Online Video Watching Done Primarily With TV Over PC, Study Says

With major television networks now making their shows available for viewing on the Internet, and with the rise of YouTube and online videos, the web has become a haven for TV and home movie watching. But why would anyone want to watch TV shows and videos from their computer screen?

That appears to be the question asked by consumers, as a recent study indicates that while watching TV via the Internet has never been more popular, users are opting to purchase the hardware to connect their computers to their televisions rather than huddle around the computer screen (not to mention Smart TV’s – more on that later). According to the Digital Video Outlook report, about 45 percent of Americans watch streamed online video content like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube via their television. This number is up from the 35 percent that indicated they did this one year ago. Conversely, only about 31 percent of Americans watch streaming video on their computers.

The increase makes sense. For just dollars, consumers are able to buy the electronic cords that connect your computer to your television, so such shows can be watched over your TV set. And it’s a much more convenient option to sack out on the couch in the living room with the family to watch a show on your 42-inch flatscreen than it is to cram in around a 19-inch desktop or laptop (not to mention adjusting the screen on a laptop to maximize good viewing angles).

Another factor to consider in this study is the rise of Smart TVs in the United States. That is, television sets that are able to connect to the Internet. Such hardware allows users to completely bypass streaming video from a computer and/or connecting that computer to your TV output altogether. It’s estimated that one out of every 10 households now has at least one Smart TV set.

Source: FierceOnlineVideo.com