PCs 'Centre Of Home Entertainment'

Two-thirds of British people find the prospect of a single entertainment system for watching TV, downloading films and music and playing computer games appealing, according to new research from MORI for Packard Bell. The survey shows 64% like the idea of a single entertainment system, and of those three-quarters (75%) agree it would be appropriate for a PC to provide this function.

It is not just the tech savvy who find this appealing — three in five (60%) of those who consider themselves to be novice PC users feel the PC is appropriate as a single home entertainment system, as do 60% of those who consider themselves to be experienced. Age is also no barrier, with three-quarters (74%) of those questioned over the age of 55 agreeing the PC would become increasingly important for entertainment and multi-media activities.

The survey reveals that consumers already expect to use their PC for more entertainment-based activity — four in five (81%) agree the PC will become increasingly important for watching, downloading and creating films, watching TV, playing computer games and downloading, creating or listening to music.

Other key findings revealed by the survey include:

• 85% of 15-24 year olds said they would find one single home entertainment device appealing
• 88% of 15-24 year olds agreed that the importance of the PC in delivering home entertainment would increase
• Over two thirds of those questioned (69%) are already using their home PC for home entertainment and multi-media activities
• Four in 10 over 55 year olds agree the PC is appropriate as the single home entertainment system
• 58% of all respondents felt that the PC would be appropriate as a single home entertainment system
• three in 10 (28%) agree that the lounge is an appropriate place for the PC
• Nearly half (46%) of the generation who have grown up with computers (15-24 year olds) think the lounge is well suited to accommodate the PC
• 71% who feel the lounge is a good place to put the PC also feel the PC is appropriate as the single home entertainment device
• 92% of those who feel the lounge is a good place to put the PC also agree the PC is becoming increasingly important in our lives

Regional Angles:

• 87% of those questioned in the North agree the PC would become more important for watching, downloading and creating films, TV, computer games and music (compared to a national figure of 81%)
• 80% of respondents in Wales are already using their PC for entertainment and multimedia functions (compared to a national figure of 69%)
• Over three-quarters of respondents in London are using their PC for entertainment and multimedia functions (compared to a national figure of 69%)

Technical Note

A nationally representative quota sample of 985 Home PC users, aged 15+ were interviewed throughout Great Britain on the MORI Omnibus, across 195 sampling points. Interviews were carried out using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing), face-to-face in respondent's homes between 8 and 12 May 2003. Data have been weighted to reflect the known national population profile.