Seven out of ten DVR owners "can't live without it"

September 3, 2008 - Seven out of ten owners of digital video recorders (DVRs) couldn't live without their device, according to a new survey by content security firm NDS, and owners now rank the DVR as the second most essential household technology item after the mobile phone, according to the findings.

A "vast majority" of respondents said that they would rather give up their landline phone, dishwasher, radio and MP3 player than their DVR, with digital video recorders ranked below only the washing machine and microwave oven in terms of essential household appliances - except for in Italy, where the hairdryer is ranked higher. The survey was conducted last July with just over 1,000 respondents from the UK, US, Italy and Australia. Furthermore, many respondents with only one DVR are keen to get a second one: a reported 30% of Brits, 52% of Americans, 49% of Australians and 57% of Italians.

DVR owners watch on average slightly more than four hours (4.075) of recorded and live television a day, while 89% of Americans, 81% of Brits, 80% of Australians and 78% of Italians all reported that the DVR has improved how much they enjoy watching television. The survey also revealed that over 60% of DVR owners with a partner felt that having a DVR had improved their relationship, with respondents in the US, UK and Australia attributing this to having the ability to watch their own programmes while sharing their favourites with each other.