Blu-ray Burning Its High-def Dvd Rival ?

[Junkyard]

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Of the high-definition discs bought by consumers in the first quarter, 70% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 30% were HD DVD, according to sales figures provided by trade publication Home Media Magazine.

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Blu-ray took the lead in February, and its percentage of total sales accelerated to the point where it accounted for nearly three out of every four high-definition discs sold in March.

What's more, when given the choice, consumers are going with Blu-ray. Warner Home Video released "The Departed" the same day, February 13, in both formats. Between then and March 31, consumers bought 53,640 copies of the film on Blu-ray Disc and 31,590 on HD DVD, according to Home Media's market research, based on studio estimates and Nielsen VideoScan point-of-sale data.

Research also shows that eight of the 10 top-selling high-definition titles in the first quarter were on Blu-ray Disc. At the top of the list was "Casino Royale," which sold through to consumers an estimated 59,680 units in the period. The Blu-ray Disc edition of "Departed" finished second, while the HD DVD version of that Oscar-winning film placed third.

From January 1-March 31, consumers bought almost 1.2 million high-definition discs -- 832,530 Blu-ray units and 359,300 HD DVDs -- according to Home Media Magazine. In March, consumers bought 335,980 Blu-ray Discs and 119,570 HD DVDs.

Since the high-def format's inception -- HD DVD launched in April 2006, while Blu-ray got rolling two months later -- more than 2.14 million discs have been purchased by consumers: 1.2 million Blu-ray Discs and about 937,500 HD DVDs.

Observers aren't surprised by the disparity, noting that Blu-ray Disc enjoys the support of five of the six major studios, while HD DVD is supported by three of them. Three studios -- Sony, Disney and Fox -- are exclusively in the Blu-ray camp, as is mini-major Lionsgate. Paramount and Warner support both formats. Universal is the only major studio to release titles only in the HD DVD format, which backers claim is easier and cheaper to produce.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070423/media_....leNxDvpqFxFb8C

[Hydrology]

It seems the DTVForums have turned into Reuters, or Bloomberg now.

[Skid_MacMarx]

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment president Mike Dunn agreed.

"Practically, Blu-ray launched this past November and in just over one business quarter has rocketed to a significant lead," Dunn said. "Consumers are clearly choosing Blu-ray as their high-def format of choice and telling us so at retail cash registers."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/conten...49155f40a55d89d

No wonder they are investing in a new US BD production line if these figures are correct.

[Skid_MacMarx]

It seems the DTVForums have turned into Reuters, or Bloomberg now.

I wish they were almost as reliable ....

[Hydrology]

Shame all those numbers dont translate into sales for Fox - they cant seem to release discs.

[momaw]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/conten...49155f40a55d89d

No wonder they are investing in a new US BD production line if these figures are correct.

Love that. "Our sales sucked so badly during the first 6 months and only the PS3 could help the format so we will act as if we didn't really launch until the PS3 did".

If their whole plan revolves solely around the PS3 they deserve for the Billion dollar format to send em to the wall. Very sad.

[Julian L]

Shame all those numbers dont translate into sales for Fox - they cant seem to release discs.

Which, when you think about it, makes the numbers even more impressive.

[momaw]

Which, when you think about it, makes the numbers even more impressive.

disgruntled PS3 owners buying BD discs so their overpriced console does more than look like a shiney brick does not look impressive. As soon as the machine has a few decent games coming out, those BD sales will drop dramatically as the funds go back to the gaming industry.

[attilathepun]

disgruntled PS3 owners buying BD discs so their overpriced console does more than look like a shiney brick does not look impressive. As soon as the machine has a few decent games coming out, those BD sales will drop dramatically as the funds go back to the gaming industry.

I really do find it a strange suggestion that games and BD movies are substitutes and that an increase in one will lead to a decrease in another.

Personally, I think that as more games come out (especially unit shifters like Singstar) then more PS3's will be sold and more BD movies will be bought. Likewise, as more BD movies get released (POTC for example) then sales will also increase.

Suggestions that HDDVD is outselling its rival - "Look who's #1 again" - gets four pages or so, with much crowing by HDDVD supporters. A story that Blu Ray is in the lead gets either a muted response, claims it is all a "Hydra" conspiracy and/or predictions that it may be doing well but will crash sometime in the future.

[k00k1503559827]

Suggestions that HDDVD is outselling its rival - "Look who's #1 again" - gets four pages or so, with much crowing by HDDVD supporters. A story that Blu Ray is in the lead gets either a muted response, claims it is all a "Hydra" conspiracy and/or predictions that it may be doing well but will crash sometime in the future.

Most people, but not all, dont exactly get the warm and fuzzies for Sony. Thats the upshot of it. I wonder why...

[momaw]

Suggestions that HDDVD is outselling its rival - "Look who's #1 again" - gets four pages or so, with much crowing by HDDVD supporters. A story that Blu Ray is in the lead gets either a muted response, claims it is all a "Hydra" conspiracy and/or predictions that it may be doing well but will crash sometime in the future.

and?

PS: on a disc per player basis HD DVD is outselling BD by spades, which means when the cheap players hit and get into homes......., well lets just say HD DVD only need to sell 20% of the number of BD players sold to sell the same number of discs.

On that basis alone, HD DVD is the clear format of choice amongst movie fans. All they need is a way to greater market penetration of players (which has been the goal all along) and BD are in deep trouble.

[Julian L]

disgruntled PS3 owners buying BD discs so their overpriced console does more than look like a shiney brick does not look impressive. As soon as the machine has a few decent games coming out, those BD sales will drop dramatically as the funds go back to the gaming industry.

And your evidence for this is...? Frankly, I don't get all the hate (or love) for an inanimate object. DTV Forum has turned into a ridiculous battle ground, full of useless threads on whose sales are bigger than the other. At the end of the day, we're talking about freaking DVD players. Invest your energy into something meaningful.

[momaw]

And your evidence for this is...? Frankly, I don't get all the hate (or love) for an inanimate object. It's a freaking DVD player.

Again with the "hate". you really have issues. Why would I have bought a PS3 if I hated playstation, BD and sony? get a grip.

[Mining Man]

And your evidence for this is...? Frankly, I don't get all the hate (or love) for an inanimate object. DTV Forum has turned into a ridiculous battle ground, full of useless threads on whose sales are bigger than the other. At the end of the day, we're talking about freaking DVD players. Invest your energy into something meaningful.

Are you here, reading or posting, under duress?

I rarely contribute to this sub-forum, but read it a hell of a lot. I for one appreciate the dissection and validation of the claims made by both camps. And I think it's fair to say that marketing budget is proportional to spin and misinformation. Thus, there is going to be more aggressive dissection and validation of the claims made by the camp with a more aggressive marketing campaign.

I wish I'd been a reader of an AV forum before I bought BOSE speakers 5 years ago...

[k00k1503559827]

I wish I'd been a reader of an AV forum before I bought BOSE speakers 5 years ago...

Hehe, I can relate to that. I got given a pair of 301's about 10 years ago. They were out on the verge last week for the council rubbish pick up...

[Hussla]

It seems the DTVForums have turned into Reuters, or Bloomberg now.

I've been to Reuters head office in Canary Warf London, pretty cool place!

[Hussla]

and?

PS: on a disc per player basis HD DVD is outselling BD by spades, which means when the cheap players hit and get into homes......., well lets just say HD DVD only need to sell 20% of the number of BD players sold to sell the same number of discs.

On that basis alone, HD DVD is the clear format of choice amongst movie fans. All they need is a way to greater market penetration of players (which has been the goal all along) and BD are in deep trouble.

Looking at the US & Australian Markets: what's the good of cheap HD-DVD players when many of the big new-release films are coming out on BD?

It's like selling an awesome spec'd budget sports car that runs on Helium-3....ok lame example but you catch my drift.

[momaw]

Looking at the US & Australian Markets: what's the good of cheap HD-DVD players when many of the big new-release films are coming out on BD?

It's like selling an awesome spec'd budget sports car that runs on Helium-3....ok lame example but you catch my drift.

BD have a few exclusives as do HD DVD. I could throw title names out and you could throw title names out til the cows come home.

[betty boop]

I bet you they dont have the goolies to release what the local hi-def sales figures are !

[AndrewW]

I bet you they dont have the goolies to release what the local hi-def sales figures are !

actually they have, but I can't find the darn link.

let's just say the figures weren't exactly earth shattering ...

Andrew.

[LukeF1503559517]

Would it be fair to say that the makers of BD are in it purely for the money and HD-DVD developers are trying to forge a high definition revolution and make money?

Curious.

[momaw]

Would it be fair to say that the makers of BD are in it purely for the money and HD-DVD developers are trying to forge a high definition revolution and make money?

Curious.

The cynic in me has always believed Sony went solo and created Blu-ray to avoid paying royalties and instead try and get them paid to them.

[Hussla]

The cynic in me has always believed Sony went solo and created Blu-ray to avoid paying royalties and instead try and get them paid to them.

Wouldn't you if you were Sony?

Logical running a business you want to keep your costs down as much as possible and make the most money.

If that means creating a whole new format and having royalties paid to me, then so be it.

It's capitalism baby!

[Hydrology]

Wouldn't you if you were Sony?

Logical running a business you want to keep your costs down as much as possible and make the most money.

If that means creating a whole new format and having royalties paid to me, then so be it.

It's capitalism baby!

Well then you would think they wouldve learned their lesson from past experience!

If memory serves me correct Sony make a s**tload of cash from face moisteuriser sales in Japan. Maybe they should stick to what theyre good at!!!

[LukeF1503559517]

Wouldn't you if you were Sony?

Logical running a business you want to keep your costs down as much as possible and make the most money.

If that means creating a whole new format and having royalties paid to me, then so be it.

It's capitalism baby!

I hope Sony gets scourned with blu-ray i really do. Why would anyone besides Sony shareholders care about how much money they can make. Its not an individual, its a corporation whos sole purpose is for intergalactical domination.

Cutting costs by taking a large gamble i dont think is a logical business decision. Instead of always trying to own the market they should try and join the rest of the community.