Broadband Content In The Living Room

More than one in six consumers (and one quarter of those with a home network) have an interest in accessing PC content from their home entertainment center, according to The NPD Group’s "Connected Home Theater" report.

Those who were interested favored products from consumer electronics manufacturers (44%) over PC makers (32%).

According to Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group, "faster Internet access, new content sources, and the evolution of the PC as a multimedia repository promise to change the features and functionality of devices in the home entertainment center. This in turn will lead to new opportunities and challenges for manufacturers, as well as more choices, and possibly greater confusion, for consumers."

"Companies vying for a prominent position in the broadband-enabled living room must embrace a unique combination of great video quality, strong ease of use, and content flexibility, said Rubin. "They must also find ways to differentiate their video offerings from those of cable and satellite services."