High Def Disc unit sales - The Digital Bits

[gadgtfreek]

I think it simply comes down to the fact that some people are just cheap idiots. I work with a few.

Case in point:

Cheap idiot #1 did not want to pay money for either format because one might die, so he went to buy a $130 upconvert. I told him to buy the A2 for $179 because he'd get a good upconvert AND a HD movie player. He bought the upconvert just because he was worried about the $40. This was back in Dec, when both had good support.

 

[nonrev]

With George Bush’s economy who isn’t a "cheap idiot"? After spending $80 filling up your vehicle some may not have an extra $40. Plain and simple J6P will always be attracted to lower prices, but because the war was about behind he scenes wheeling and dealing the average customer never had a chance. Other then the occasional retailer driven sale BD will not be within reach of J6P.

 

[diogen]

...but because the war was about behind he scenes wheeling and dealing the average customer never had a chance.

As has been pointed out by insiders, nobody in HD/BD bisiness was making money (and this is still the case).
To have a chance to get there - profitability - at least some time in the future, the decision was made that one format has to die.
It just so happened that Warner singlehandedly delivered the final blow. I believe it was a business decision to have a chance to make this work.

Diogen.

 

[navychop]

New technology is never about cheap. It's about new features and capabilities. Cheap comes much later in the cycle. Expecting cheap at the outset is setting up for failure.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Well, some people dont get that.

And as far as the economy goes, get used to it because its only going to get worse. Fuel costs will rise, coal and natural gas are ramping up along with steel. China and India are just begining thier big boom in which they'll use more of it all and the price will go up.

I was at a coal conference this week in Cartagena Colombia and many feel that our parents (and maybe us) will be the last generations where the standard of living increased. COLA will be going jumping up from now on as we pay more for fuel, power and anything steel related. Lets not even get into the government sham of ethanol and how that is killing us at the food mart and actually is a net energy loser compared to gas.

As far as cheap idiots, many times they cost themselves more money in the long run by being cheap and not spending the dough up front.

So, if you cannot afford it, dont become an early adopter.

 

[r.jones1116]

And because of the economy and the BDA not aggresively trying to get to J6P's price point, BD will never be mass adopted. It will be the second fatality in the HDM war.

 

[navychop]

Keep dreaming. Costs come down. There is plenty of competition among producers of players and discs. It's a matter of time for them to grow into a sizeable market. And they don't have to replace DVD to succeed. They only need to grow enough to be one more media to be profitable and therefore a success.

Such confidence about Blu-ray's impending failure from people who were so confident about HD DVD's success. But then, it really never was about the success of HD DVD, was it? It was always really about hatred for Sony by some, wasn't it?

 

[markh]

If it were about the cost, you think maybe HD DVD mighta won?

Well if they sold HD DVDs for $10.49-$17.00 like they are now on BB's website and sales of software really had anything to do with how the format war came out, then, yes.

 

[gadgtfreek]

:sleeo

 

[Chucky Cheese]

:haha

:sleeo

 

[BobMurdoch]

Blu Ray won because the movie studios made it happen..... If two sides are fighting, and one side has more geographic area, but CAN'T advance any further due to tenacious defenses holding their ground, was it a loss?

What happened was that 80% of the "arms" suppliers only agreed to ship to the other side. The major difference is that THEY decided who should win.

I caved and bought a Duo player so that I could buy new BluRay and still watch my old HD DVDs. The problem is that BluRay may have become SA-CD. Congrats, you beat DVD audio! Meanwhile, the vast majority are just fine with CDs or low rez mp3s.

Everyone assumed that Microsoft would cave and give a BluRay add on.... Now it looks like they will push to squeeze more life out of DVD with added features while also pushing downloaded content.

If they REALLY want DVD to go away, they need to drop prices fast to make it compelling. Joe Sixpack will probably pay $5 more for a better picture. He won't pay $20 more. Plus, many have portable DVD players, laptops, kids rooms with DVD players, and car DVD players. NONE of them can play BluRay. BluRay went and had Warner whack HD DVD, the only format that could actually solve that problem. It will be interesting to see if they can get around it now.

 

[nonrev]

Keep dreaming. Costs come down. There is plenty of competition among producers of players and discs. It's a matter of time for them to grow into a sizeable market. And they don't have to replace DVD to succeed. They only need to grow enough to be one more media to be profitable and therefore a success.

Such confidence about Blu-ray's impending failure from people who were so confident about HD DVD's success. But then, it really never was about the success of HD DVD, was it? It was always really about hatred for Sony by some, wasn't it?

Cost are NOT coming down, who is dreaming now??? One of WB excuses for siding with BD wasn’t because it was the better format, but the window for HDM to catch on was small. These rising prices are making thier decission backfire on them.

Talking of your so called “competition among producers” every last one of the top manufacturers of BD hardware have higher prices now then at New Years, and prices are rising. Competition really working huh? Keep dreaming. Let us not forget BD disks, any BOGO lately? Looks like BD will remain at or about 1% of DVD sales for a long while. BD is destined to be niche product.

 

[hbk409]

] Let us not forget BD disks, any BOGO lately? Looks like BD will remain at or about 1% of DVD sales for a long while. [/COLOR]

yup target has one this week

 

[nonrev]

yup target has one this week

link?

 

[teamerickson]

link?

It's in this weeks ad. About 10 titles and they are priced at $29.99.

 

[navychop]

Costs will come down. I've said before I don't expect them to come down until later in the year. Possibly by July 4, more likely by Turkey Day.

YOU'RE the one expecting instant miracles. The BDA is in this for the long term- years. And they don't have to make DVD go away.

 

[r.jones1116]

And they don't have to make DVD go away.

Yes they do. Remember we can't have two formats. It will just confuse the consumer. OTOH, your right, it will never replace DVD because most homes are equiped with dvd players in the BR and the mini vans. So you will have to buy a BD copy and a dvd copy of the movie.

 

[gadgtfreek]

you guys make me think of Chris Farley and the horse beating smiliey

"For Tha Love Of God!"

 

[ONUOsFan]

It's in this weeks ad. About 10 titles and they are priced at $29.99.

Yeah, not great but I did pick up SM3 and 3:10 to Yuma...

Amazon also has a pretty good sale going, including I Am Legend for $18.95.

Amazon.com: Blu-ray up to 53% off

I also thought I saw a B2G1 somewhere, but now I can't remember where and can't find it again.

 

[nonrev]

And they don't have to make DVD go away.

Still dreaming huh? Trend?

BD + DVD = Niche