Seagate ST3500312CS Embedded Hard Drives in Televisions - Page 3

Embedded Hard Drives in Televisions Opportunities for Business Growth Several compelling benefits of televisions equipped with hard drives favor the trend towards increased adoption of this technology worldwide: • Ample storage for recording and playback of high-definition programming • Compact complement to external DVR storage • Availability of newer models with larger screen sizes and ultra-thin profiles • Optional support on some models for Information Versatile Disk for Removable storage (iVDR) to augment default capacity and enable easy transfer of content between sets and other devices • Potential cost savings and convenience associated with reduced device maintenance Lower retail prices for televisions with built-in hard drives, driven by increased production and competition among major manufacturers, also favor stronger demand for these products in the coming years. Consumers looking to replace their current set, or upgrade to a newer model with more features, are likely to see substantial value in a combination device. Use of External DVRs With Embedded Hard Drive Televisions In a growing number of households, external DVRs fulfill their original function-recording television programming for future playback. At present, these devices still offer optimal storage and playback of longer-format media, including full-length high-definition movies. But as more consumers choose to record their favorite shows, movies and other HD programming content, televisions with embedded DVRs offer a convenient, practical means of supplementing media storage capacity in the home. When manufacturers expand the functionality of hard drive televisions to include ports for removable hard drives, consumers are likely to use external DVRs and hard drive televisions to serve specialized, yet complementary roles in a more flexible manner. While traditional DVRs still readily fit the need for archiving dozens of hours of movies, sporting events and entire seasons of serial shows, hard-drive televisions could be used to store news media or other time-sensitive content. Consumers could use the Ethernet port to quickly transfer this kind of content to other devices, including laptop PCs, to share it with people in virtually any location. Television, Convergence, and the Demand for Removable Storage The transformation of virtually all media into digital format, a technological phenomenon referred to as convergence, continues to blur the distinctions between various entertainment platforms and devices. The steady expansion of online digital media outlets, spurred by the rise in availability of broadband and amplified by the phenomenon of digital social networking, occurs alongside the evolution of television as an entertainment medium. More content, faster download speeds and the increasing use of the Internet as a social utility expand the overall frequency of use of the PC in the home. But large numbers of consumers still consider television to be the optimum viewing device for many types of content, including ondemand video or full-length movies downloaded from Internet sites.6 Consumer demand for ever-greater portability with regard to digital media, combined with the popularity of the television as Figure 1. Hitachi P42-HV01, L37-XR01 HDTV with Removable iVDR Storage the device of choice for viewing content, drives production of television sets featuring ports for removable storage devices. Several major manufacturers, including Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba, currently offer large-screen LCD/PDP models equipped with an Ethernet port designed for cartridge drives based on the iVDR standard. 3 6 Source: Nielsen Media Research report: www.nielsen.com/media/2008/pr_080630.html