Netflix drops HDDVD

[mike123abc]

DailyTech - Netflix to Finally Phase Out HD DVD

Netflix consumers will have one month before the rental service stops renting HD DVDs

Online movie rental company Netflix sent an e-mail to its subscribers informing them they would no longer be able to rent HD DVDs

 

[navychop]

WOW! That happened a lot quicker than I expected. I figured it would be a couple of years, at the very least. I wonder who they will remainder them to?

 

[Kevinw]

Not hard to see this one coming. No new HD DVDs are in production and the life of a rental is limited by that damage incurred from shipping and lack of interest in already viewed movies.
I just switched my Netflix from HD DVD to Blu ray for the extra dollar per month they charge.

 

[Ilya]

I've got that email too:

Effective December 15, 2008, we will no longer carry HD DVDs. At that time, we will automatically replace any HD DVD titles in your Queue with standard DVDs when available. You don't have to do anything.

Why do they have to do that? Why not simply wait until the inventory dries out on its own??

 

[Kevinw]

I think it has run out.

 

[dfergie]

HD DVD's are still quite available... I have only had 1 order cancelled because it was out of stock...

 

[Kevinw]

Everything I was ordering was never in HD DVD aymore

 

[Ilya]

I just checked my Netflix queue. All HD DVD titles are gone. Even those that are not available on Blu-ray.
Some are still in the queue, but are marked as "unavailable". I guess, no more HD DVD rentals...

 

[ChrisPC]

Ironic, I first joined Netflix because they gave a free trial away with HD DVD players. It's not that big a deal now, anyway.

If I really want a movie on HD DVD, I can pick it up for a few bucks on eBay. I've bought a couple cheap ones, and some of them are still shrink wrapped!

 

[navychop]

Wow! Still shrink wrapped. There's somebody that gave up too early.

 

[ChrisPC]

I think most of the shrink wrapped ones are unsold stock from stores and warehouses. When Best Buy, Target, Walmart, etc. phased out HD DVD, the unsold discs had to go somewhere. You can buy them in lots of 300 on eBay!

 

[navychop]

I guess I should have figured that one out.

There are still places to get LPs. There are still places to get 8 tracks. I rather imagine HD DVD was more successful than the mini-disc, and there will be places selling HD DVDs ten years from now.