Blockbuster Video to Support Blu-ray

[Peter Parker]

It is a big deal. it is not the end of the war but it is silly to claim that every announcement favoring your format is significant and everyone favoring the other is not. blockbuster is the biggest cahin out there. they do not control the market but it is nws when the biggest chain makes a decision.

 

[r.jones1116]

The last days of Blockbuster. - By Edward Jay Epstein - Slate Magazine

Read the last paragraph

 

[gadgtfreek]

The last days of Blockbuster. - By Edward Jay Epstein - Slate Magazine

Read the last paragraph

Do realize how much they have turned around since Jan 2006.

Please give me somthing better than that "zombie" of an article.

 

[s8ist]

This is just business. It has nothing to do whether or not BB execs think BR is a 'superior format'. Only technology zealots are concerned with the details of storage capacity. We may not be privy to the true details of BB's decision, but I suspect it had a great deal more to do with an unexpected call from a very smart Sony exec who looked for an 'in' into the American market. That being said though, this is a potential deathblow to the HD DVD format and I think that's sad because actually, the longer this war goes on, the more prices will be driven down by competition. If Sony is locked in early as the winner, then people will have no other choice but to buy an expensive player and the fact that people have been cheering about that scenario since day one makes me question the intelligence of consumer electronics enthusiasts.

 

[navychop]

So little has been sold to date it's only the beginning of the war. Trends can change, especially if Sony once again snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. They are their own worst enemy. If they can manage to not screw up this time, then they'll probably win.

 

[r.jones1116]

Do realize how much they have turned around since Jan 2006.

Please give me somthing better than that "zombie" of an article.

Yes here it is June of '07 and they are still closing stores nationwide.

 

[jmd102354]

Link to full Associated Press article:
Blockbuster to Favor Blu-Ray High-Definition DVDs for Rental

Thanks !:up

 

[JoeSp]

Here is the real problem for Toshiba -- nobody is changing sides for HD-DVD. They are sticking in the Blu-Ray camp and they are getting others to join them. Someone here in a post stated that most J6P are going to go with the format they can rent. Well, next month when they go into their local Blockbuster they are going to see Blu-Ray. In addition, when they go into most BestBuys they are going to see not one but two BluRay setups (one from Sony and one from Samsung). And now BluRay is getting the love from some popular dvd review sites (Digitaltalk for one).

You are right, this is not the end of the war but the heat just got turned up alot from this announcment from Blockbuster and this is one J6P is not going to ignore!

 

[gadgtfreek]

Ive seen the same thing at best buy. Last two Ive been in had a nice 60" Plasma in the middle of the flat panels connected to a BR player with a demo disc playing.

 

[r.jones1116]

The sky is falling.......

Read the articles, Blockbuster is not "dropping" HDDVD, they are simply not rolling it out to any more stores. HD DVD will still be rented in the pilot stores and online.
They probably won't be ramping up BD in their other stores either.

 

[gadgtfreek]

The sky is falling.......

Read the articles, Blockbuster is not "dropping" HDDVD, they are simply not rolling it out to any more stores. HD DVD will still be rented in the pilot stores and online.
They probably won't be ramping up BD in their other stores either.

Did you miss the part where they said the 1450 stores would be BR exclusive with their big hd rollout starting next month. This is due to what they saw in renting habits with the 250 test stores. They then said online would continue with HDDVD(im sure as long as Netflix does) and the 250 stores that already own some.

The not ramping up comment shows you cant accept the fact this is ANOTHER blow to the HDDVD crowd.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Source: Blu-ray.com

Blu-ray.com - Blu-ray News - Blockbuster Initiates Blu Only Policy

"Blockbuster Inc will announce Monday that when they expand their high definition offerings next month, they will only rent Blu-ray titles. Up until now, Blockbuster has stocked 250 stores with both Blu-ray and HD DVD, and found that 70% of high definition rentals are Blu-ray. Because of this, when they expand the program to another 1,450 stores, those stores will only carry Blu-ray discs.

However, Blockbuster will continue to rent rival HD DVD titles in the initial 250 locations, as well as online."


Am I missing something here?

 

[jgantert]

I wonder if my local BB will still get new HD DVDs in? Since I switched services, I haven't been to the store in a few months, but when I was there before, there were hardly any new HD DVDs stocked.

-John

 

[riffjim4069]

I dropped by a local BlockBuster earlier today and they finally carry a next gen format...BD.

 

[JamesJ]

I cant wait to go out to the ones by me and start renting!

 

[gadgtfreek]

I wonder how many "Joe Blo's" out there ,that have been avoiding either one, will be nudged towards BR by all the news announcements today.

To your normal renter(lets face it, not everyone uses netflix/BB online but most have a dvd player) this could be a deciding factor, actually seeing BB say they are only going to carry BR discs in stored because they found they rent much better than HDDVD discs.

 

[JoeSp]

Nobody is missing anything. Blockbuster will still support HD-DVD in the stores that they are currently in and that is it. They will not expand HD-DVD rental because the market is not there.

They will expand BluRay because the market is there for them and they can see a profit to be made. In addition they will still support HD-DVD online but my guess is that if HD-DVD does not do better the rest of the year that they will drop support next year.

This can be considered a definte blow to HD-DVD and a win for BluRay. Blockbuster is a major player in the purchase and rental of movies and for them to back BluRay this way really pushes the BluRay format.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Nobody is missing anything. Blockbuster will still support HD-DVD in the stores that they are currently in and that is it. They will not expand HD-DVD rental because the market is not there.

They will expand BluRay because the market is there for them and they can see a profit to be made. In addition they will still support HD-DVD online but my guess is that if HD-DVD does not do better the rest of the year that they will drop support next year.

This can be considered a definte blow to HD-DVD and a win for BluRay. Blockbuster is a major player in the purchase and rental of movies and for them to back BluRay this way really pushes the BluRay format.

I agree, Im sure r.jones will have another reason why this DOESNT matter.

 

[r.jones1116]

I do and it's straight from the COO from Blockbuster

MSNBC - Video Front Page

 

[gadgtfreek]

He's covering his bases in case(will never happen) had to go back and add a full line of HDDVD.

You are still in denial. This has started a ball rolling with the media hoopla that will not stop over the next "12-18" mo's.

BR was late to the party, more expensive(still is) and is still outselling HDDVD 3 to 1. When Toshiba touts player sales numbers they dont acknowledge the PS3, which is one of the main reasons HDDVD is getting drummed right now.

Put em ebay while you can still sell em fellas.