HD DVD players lead in HD sales

[diogen]

WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT HUGH LEAD?

I'd be interested to know, too...
BTW, who the hell is this HUGH LEAD?

Diogen.

 

[Derwin0]

What if you include HDDVD add-ons for XBox, 100% of which are used to view HDDVD movies?

don't know, but I'd would like to know.
I asked about the 20%, because it was mentioned in the article, but then convineitly forgotten.

I could care less which format wins, but would like to see the number, with both the admitted 20% of PS3's and 100% of 360 players.

 

[ONUOsFan]

the admitted 20% of PS3's and 100% of 360 players.

"Admitted" by who? All I saw was that there was a survey that said 20%. Who performed the survey? Was it scientific? Personally, 20% seems quite low, but what do I know...?

 

[CochiseGuy]

The only thing HD-DVD is leading in is standalones. Even Warner came out today and stated that '300' sold twice as many discs on BD as on HD-DVD. Normally Warner does not meantion sales totals on their releases. Warner did say that they were going to look very closely at the numbers during the fourth quarter. Humm?

Hmmm? I beleive Warner said they were looking at hardware sales in the 4th Quarter - as in the number of razors sold enabling Warner to sell more "razor blades". Interview at Twice:

If the consumer continues to support both formats, the industry will as well. It will be really pivotal what Toshiba does this fourth quarter in hardware. If they sell through everything they ship, and it’s a big number at the price points that are coming out, then I think [HD DVD] will be around for a long time. If they don’t, then it could go Blu-ray’s way. But Toshiba is getting very, very aggressive on pricing, which is putting pressure on Blu-ray player manufacturers to bring prices down. As a content company we just want more hardware in the homes. So what ever drives more hardware is good to see. Right now it looks like there is price pressure on both sides because there are two formats — more pressure than there would be if there was only one format. So, for our interests, more razors means we’ll sell more razor blades down the road.

BD leads in total discs sales -- that is not in refute. Here are some interesting numbers to ponder, on January 1st, 2007 HD-DVD standalone sales lead at the time was 73% vs 27% for BD in standalones sales. Today their lead is 52% to 46% BD for the year (2% for combo players).

Simple question -- WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT HUGH LEAD?

If you'd read the linked article in the OP, you would know it's actually 53% HD DVD to 44% BD with 3% combo. BTW, I'm actually impressed with that 3% combo - that's only the LG combo MSRP'd at $999, without full HD DVD support. I'm looking forward to that Samsung combo coming in Dec. with full HD DVD support, at least BD 1.1 support, and TrueHD & DTS MA support. I think we'll see that 3% combo figure grow.

As to 'what happened to that huge lead? BD companies finally introduced some stand alone players priced comparatively to the PS3 - the Panasonic @ $599 and the Sony @ $499. So those high-def enthusiasts who absolutely refuse to use to use a game machine for disc playback (as will the vast majority of consumers) lead to a pent-up demand and BD players outselling HD DVD players for some weeks after the cheaper players were introduced. From Video Business:

At the time of CEDIA in early September, Sony executives said that the launch of the company’s $499 models, which marked the cheapest available BD set-tops to date, helped boost their August sales.

“When new models hit stores there will be a surge in demand. There were some weeks where we lagged,” said Jodi Sally, Toshiba VP of marketing of digital A/V products. But that Blu-ray victory was short lived. HD DVD players began outselling Blu-ray models starting in mid-September and regained a year-to-date lead of a little over 50% through the rest of the month. Year to date, according to NPD figures she cited, HD DVD players command 53% of sales; Blu-ray players, 44%; dual format players, 3%.

So, that pent-up demand for BD players was met, HD DVD players quickly regained the lead, and now Sony is betting a new, stripped down, cheaper PS3 will do the job. Meanwhile, Toshiba is introducing its new 3rd Gen players in time for the holidays, and Warner is thinking "It will be really pivotal what Toshiba does this fourth quarter in hardware."

 

[diogen]

Update on the LG combo HD/BD/DVD/CD reader: $275, available in 1 week.
NCIXUS.com - Buy LG GGC-H20N/L BLU-RAY HD-DVD Reader BD-ROM 4X HD DVD-ROM 3X DVD+-RW 16X8X6 DL 4X Black SATA Software - GGC-H20N/L.

The unit operates at BD-ROM/R 6X, BD-ROM/R DL at 4.8X, BD-RE (DL) 2X, HD DVD-ROM (DL) 3X. As for DVD/CD, the speed are DVD-RAM 5x, DVD±R DL 4X, the DVD±R 16X, DVD-RW 6X, DVD+RW 8X, CD-R 40X, CD-RW 24X

Diogen.

 

[John Kotches]

If PCs are allowed to play back HD/BD in the future (I don't consider that a given),
the number of PC owners that'll do just that might not be so small. With modern TVs setting up a PC connection is a peace of cake...

Diogen.

Since PCs can play back HD-DVD and Blu-ray now there's little to indicate that the capability would be revoked.

I have to disagree that it's a piece of cake to get the high-def optical formats working -- in fact it's a giant PITA. But it is worth the work to get the playback.


And it's "piece" as in a section of not "peace" as in no hostilities.

Cheers,

 

[diogen]

Since PCs can play back HD-DVD and Blu-ray now there's little to indicate that the capability would be revoked.

You are most probably right, but I wouldn't bet too much on it...
I believe studios jumped into the hidef game not to serve customers, but to
- prepare DVD replacement;
- sell the whole catalog to customers all over again;
- kill this f*cking pirating issue (they are still stupid enough to believe - or pretend to believe - it affects their revenue).
If they decide (and it might well be true) that killing PC playback will get them point 3, they will, I've no doubts.

I have to disagree that it's a piece of cake to get the high-def optical formats working -- in fact it's a giant PITA.

Actually, in my statement I meant just an HTPC-TV connection - what by itself used to be a PITA even 1 year ago.
Of course, you can tinker with it until the cows come home... for months... But making it work 95% is today a piece of cake.
With a modern computer and modern hidef TV. Hidef TVs helped a lot this issue, especially 1080. And video cards/drivers improved.

And it's "piece" as in a section of not "peace" as in no hostilities.

Geez... Spell checkers are not enough anymore...
Where is my copy of Grammatica? Or was it Grammatika?

Diogen.

 

[JoeSp]

If Warner is going to look at hardware sales does the sale of the PS3 and the XBOX360 HD-DVD addon going to be looked at too? Especially since with the purchase of the PS3 you get 6 FREE BDs!

In addition, I not sure what will happen this XMAS, but there will be several BD players at the $399 price not just the PS3 by this XMAS and it is only at the $299 price of Toshiba's lowest cost player that I don't know will be met.

Also, the $299 model is only 1080i, and does not do 24fps, as a comparison every new BD player coming out will do 1080p and 24fps. On the other side, there is an ethernet connection on the Toshiba and I am not sure that there will be one on every new BD player.

I did not believe that this XMAS would be the lynch pin in any studio's decision over the BD/HD-DVD format war. I still think XMAS 2008 will be a better barometer. This is still too early in the developement cycle.

However, Warner's comments sounds like they are looking at Toshiba's standalone sales to see if they will continue support of HD-DVD. Their statement of 'selling thru everything they ship' is pretty inclusive. I don't see that happening with the higher cost players. You can hardly find a $299 HD-DVD player on the shelf but I can find plenty of the higher priced ones. Toshiba can still have a banner season with a 70% sell-thru and this would be great numbers for the company. But in Warner's eyes might this not be enough?

 

[John Kotches]

The latest prices I have seen on PC drives that record and playback on either HD format has been in the thousands of dollars. You guys are going to spend a $1000 on a HD-DVD or BD drive for your PC?

So you're out of touch with reality on multiple topics. This is good to know. LG has introduced multi-drives that are streeting at under $300.

My Sony Blu-ray drive that I bought new last November was $500. The HD-DVD drive was $200.

Neither of these adds up to $1000.

After that question -- Why?

Ignorance = bliss.

Do you know much about technology? I ask this completely seriously.

Why buy multiple players when you can put up inexpensive PCs that can do what is needed and stream the content from a storage server.

This isn't difficult for someone that's got tech skills.

The main reason for backing up a DVD was because DVD discs were so easily damaged -- especially by kids and if you did not have a backup -- you lost a movie. Both HD-DVD and BD discs are very resistant to damage.

It's not about backup it's about rip it once; play it anywhere.

At least I know for a fact that the BD discs are. You have to intentionally want to damage the discs and then put effort into it. I do not see the need to back up a BD or HD-DVD discs unless you are building a storage base. My guess is that someone will come up with a BD and/or HD-DVD 100 or 200 disc drive.

Sony announced a high capacity player. I think it was 200 drives at CEDIA.

That solves one room. What about the rest of the house?

This might solve the problem for those who want a home storage system.

No way to stream it elsewhere; so it doesn't solve the house.

Some of us think beyond 1 room to the entire house and have multiple high definition displays to feed content to.