Nick
06-25-07, 08:52 AM
"...the PC has risen from an enigmatic beige
box to the epicenter of infotainment..."
The Retail Bridge:According to a study released last week by CEA's Market Research division, 72 percent of web-using U.S. adults admit to using their home computers to listen to music, passing over their TV, DVD player and CD player when looking for a home audio device.
"In the span of a few years, the PC has risen from an enigmatic beige box to what some consumers today might call the epicenter of infotainment in the home," said Steve Koenig, CEA's senior manager of industry analysis.
Although 86 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with their computer audio arrangement, more than a third said they would prefer better sound quality from their PC music files and 47 percent said they would choose sound quality over a mass quantity of songs.
And that's where things get interesting for CE retailers.
The study also found that only nine percent of computer users currently have a bridged system in place, revealing an area of opportunity for connecting PCs with home audio systems.
"The PC has claimed its place as a hub of audio content procurement and playback in the home," Koenig said. "The next step is to allow consumers to see the benefits of connecting their PC to their existing home audio system for a more enjoyable home audio experience."
CEA's Computer-Sourced Audio Consumption in the Home study was conducted in April. Results are available at www.ce.org. www.TheRetailBridge.com - used with permission
box to the epicenter of infotainment..."
The Retail Bridge:According to a study released last week by CEA's Market Research division, 72 percent of web-using U.S. adults admit to using their home computers to listen to music, passing over their TV, DVD player and CD player when looking for a home audio device.
"In the span of a few years, the PC has risen from an enigmatic beige box to what some consumers today might call the epicenter of infotainment in the home," said Steve Koenig, CEA's senior manager of industry analysis.
Although 86 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with their computer audio arrangement, more than a third said they would prefer better sound quality from their PC music files and 47 percent said they would choose sound quality over a mass quantity of songs.
And that's where things get interesting for CE retailers.
The study also found that only nine percent of computer users currently have a bridged system in place, revealing an area of opportunity for connecting PCs with home audio systems.
"The PC has claimed its place as a hub of audio content procurement and playback in the home," Koenig said. "The next step is to allow consumers to see the benefits of connecting their PC to their existing home audio system for a more enjoyable home audio experience."
CEA's Computer-Sourced Audio Consumption in the Home study was conducted in April. Results are available at www.ce.org. www.TheRetailBridge.com - used with permission