Millions of Britons are unwittingly missing out on high definition television despite investing hundreds of pounds in the technology, a study suggests.

More than six million Britons who assume they are already watching television in HD have not connected the boxes or Blu-ray players that unlock the advanced picture quality, according to the British Video Association (BVA).

More than 55 per cent of UK households spent hundreds or even thousands of pounds on HD technology, a poll of 9,500 viewers found.

But it revealed that although 30 per cent of those questioned thought they could watch high definition or Blu-ray discs at home, just 58 per cent of that group connected the necessary player or box.

BVA spokesman Simon Heller said: "In the run-up to the World Cup even more people will be looking to invest in HD, but they need to be aware that a high definition television alone does not mean that they are watching content in high definition.

"You are only getting a high definition experience if you are watching content via a bolt-on high definition set-top box, a Blu-ray player or a PS3 console."

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