More than 40 percent of home Internet users in the United States have downloaded MP3 files onto their home computers, according to a study by Parks Associates, and they are storing an average of 305 music files.

Not surprisingly, younger consumers in particular are storing a vast amount of music on their home PCs. In a survey of 711 consumers in U.S. households with Internet access, Parks Associates found that 81 percent of respondents ages 18 to 24 have downloaded MP3 files onto home computers, storing on average approximately 350 clips, songs and files. Although a lower percentage of consumers ages 25 to 34 has downloaded MP3 files onto home computers, they are currently storing, on average, twice as many files (more than 700).

"Prior to this study, we assumed that a fair number of home Internet users of all ages were taking advantage of music-swapping services and CD-ripping software," said Kurt Scherf, vice president of research for Parks Associates. "What we didn't realize was the staggering amount of music files stored on home computers. The home computer – at least in certain segments – is quickly evolving into an important hub for entertainment content inside the home."

These findings could be music to the ears of the home networking industry, which is seeking to establish itself beyond simple PC connectivity.

"We have said for some time that entertainment applications that take advantage of the storage and streaming of multimedia content can bring home networking to a large segment of the U.S. population," Scherf said. "From these results, we might infer that networking applications that target the connectivity of home computers to other platforms in the house – such as stereos and televisions – might be of interest to a large segment of the U.S. home Internet population."

From the article "Computer-Music Connection Stronger Than Ever," By Michael Pastore.

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