Ofcom's HD mystery shopping trip

Ofcom goes shopping to find out how much they know about the high definition televisions that they sell.

^{Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV 28th November 2007 at 07:29}

Although it sounds like a 1960 psychedelic experience, in fact Ofcom made 122 trips to 47 chain stores (like Currys.digital), 31 department stores (like Selfridges) and 44 independents to find out how much they know about the high definition televisions that they sell.

Shockingly, most stores seemed to know their stuff, sometimes prompted, including that:

• Television can receive high definition pictures/screen is high resolution/has more lines
• Better quality pictures
• Can receive HDTV through an HD set-top box
• Television can play Freeview channels as well or has Freeview is built in
• You need additional equipment to watch HDTV broadcasts
• You need a Sky HDTV Digibox and 10 per month payment to watch HDTV
• You need a Virgin V+ box and subscription to watch HDTV

But a few shoppers got told wrong information such as:

• Television receives HDTV signal
• There are HDTV services on Freeview

For more information, please see http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/tv/reports/hdmystery/