Bigger and better: we love digital TV

June 27th, 2012

AV News LED, LCD and Plasma TVs PVRs

Almost a third of Australian households have replaced their TV in the last year as they look towards smarter, bigger and better quality screens for an improved viewing experience.

New TVs are not replacing an old, broken set. In fact only a third of TVs bought were to replace a broken set and 80 per cent of purchases were to replace an existing set. Why? Because we want bigger screens, better picture quality and more features, according to research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

According to ACMA’s research the main reasons given for buying a new TV are to get a television set with a flat or bigger screen (69 per cent) or to get a better quality picture (66 per cent).

On average there are 2.2 TVs per household. That’s about 18.7 million TVs!

As for the dollars and cents, those surveyed reported that the average price for a new TV bought in the year to June 2011 was $1,131.

Nearly all sets bought in the last three years were digital and the switch to digital by the end of 2013 was given as a reason to buy a new set by 59 per cent of those surveyed.

Already by 2011, over 80 per cent of TVs in Australian homes were converted to digital.

The average age of television sets before being replaced was 8.3 years. Forty per cent of all television sets in Australian households were estimated to be less than four years old in mid-2011.

ACMA says that the survey shows the TV is an “essential and prominent piece” of household technology.

“As prices drop and features – such as large screens, high definition (HD) and internet connectivity – become more common, Australians are now enjoying an unprecedented level of quality in their viewing experience,” said ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman.