HD-DVD #1 player at Amazon!

[dfergie]

It isnt going to be settled. We are going to have two formats. I think its a conspiracy to rob us blind.

Well said

 

[Ramy]

It isnt going to be settled. We are going to have two formats. I think its a conspiracy to rob us blind.

Probably.

 

[RobbinM]

It isnt going to be settled. We are going to have two formats. I think its a conspiracy to rob us blind.

But at least if there are two formats indefinitely, that will guarantee the continued existence of players for both formats (or dual format players). So I'm fine with two successful formats. I'm unhappy when one format dies and eventually I have to rebuy because you can't get a a player in the "dead" format.

Like a lot of people here, I have opted to buy a player for both until this thing is settled.

 

[JamesJ]

Walmart supports HD-DVD. I haven't seen any Blu-ray there.

In my area, or I should say the one we own a subway in as there are more then just that one in my area....They are supporting Blu ray only, while they did sell the HD DVD add ons, they will not be selling any HD DVD's. I know its different for each one, thats why I closed with my comment about the low numbers altogther. I am happy to see HD DVD as the #1 player, I also know its only for a week and we will probably see Blu ray have a good week next week.

 

[JamesJ]

Oh yeah, their support for Blu Ray is un wavering.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=486303

you show me yours I will show you mine
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=486963&fromPageCatId=530598&catNavId=530598

and if I was a Blu ray conspiracy person I would say the HD DVD link is at the bottom of the coloumn while Blu ray is on top, lol, oh well, I really hope they wrap this up soon.

 

[IcEWoLF]

Lol...thats only amazon.com clearly BD player outsold HD-DVD other places other than Amazon...so thats 1/100 places that HD-DVD won?

 

[RobbinM]

clearly BD player outsold HD-DVD other places other than Amazon...

Did it? Where? What is your information source?

 

[mike123abc]

I think it is pretty much certain now that HDDVD will not be able to be killed off by Blu-Ray any more. There are way too many players and too many discs sold. Too many people would be angry now.

 

[JoeSp]

It does not make a differance how many people own a piece of hardware to wheather a company stops support. Any Gamecubes or Xbox owners out there?

The differance is not in hardware sales but disc sales. If HD-DVD sells 100,000 players and their disc sales does not dramatically improve then it will not make a differance. It is disc sales that will determine wheather the format lives or not. A low cost BD player is coming and I think that when HD-DVD no longer has that advantage that BD's discs sales will bury the format as it has been doing since the real launch of BD in November 06.

Now, if all these players really boost discs sales and the BD camp does nothing till XMAS to combat the low cost players then I can see where HD-DVD can jump for joy but they have a long way to go to combat the PS3 trojan horse. There are millions of them in homes and they sell thousands every week. These low cost HD-DVD players are costing someone something especially with the free movie giveaways.

If this move does not put HD-DVD back on top in discs sales or at least move HD-DVD into a 50/50 tie in discs sales over the next 6 months then it will not be BD that kills HD-DVD but HD-DVD themselves.

 

[JAG72]

It does not make a differance how many people own a piece of hardware to wheather a company stops support. Any Gamecubes or Xbox owners out there?

Really bad example since a Gamecube game can be played in a Wii and a Xbox in the 360. Huge difference in just having a different piece of hardware to play your same games or movies than not having the hardware anymore.

And by the way, I still have both the Gamecube and Xbox up and working for the Kids.

 

[SatinKzo]

Yep, gotta agree with Jag there Joe, you picked two bad examples as support did not end for the people who owned the games or the system. I'm an xbox owner and I did not fear the 360 and bought one a few months ago, all my old game still work fine.

When I see one of the formats start pricing movies in the "normal range" for a DVD, then that format will win. I hear SO MANY complaints on the price of the HD format discs. The mass public will not pay the prices they are asking. I myself will not pay over $24 for a single movie and I have not and I still have over 40 HD format movies. My hd-dvd to BD ration is roughly 2.5:1 though due to HD-DVDs I can easily find for $19 and $24 for combo on release day at walmart/target/other local places. BD are ALWAYS $29-$34. I won't even get into the pricing at CC or BB.

I'll also tell you what I am seeing locally and it has nothing to do with national picture. When I go shopping for a new HD movie on Tuesday, HD-DVD's are becoming harder and harder to get unless I get there early in the day. But BD of the same movie are usually available after I get out of work, also unless the HD-DVD is a combo disc it is usually $4-$5 cheaper than BD. Btw, yes I do ask if they received equal numbers of each format.

 

[s8ist]

Really bad example since a Gamecube game can be played in a Wii and a Xbox in the 360. Huge difference in just having a different piece of hardware to play your same games or movies than not having the hardware anymore.

And by the way, I still have both the Gamecube and Xbox up and working for the Kids.

Developing ports for GC and Xbox is an exceedingly more difficult task than reworking an HD DVD release into a BD release (or vice versa). The most vital part would be the encode, and most have the tools to use the same VC-1 stream on both releases. The most difficult part however, would be the IME and BD-Java. Many releases aren't using these anyway, and I think that IME has the edge as far as compatibility goes. Truth is, it wouldn't KILL companies to release in two formats, especially considering there is a great market out there for both. Why kill one market when you can profit off of it?

I'll wait for the studios to come around, and if they don't, I'll buy a severely reduced price BD player (or PS3 when good games come out for it).

 

[jmd102354]

. BD are ALWAYS $29-$34. I won't even get into the pricing at CC or BB.

.

Where do you price shop for Blu Ray ?
I buy my(BD) movies for $19.99-$24.00.
I would never pay the prices BB or CC are asking for HD DVD or BLU RAY.
Wal-mart sells SD DVD's for more than $19.00.
(I am not talking about bargin bin !)

 

[SatinKzo]

Where do you price shop for Blu Ray ?
I buy my(BD) movies for $19.99-$24.00.
Wal-mart sells SD DVD's for more than $19.00.
(I am not talking about bargin bin !)

I think I stated in my post where I se the prices, but I see the BD prices like that at local Target and Walmart (only places near me beside BB and CC that sell HD format movies). Cheapest BD movie I saw at walmart yesterday was "happily n'ever after" for $24.96, all the rest (about 10 different titles) were $27-$34. Most of my BD movies were on-line purchases, even with shipping it's cheaper then the retail locations near me. Like I said, I don't pay more than $24 for a HD format movie. The most expensive HD-DVD I saw at walmart yesterday was "Smokin' Aces" combo disc for $26

I find it interesting the differences I am seeing in Walmart prices around the country. Walmart near me NEVER has a SD DVD over $19, rarely are they over $17 and on Release Day, movies are usually less than $15 for one day only. HD format new releases on Tuesday are also discounted.

 

[jmd102354]

Originally Posted by SatinKzo
. BD are ALWAYS $29-$34. I won't even get into the pricing at CC or BB.

I was mainly interested in what you said about BD are ALWAYS $29-$34.

BB even has BD titles for $24.00

 

[SatinKzo]

Ok, I thinik you are reading my posts wrong.

When I made that comment, I was stating the prices the I am seeing at Target and Walmart locally for BD movies. Like said, it has nothing to with national picture or prices, just local pricing on them. And no, not without PM'ing Bestbuy to their own website will I get a newer BD movie below $29. Only the first runs seem to be lower, but that could have changed as I stopped really looking anywhere locally to actually buy a BD movie. I have never paid over $24 for a BD movie though cause like many others I buy them online.

An example for me on the pricing locally that is just a few days old is I took up HD-A2 offer and got some movies etc with it on the PM deals. I picked up Serenity on HD-DVD for free with my player purchase at BB. The movie was still priced at $28 for HD-DVD version but it can easily be found for $19 at other stores. Also, I noticed at local BB that Fifth Element was $28 still.

It really seems like the local stores are either discounting HD-DVD's or inflating BD movie prices. I could add one more store to the list (Meijer), but they are high on all HD movies and have a poor selection, move them around the dept alot and just lump them all together on the shelves.

 

[navychop]

I believe for a time there were more BetaMax players than VHS players. The pendulum swung. HD DVD isn't out of the woods yet.

 

[mike123abc]

I believe for a time there were more BetaMax players than VHS players. The pendulum swung. HD DVD isn't out of the woods yet.

True, but making player that could do both would essentially have to be 2 players since the size of the tapes was different.

For HDDVD/BD compatibility it really comes down to an additional pickup similar to being DVD/CD compatible. While it is really expensive right now due to the price of blue lasers, there is no reason for it not to eventually come down to a minimal expense. The rest of the cost would essentially be patent pool.

 

[Ramy]

True, but making player that could do both would essentially have to be 2 players since the size of the tapes was different.

For HDDVD/BD compatibility it really comes down to an additional pickup similar to being DVD/CD compatible. While it is really expensive right now due to the price of blue lasers, there is no reason for it not to eventually come down to a minimal expense. The rest of the cost would essentially be patent pool.

Yeah I don't think it will really take that long to do it. If you have to buy both and the combo is say $100 cheaper than both seperately what would most people do.

 

[Sapient]

Yeah I don't think it will really take that long to do it. If you have to buy both and the combo is say $100 cheaper than both seperately what would most people do.

If you have to buy both separately, then neither will succeed. Most people won't do that. Most people would find it too much of a hassle to check if a given disc was BD or HDDVD.

I love my HD, and was pumped up to buy one or the other when the price dropped low enough. The longer I have waited, the longer I am willing to wait. I've started buying DVDs again becaue I just don't see a HD player in my immediate future. They will get my money when there is one format, or sub $150 player that covers both formats.