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06-18-2007, 02:28 PM
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#31 of 258 
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Member
Join Date: Jun 1999
Local Time: 01:41 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 4,596
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
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Originally Posted by ReggieW
I agree somewhat with the first half of your statement regarding the public choosing when the war is over, but there is no evidence that BD will be "the future of optical media." Even if/when HD-DVD is defeated, then BD will have to fight the REAL war:
versus SD-DVD.
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Solid perspective, and I don't wholly disagree. However it will never have to "fight" with DVD. Even if sales shifted to 80/20 DVD/BD that'd be a pretty solid success. Further, there is no doubt (in my mind) that BD will be wildly successful for computer and data applications. Computers had no small part in DVD's ultimate success, and the same will be true of BD.
As it comes to films, there will be a time that BD will win out over DVD simply because as people seek to replace broken DVD players, or upgrade their TVs, they will find that the price of BD players make them a good substitute for an upscaling DVD player. These people may not repurchase all of their DVDs on Blu (lord knows I won't) but they'll start picking up their new discs in the format.
It won't win in a battle necessarily, DVD will simply slowly age out. However, I see independent filmmakers and studios using DVDs for a long time to come.
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06-18-2007, 02:29 PM
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#32 of 258
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Local Time: 12:41 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 2,274
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
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Hey, Cut me some slack, I personally haven't rented any optical media in a loooonnng time, so I am a little rusty in this area as of late.
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Reggie,
I'm sorry if I sounded unduly harsh, but I've seen more people ignoring the business realities for BB's B&M stores and comparing them to Netflix as if they were one and the same. Eventually, I 'snapped'.  No offense intended. |
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06-18-2007, 02:35 PM
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#33 of 258
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Local Time: 12:41 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 5,060
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
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Originally Posted by ReggieW
Definitely not good news for HD-DVD, but I don't buy "the public has chosen" rhetoric since most of the public is unaware that these formats even exist! Does anyone believe that the public has "chosen" when the best HD titles sell less than 100.000 copies and both formats combined comprise less than 1% of the optical market? Once there is greater market penetration and sales have increased to a point where one format appears to be stagnant, then we can say "the public has chosen." It is too pre-mature to make such a call now when titles like POTC and The Matrix Collections return the numbers they do.
I am not sure if this will cause a chain reaction. The best thing to do would be to do what competitor Net-Flix is doing - supporting both media until some kind of REAL market penetration has been achieved THEN choose a side based on their rentals.
Something else I've been meaning to get off my back:
Why do people put so much stock in CES? If any studio or CE manufacturer wants to go neutral/switch, they can obviously do it at any point of their choosing. If I recall, people were upset that Universal didn't make a huge splash at CES last year, so I wouldn't hold my breath for a big CES 08 announcment with confetti, music and other fanfare (sorry, that's just the image I get when I hear this trumpted by BD supporters).
I admit that HD-DVD will have to counter this news, and we'll see if they have anything up their sleeve (or not) in the coming days/weeks.
Meanwhile (unfortunately) the war continues.
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Just curious - you say "Meanwhile (unfortunately) the war continues," yet you criticize Blockbuster for attempting to end it. Why?
Blockbuster has said at least 70% of HD rentals are Blu-ray - this is pretty close to the Neilson numbers, as well. It's been this way for some time and given the anxiety of the format war (most people want it to end - including most consumers, manufacturers, studios, and retailers.) it's not terrible surprising really. I suspect a ripple effect from this, but we'll see. |
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06-18-2007, 02:43 PM
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#34 of 258
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Local Time: 11:41 PM
Local Date: 11-18-2008
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
Snowball effect in full force
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Blockbuster's influence in the video rental world is immeasurable with thousands of stores nationwide. It's just a matter of time before other rental chains decide to carry Blu-ray exclusively as well.
And when that happens -- coupled with falling prices for Blu-ray players -- HD DVD will have little hope of surviving the high-def format war.
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06-18-2007, 03:14 PM
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#35 of 258
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Member
Join Date: Apr 1999
Local Time: 09:41 PM
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
Fine, let's end the format war immediately with BD as the winner so they can go back to their original plan to rape consumers with outrageous player prices and crappy transfers.
Does anyone really believe that we'd have sub-$500 BD players and anything better than Fifth Element or House of Flying Daggers transfers with nada special features by now if not for the format war?
Steve S.
I prefer not to push the subwoofers until they\'re properly run in.
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06-18-2007, 03:24 PM
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#36 of 258
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
but if it wasn't for BD, Hddvd would have been a 720P red laser format.
Just saw this story on CNN. Was weird.
One commentator played the luddite... "I still don't know how to program my VCR...!" and the guy was maybe 30 and just sounded like an idiot. You work in MEDIA, dude...!
The other just had his home theater upgraded etc...
I also have a friend who used to manage a BB in Long Island (was hell, he said...)
and one of the things he dealt with dozens of time a day was the WS vs FS and confusion amongst customers. Trying to explain "those black bars!" became a trying and time consuming part of every day. Having 2 competing HD formats would only just make things more confusing.
"Are you sure you have HDdvd..?"
"I think so..." yada, yada...
"Where's ...."
"Oh, that's only in HDdvd, not BD..."
Having only one HD format in the long run would be much more efficient. Having to stock the same title in 2 formats (for neutral studios like WB) would be WAY less desirable, I can imagine...
I know BB rents xbox and PS games but gamers are much more knowledgable about formats, etc..
The average BB consumer walks in, grabs the film and goes to the counter.
Knowing if the disc will even work on their HD format will be just a hassle.
In the long run, one format is best IMHO...
Last edited by Dave Mack : 06-18-2007 at 03:27 PM.
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06-18-2007, 04:24 PM
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#37 of 258
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Local Time: 09:41 PM
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
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In the long run, one format is best IMHO...
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I think most would agree with that, including me. My position has always been, though, that the winning format has to EARN the victory, not just have it handed to them, as many have advocated. |
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06-18-2007, 04:26 PM
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#38 of 258
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Join Date: Jun 1999
Local Time: 01:41 AM
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
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Originally Posted by RobertR
I think most would agree with that, including me. My position has always been, though, that the winning format has to EARN the victory, not just have it handed to them, as many have advocated.
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How would a format EARN a victory?
More Titles?
Better Technical Specs?
Larger Capacity?
More Sales?
So far Blu Ray has managed each of these.
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06-18-2007, 04:30 PM
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#39 of 258
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
And yet, somehow, they've never managed to deliver the knockout punch we've been assured is inevitable for the past two years. It's really quite odd, because on paper, it shouldn't be a race.
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06-18-2007, 05:10 PM
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#40 of 258
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Member
Join Date: Jun 1999
Local Time: 09:41 PM
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Re: Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format
I don't rent at Blockbuster anyway, but given their completely pathetic handling of next-gen game titles, I wouldn't put it past them to bungle HD releases as well.
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