UK wants ‘connected home’ technology

British consumers want their TVs, computers and home entertainment systems to be connected up over a network, but are having to install DIY solutions because the technology isn’t available in the shops.

A recent survey by Ericsson ConsumerLab found that a third of Brits would like to live in a ‘connected home’ environment, whilst half of respondents wanted more freedom to access digital content from any device, anywhere.

Two thirds (64%) said they’d like wireless connectivity between all digital media devices to enable the quick and easy sharing of digital content.

Direct media delivery, where media is sent to the device where it is optimally consumed, was also popular; for example, sending photographs direct to a TV rather than via a computer.

Many consumers have become so frustrated with waiting for the launch of connected home equipment that they have set up their own home entertainment systems that allow them to view and share digital content between devices and screens around the home.

A third of those polled have connected up their PC to their TV screen, enabling them to watch video content downloaded from the Internet.

Games consoles are also being used as hubs of home entertainment as they have the ability to interconnect with the widest range of other devices.

Stephen Hall, Ericsson ConsumerLab’s vice president of strategy, marketing, and communications, said: “A significant number of tech-savvy users are already creating ‘connected homes’, bringing together the best features of digital TV and the Internet to use content in ways which best suit them.

“Clearly, many more people would like access to the same features, but they are held back by the complexity of the technology.”

A recent survey by CNN International found that almost three quarters of CNN’s online audience share user generated video content, whilst nearly a quarter use their mobile handsets to access TV.