Freeview Playback becomes biggest DTR

Freeview Playback became the biggest-selling digital television recording platform last year with more than half of the market.

About 209,000 of the terrestrial boxes sold during 2007 complied to the Playback specification while total DTR sales were 400,000. There were 82,000 recorded Playback sales in 2006 but it only launched in earnest last spring.

Total sales of Freeview hardware increased by 64% from 5.9m in 2006 to 9.7m last year, according to figures released today.

The digital terrestrial service also set its quarterly record with 3.8m units sold in the last three months of 2007. It appears to show no slow-down in the growth of Freeview which has become hugely popular in recent years.

Uptake is helping drive switchover and the strong last-quarter sales will bring the proportion of digital-ready homes above Ofcom and Digital UK's latest recorded figure of 83%.

Sales of Freeview Playback enjoyed a strong "festive boost" in December with a 78% jump. Freeview said its performance "reflects the appeal of the brand’s ‘no subscription’ offer as consumers look to adopt more advanced digital recording technology for both first and second sets in the home".

The figures look less impressive next to the 434,000 newcomers to the Sky+ personal video recorder in the final three months of 2007, however, which took it to a 3.13m total.

General manager of Freeview Ilse Howling said: "Freeview continues to be a truly compelling offer and the latest sales figures further cement our position as the most popular digital platform in the UK.

"More than half the homes in the country now have Freeview and the value of Freeview Playback is set to grow further for these homes and the millions of others with additional sets still to convert."