Over-the-Top Video Seen as a DVR, Accenture Survey Shows

Users seem to using much of their non-TV viewing, especially over-the-top, as a substitute for digital video recorders. That is to say, they see online video as a 'catch up' service that allows them to watch a program they have missed when it was shown on some linear TV service, according to a new Accenture survey.

When it comes to choosing their favorite Internet broadband features, the largest number of respondents (40 percent) said "catch-up TV," which enables them to watch content that they may have missed, provided the greatest value. Only 14 percent of respondents said the top feature was Web surfing on their televisions and only 11 percent desire interactive and social networking functionality on a TV.

Those findings might surprise some, who have suggested that large numbers of consumers want advanced new interactive features on TVs. The survey actually indicates what people want is the ability to watch programs on their own schedule, which arguably has been a high driver of end user value for decades, with VCRs being an early indicator.

The Accenture survey suggests that, by whatever means, viewers want to "watch what they want, when they want it," a trend that has been clear for decades.

Over-the-Top Video Seen as a DVR, Accenture Survey Shows