backtop

Print E-mail del.icio.us 61 comment(s) - last by afkrotch.. on Jul 28 at 1:40 AM

HP in HD, currently only available in Europe, will hit both formats this fall  (Source: Amazon.co.uk)
The HD DVD camp touts that its sales of players are up, while the Blu-ray guys' sales are down

The North American HD DVD Promotional Group took the opportunity at the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) Home Media Expo 2007 to pound its chest by announcing its recent small victory over Blu-ray Disc for the quarter.

Citing data based on NPD reports, Nielsen Netratings reports and point of sale data from the studios, overall HD DVD hardware sales were up 37 percent from Q1 to Q2 2007, while software sales experienced a 20 percent increase in growth.

According to the Group, during the same time-frame, overall Blu-ray hardware sales saw a 27 percent decline from Q1 to Q2, and Blu-ray software sales were down 5 percent. It is unclear if PlayStation 3 consoles were excluded from those numbers.

The HD DVD backers are crediting the recent surge to major spring marketing efforts which brought standalone HD DVD players down to $299. Thanks to the new low price, dedicated HD DVD CE players experienced a 183 percent quarterly increase. There are currently more than 180,000 dedicated HD DVD CE players in the market.

"The numbers are clear -- HD DVD is steadily gaining momentum and market share," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. "With HD DVD CE players now at MSRP prices starting at $299 and with strong marketing campaigns around new HD DVD titles with web-enabled interactive features, we're continuing to raise the bar for the consumer experience."

The European HD DVD Promotional Group said last week that it holds a 74 percent market share in terms of standalone hardware in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

The Groups says that HD DVD owners will have close to 1,000 titles worldwide to choose from by the holidays.

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Testing comments
By Anh Huynh on 7/18/2007 1:20:23 PM , Rating: 2
For some reason comments aren't working.




RE: Testing comments
By AmbroseAthan on 7/18/2007 1:24:53 PM , Rating: 3
In the end, this battle between BlueRay & HD-DVD is going to be about player prices; not the movies they have. The average consumer isn't going to research to see which movies each player has; they are going to buy the one that is closer to the price of their current DVD player. Most people find it hard to justify spending a lot on a new format when their DVD players are good enough.

HD-DVD could gain a lot of ground if they continue to be able to bring prices down as fast as they have been. If they knock another 50-100 dollars off by Christmas, I think we will see a huge surge for HD-DVD. The $499 PS3 will help BlueRay (while supplies last), but HD-DVD is starting to push into what most consumers will consider a reasonable price for their High Definition "DVD Player". $199 will be the starting sweet spot for better adoption rates for either format.

With regards to the movies, the market will push the studios one direction or the other if one wins at some point; most likely dual-format players will end up winning (if they can get prices down). Just like Star Wars was never going to be on DVD, the studios will jump formats to get their money. No studio is going to stand by a format if the other will bring them more money.

(And w00t! for DT getting comments kind of working!)


RE: Testing comments
By mdogs444 on 7/18/2007 1:42:23 PM , Rating: 2
Well said. I think most consumers, myself included, dont give two damns about what format or what type of disc wins. For all they care, both can stay in it for the long haul, as long as the dual format players are affordable like today's DVD players.

Personally, I could give two shits whether the plastic case around the movie is red or blue, HD or BD, Sony or Toshiba. Id just like to be able to have a High Definition player at a reasonable price - and no $500 for BD just on a PS3 is not reasonable to me because i dont care about video games.


RE: Testing comments
By ioKain on 7/18/2007 1:25:06 PM , Rating: 3
Looks to be working now. LET THE HD FANBOI WARS BEGIN!!!


RE: Testing comments
By Mitch101 on 7/18/2007 1:31:46 PM , Rating: 2
Test - If this goes through well I guess its working on existing threads but not for new ones.


RE: Testing comments
By therealnickdanger on 7/18/2007 1:38:49 PM , Rating: 3
Kommetzz r teh br0ked.

To paraphrase:
"37% of our previous 48% forecast has been reduced by 12% due to a 31% rise in demand"

Seriously, I'm getting tired of this numbers game. All I need is a straigtforward 4-part chart:

1. BD hardware sales to date (PS3+PC drives included)
2. BD movie sales to date
3. HD hardware sales to date (360 add-on+PC drives included)
4. HD movie sales to date

And to be honest, I don't even need that. I buy both, so I don't really care.


RE: Testing comments
By mdogs444 on 7/18/2007 1:45:46 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
1. BD hardware sales to date (PS3+PC drives included)


I see where you going, and yes, that would be easy. But its not conclusive. You cannot prove that everyone who bought a PS3 did so to watch BD movies. Its a difficult part of the equation because the 360 add on can only be used for movies right now.


RE: Testing comments
By therealnickdanger on 7/18/2007 1:51:08 PM , Rating: 4
Y'know, I've heard that excuse before and I've even used it, but it's time to let it die and just accept it as a BD player. It's a BD player, plain and simple, it should be counted. The fact that people do or don't buy it to watch movies will be shown clearly by either a lack of or overabundance of BD movies sold. There's no logic in excluding the PS3.


RE: Testing comments
By mdogs444 on 7/18/2007 1:53:45 PM , Rating: 2
Just so you know....they didnt count the PS2 or Xbox in standard DVD Hardware Sales either. It is what it is, a mixed product that you cannot prove or disprove its intended use or its use after purchase.

Some play games and movies, some just play games, some just play movies.

inconclusive results either way.


RE: Testing comments
By greenchasch on 7/18/2007 2:40:28 PM , Rating: 2
> "There's no logic in excluding the PS3. "

Of course there is. Claiming full credit for every PS3 sold is like saying cigarette use is up because car sales with included cigarette lighters are rising.

The PS3 is a multi-function device. Some people buy it to watch movies, some don't. Counting it as much as a standalone player is just silly.


RE: Testing comments
By therealnickdanger on 7/18/2007 2:50:09 PM , Rating: 4
But we're living in a much different tech culture than the late 90s. The PS2 (and the Xbox especially) came out after DVD was already entering the mainstream. I know that I owned two sub-$200 players by the time the PS2 hit U.S. shores. There were also no competing formats to DVD. There were no "home theater PCs". Videogames were still considered by and large as kids toys and didn't yet have a center seat in the "home theater".

I know what you're saying and it made sense 6/7 years ago, but now the culture has changed dramatically. "Do it all" devices are more commonplace, less expensive, and easier to use. The masses, while still suckers for slick marketing slogans, are becoming much more knowledgeable and proficient at using these new toys. One glance at the AVS Forums - the ultimate videophile nerdland - and the PS3 is widely purchased as a BD player. These are guys that obsess over the most asinine aspects of PQ.

Sure, the early adopter named Old Man Winter might not buy the the PS3 in favor of a more expensive set-top, but the growing technophile crowd of 18-to-34-year-olds sure will. Most of them grew up playing videogames and now they have access to a gleaming machine that can play music, videos, DVDs, BDs, as well as all the games they used to love.

There are more reasons to accept the PS3 as a player than not, IMO.


RE: Testing comments
By greenchasch on 7/18/2007 2:57:46 PM , Rating: 2
> "One glance at the AVS Forums - the ultimate videophile nerdland - and the PS3 is widely purchased as a BD player"

What does this have to do with anything? SOME people may purchase a PS3 as a BD player. SOME people do not. My own unit has played a total of one BD movie since I bought it, and that was the free one that came with the console.

If someone buys a standalone player, they're buying it to watch movies with. Thats it. Thats why those count heavier.


RE: Testing comments
By omnicronx on 7/18/2007 3:03:55 PM , Rating: 2
NOBODY LISTENS TO TECHNO!! .. had to get that out sorry..

quote:
but the growing technophile crowd of 18-to-34-year-olds sure will

are we suppose to be surprised the ps3 is selling well to their main demographic?? nobody is denying the ps3 is not a good bd player., especially with the recent updates allowing 720p and dvd upscaling. This aside that does not mean that everyone who buys a ps3 will use it for high def content. If just 5-10 people who bought the ps3 actually bought and used it for movies it would probably be outselling hddvd 10 or 15-1 instead of 3-1. The real number is probably closer to 1 or 1.5 out of 10 people actually use their blueray player for more than the free bd movie that come with it. of course this number could rise as popularity is gained, but at this moment in time its just not there, so using it in a comparison is just plain silly and in the world of statistics all ps3 bd sales would be outliers in any report being made.


RE: Testing comments
By TomZ on 7/18/2007 3:26:22 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
There are more reasons to accept the PS3 as a player than not

I disagree. The vast majority of people out there, probably much more than 90%, will want to pay $100-200 for a standalone player compared to $500-700 for a gaming system that can play games. Gaming systems are only appealing to those potentially interested in playing games, and have practically zero appeal to those who are not. Considering the cost differential, there is practically no chance of convincing these people to upspend for gaming.

In addition, in homes that have game consoles, you'll probably also see standalone players. Most homes have multiple TVs and may have different locations for watching movies versus playing games (e.g., games in kid's room, basement, etc.).


RE: Testing comments
By Hawkido on 7/18/2007 4:24:53 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Most homes have multiple TVs and may have different locations for watching movies versus playing games


Most homes don't have multiple HDTVs. If your home has has a HDTV it will more than likely be in the room where you watch movies. The room where your only HDTV is, will also be where your PS3 will be as its primary feature is HDTV output on both games and Movies . Because only an XBox 360 owner would buy the HD-DVD addon for their xbox then watch HD movies on a SDTV when they have a HDTV in another room .

There now your point makes perfect since... Because you are an Xbox owner (or a wannabe).


RE: Testing comments
By therealnickdanger on 7/18/2007 4:29:23 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
will want to pay $100-200 for a standalone player

That's my point. We have no such players yet. Technically, those consumers don't exist yet either. The PS3 is at the bottom of the BD-player price point. Back in 2001, the PS2 and Xbox were easily double the price of a better-equipped set-top player. Their price combined with their shoddy playback performance, the PS2 and Xbox were rarely considered for movie playback. That has changed this time around - at least for Blu-Ray.

We aren't talking about "upspending" for gaming, we're talking about "downspending" for movies. I believe the audience that would buy a PS3 for double-duty is much higher than you give credit... at least in this early stage of the game.

Over time, as the PS3 keeps its $500/600 pricepoint and set-top BD players hit $200 and below, the PS3 may fade as a driving force in BD hardware sales, but right now I believe the PS3 to be a viable player for early-adopter appeal due to its "low" price (as far as BD-players go). The very customers making up the current sales data are the early adopters, not the mainstream - obviously.


RE: Testing comments
By TomZ on 7/18/2007 7:33:56 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
That's my point. We have no such players yet.

We will this year, at least we will have HD-DVD players in that price range this year (not sure about BD, but probably to be competitive, we'll have them too). Just watch Wal-Mart, for example - they've been rumored to come out with a pretty cheap player.

Based on that, buying a PS3 for $500+ just to watch HD movies is foolish, if you have no intention to play games. Standalone players are going to drive the market for HD movies, not the PS3. The PS3 is just the jump-start to get BD going, but it won't take it to full market acceptance. Only cheap standalone players can do that.


RE: Testing comments
By therealnickdanger on 7/19/2007 8:48:34 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
buying a PS3 for $500+ just to watch HD movies is foolish

Once again, you're referring to mainstream buyers, not early adopters. You are also referring to the future, not the past or the present. The actions of early adopters often appear foolish to mainstream buyers... because they usually are, but somebody's got to do it. :P


RE: Testing comments
By timmiser on 7/19/2007 12:41:00 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
There are more reasons to accept the PS3 as a player than not, IMO


If you do this then you should count every X360 sold...not just the HD-DVD add on because everyone that have bought the X360 will eventually buy the HD-DVD add on because just like the PS3, it would be safe to assume th