HD-DVD is Dead (was: First Signs of Blu-Ray Dominance)

[Banshee16]

Yeah, I imagine there is going to be alot of that flying around and some damage control by both sides. That typically happens when it's big companies butting heads like this.

I'm still waiting to find out if WB is lying and they actually were paid off to support BR.

It's so hard to convey non-snark sometimes, so I just wanted to be sure. I've quite enjoyed the conversations here lately and I want to keep them that way.

Nah, this board is great, though I'm trying to stay out of the 4E forum now

At work though, I'm surrounded by a bunch of Sony fans in my area, so I've been taking a bruising the last several days I remember thinking on Friday night, after hearing of the announcement, that maybe I could call in sick on Monday .

I heard on one of the forums though, that Warner stocks actually went down after the announcement....though whether that has anything to do with it, who really knows? HD vs. Blu is really just a tiny portion of their revenues.

Banshee

 

[Arnwyn]

Guess we'll see. If HDDVD players continue increasing, it would be silly not to entertain changing. At least through the holiday season, they were kicking the butts of Blu-Ray. If HDDVD player sales tank as a result of this announcement, then yeah, it ends up looking like a great idea.

Really? HD-DVD players vs. Blu-Ray players + PS3s? I do find that unlikely.

If it is true, then too bad the HDDVD player consumers aren't appropriately stepping up and actually, you know, buying HDDVDs. Whoops on their part.

(As for internet connectivity - as noted, the most popular BD player, the PS3, supports internet connectivity and has already used it for firmware upgrades.)

 

[Rackhir]

Really? HD-DVD players vs. Blu-Ray players + PS3s? I do find that unlikely.

If it is true, then too bad the HDDVD player consumers aren't appropriately stepping up and actually, you know, buying HDDVDs. Whoops on their part.

(As for internet connectivity - as noted, the most popular BD player, the PS3, supports internet connectivity and has already used it for firmware upgrades.)

HD-DVD stand alone players (or even including the 360 add on) do in fact significantly outsell the stand alone Blu-Ray players. However, if you toss the PS3 into the equation they are getting crushed in numbers. As the PS3 is as you said, by far the most popular Blu-Ray player. Also according to some reports I've seen even in the stand alone players Blu-Ray players have been doing much better of late, even when you take into account all the $100-$200 HD-DVD player blow out sales between black friday and christmas.

The Blu-Ray movies are according to all the figures I've seen outselling the HD-DVD movies about 2 to 1 in both total volume and where the same movie is available in both formats.

 

[Banshee16]

Really? HD-DVD players vs. Blu-Ray players + PS3s? I do find that unlikely.

If it is true, then too bad the HDDVD player consumers aren't appropriately stepping up and actually, you know, buying HDDVDs. Whoops on their part.

(As for internet connectivity - as noted, the most popular BD player, the PS3, supports internet connectivity and has already used it for firmware upgrades.)

I believe the equation they were referring to was discounting the XBox and PS3 players, and just comparing dedicated players. In that case, the HDDVD players are more common. And the rate of growth of purchasing them is higher as well. But that still leaves a lot of PS3 Blu-Ray players.

As to buying disks, as I understand it, HDDVD purchases are higher, they're also claiming. The "attach rates" are greater on HDDVD. I've had mine just over a month, and I've purchased 7 movies so far. I was planning on purchasing more, but I think I'm kind of holding right now. At least for this week.

Banshee

 

[Arnwyn]

HD-DVD stand alone players (or even including the 360 add on) do in fact significantly outsell the stand alone Blu-Ray players.

Oh... well, I do certainly believe that. Of course, that a completely irrelevant comparison, that's not only misleading it's also disingenuous.

The Blu-Ray movies are according to all the figures I've seen outselling the HD-DVD movies about 2 to 1 in both total volume and where the same movie is available in both formats.

Yes - I've seen that reported on multiple occasions, from multiple sources.

As to buying disks, as I understand it, HDDVD purchases are higher, they're also claiming.

Doesn't sound like it.

 

[Mallus]

As an aside, I just saw a terrific film on Blu-ray, Paul Verhooven's first Dutch-language film in many years, Black Book. It's a ridiculously entertaining big-budget melodrama about one Jewish woman's involvement with the Dutch resistance during the last days of WWII.

So unless you simply can't forgive Verhooven for his crimes against Heinlein, check it out.

 

[Rackhir]

As an aside, I just saw a terrific film on Blu-ray, Paul Verhooven's first Dutch-language film in many years, Black Book. It's a ridiculously entertaining big-budget melodrama about one Jewish woman's involvement with the Dutch resistance during the last days of WWII.

So unless you simply can't forgive Verhooven for his crimes against Heinlein, check it out.

Blade Runner on Blu-Ray (and presumably HD-DVD) looks amazing and is a great "Demo" title to show off what the high-def formats can do.

 

[Mallus]

Blade Runner on Blu-Ray (and presumably HD-DVD) looks amazing and is a great "Demo" title to show off what the high-def formats can do.

You own this, yes? It is possible you could bring it over to my place of residence? (Sorry, I've got part of my brain working on the accent/diction I'm going to use for my character in shil's new campaign).

 

[Darkwolf71]

Haha, If I was anywhere near Philly, I'd bring mine over. Just for the excuse to watch it again.

Side note: I just got the Resident Evil trilogy on BD and RE: Extinction has the first use of PiP features (first I have seen, anyway). Very nice.

 

[Banshee16]

Oh... well, I do certainly believe that. Of course, that a completely irrelevant comparison, that's not only misleading it's also disingenuous.


Yes - I've seen that reported on multiple occasions, from multiple sources.


Doesn't sound like it.

Not if you listen to Sony fans I think the reference I read was that Blu-Ray has an attach rate of 0.6, whereas HDDVD is 3, or something like that. But I don't know if the numbers are correct. Maybe Blu-Ray is winning because they've got more players out there, but HDDVD generates more sales *per* owner.

Interestingly, Paramount has apparently denied rumours that it's planning on switching sides (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aZzib5lwheBc). That would lead to the suspicion that Dreamworks remains with HDDVD as well. If Universal also stays, then the war ain't over.

Banshee