effective products that meet the needs of the PayTV provider community.

Benefits of Channel Stacking Switch Technology

Entropic’s CSS technology significantly reduces both the cost and the cabling complexity of single-family and multi-resident home satellite installations. Unlike traditional satellite installations, which require a unique cable for each tuner from the satellite dish to the set-top box, Entropic’s CSS chipsets enable multiple video streams from individual or multiple satellites into the home over a single cable. This simplified cabling architecture allows for the deployment of set-top boxes with multiple tuner capabilities, in multiple rooms without expensive installation or retrofitting. Additionally, CSS technology enables plug and play for set-top box upgrades and lets installers reuse existing cabling to quickly set up a DBS system.

We are delighted to work with respected leaders like Global Invacom and Sky to enable the delivery of advanced video services to customers,

said John Graham, vice president of marketing at Entropic…

As a company, we are focused on delivering solutions for connected home entertainment and our CSS technology creates new markets for operators by bringing satellite television into residential homes and multi-dwelling units with ease.

Availability

The Sky SCR multi-switch product is available now through its MDU specialist installer network.

Sky today unveiled a new collection of Sky+HD Designer Boxes, featuring exclusive and quite distinctive prints from four of the UK’s most visionary designers and image makers. The new collection combines the creative talents emerging designer Henry Holland of House of Holland; cutting edge duo PPQ; exquisite and luxury designer Erdem and avant-garde fashion illustrator Julie Verhoeven.

The limited edition Sky+HD Designer Boxes will go on sale from 15 October 2008 and will be available exclusively online to UK customers at www.sky.com/designerbox and 08442 410541 , priced from £75 – £150 when taken with a Sky TV and HD Mix subscription from £27 a month.

Sky say these boxes ooz with style, combining fashion with function, and they say the Sky+HD Designer Boxes are the perfect choice this Christmas for people upgrading to high definition, who want a designer twist for their home entertainment gadgets.

It’s a big year for Sky+HD – and what with the new arrival of freesat and next months freesat+ PVR – Sky are have recently anounced new pricing for the Sky+HD box and the launch of a host of new channels. Sky+HD offers 19 channels covering sports, movies, entertainment, arts and documentaries. Sky say by the end of 2008 there will be 30 dedicated HD channels.

Hilary Perchard, Head of Advanced TV Products for Sky comments;

In addition to the launch of lots more channels on Sky+HD later this year, these unique designs are the perfect excuse to join the HD revolution this Christmas.

Christmas is a busy time of year for everyone and the holidays can often get in the way of TV viewing. PVRs  can solve all that by enabling people to watch what they want, when they want. Viewers can pause and rewind live TV, record an entire series, record two different channels at the same time. Like the Toppy Freeview PVR, Sky+ owners can even set their PVRs to record from a mobile phone.

It will be interesting to see what UK consumers think of the new designs.