Blockbuster to favor Blu-ray HD discs over DVD format (1 Viewer)

[Grant H]

Well, there's no sense in the HD DVD crowd trying to minimize the impact of the Blockbuster announcement as I've seen. The "most HD media customers are buyers" line I've read is totally lame. Sure, that's probably true NOW (and one could make an argument that fans on both sides are buying just to support their format). Of course early adopters buy a lot of titles, but to appeal to the mass market you have to be able to walk into your local rental outlet and rent your movies for the weekend. And chances are other rental outles will follow Blockbuster's lead. Or is Movie Gallery going to be so bold as to choose HD DVD only? (Provided they're still around; haven't kept up on my MG news for the past couple years.)

Now Blu-ray just has to create that holiday scenario where they have a heap load more blu titles than red in the stores with the players (provided stores are carrying both). Fox and MGM need to flood the market with all those delayed titles combined with Sony and Disney's holiday offerings.

 

[Paul Arnette]

Wow. That is ironic because I had a pre-order for a second HD DVD player, a Toshiba HD-A2, with Crutchfield at the $199.99 price mistake, and I canceled mine the day the Blockbuster news was announced. The CSR gave a bit of a laugh when he looked up my order, which was strange at the time, but he could have been getting flooded with calls that day.

I know some of you are probably thinking I'm nuts for doing that, but a second HD DVD player is a pure luxury item in my opinion, and that is $200 that could be better spent on a unit for the family room after the format war is over. I also canceled three pre-orders for HD DVD that day.

Of course, these are anecdotal and by no means am I trying to prove anything with this story. Merely saying it could happen, even if I think what I've seen 'reported' is a bit sensational.

 

[Matt^Brown]

Well I have HD and I have to admit that I think this is horrible. I personally will have a hard time telling my friends to buy a HD player when I feel like this could be the death sentence for it. Also as a customer of BB online I was really looking forward to being able to exchange my online rentals for instore HD movies but I guess that is never going to happen. I plan on keeping my BB online subscription but I will be sending them an email to complain.

 

[Paul Mor]

Realistically, you are correct. I was going on the assumption that BB would begin renting HD DVD soon. Since I'm probably not going to rent many SD movies to play on my HD player, BB stores will not be an option.

 

[ppltd]

Actually, I just cancelled my BB subscription and moved to Netflix. If I cannot exchange in store, netflix is the better choice. I also sent an email up the chain and already received my first response. I will post the final response I get from BB after I receive it.

 

[MattFini]

I was actually considering signing up with BB Online over the past few weeks, since I purchased my HD player. At least this made my decision easier.

I just signed up for Netflix.

 

[Douglas Monce]

I actually have netflix and blockbuster, mainly because you can sometimes find a film on one but not the other. This will have no effect on me because I haven't set foot inside a blockbuster store in over 10 years.

Doug

 

[Paul Mor]

Agreed. I've also sent an e-mail to BB. Doubt it's going to do any good, but at least we're being active.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

So,

any BD fans care to email BB as well to thank them for their decision which may help speed this "war" to a quicker resolution?

 

[ppltd]

You miss the point, David. BB will not gain customers by this decision, but they have the opportunity of losing customers.

As far as it speeding the competition to a conclusion, I am beginning to seriously doubt that.

 

[Jim_K]

A corporate decision like this would not be made on a whim. I'm sure they were aware they would loose some customers and in the end determined it was not much of a factor in the scheme of things. Obviously the gaining of the premium shelf space at the stores outweighed the minimal $ they were collecting renting HD discs. It's a business decision they made based on cold hard reality.

I'm waiting for the inevitable but useless "online petition" to pop up.

 

[ppltd]

I agree with you that they examined many things before making a decision. But this would not be the first bad decision a corporation made, nor, if enough complaints come in, would it be the first time a corporation reversed it's decision. Marketing is everything, and if the backlash is great enough, the corporate policy will change.

If nothing else, enough negative push back may help ensure that BB continues to carry the HD release on-line.

 

[Cees Alons]

There surely were incentives. And it's certainly not a big part of their current business, they will have ample time to reverse the decision, if needed.



Cees

 

[Jim_K]

So you're saying they were paid off Cees?

I think this BB development is bigger than anyone really wants to admit around here. What BB is telling the industry is that it's not feasible for B&M retailers or rental avenues to support 3 video formats (DVD, HD-DVD, Blu). It just confirms what I've always suspected. I wouldn't be surprised to see more B&M's follow suit (choosing the format that's moving more at their locations) before the year is over.

 

[Cees Alons]

Why not say, more friendly: "than some others think"? Why would "anyone" here (meaning: all of us except you) be afraid to "admit" anything?


Cees

 

[ppltd]

Jim, it cannot be both ways. If the top qoute is true, the bottom in meaningless. It the bottom is true, the top quote in meaningless.

 

[Paul Arnette]

I find it ironic that staunch HD DVD supporters will be the first to defend Universal by saying that there is no way they have a contract with Toshiba to remain exclusive, but at the first setback their format suffers like this Blockbuster one, out come the accusations of incentives (i.e. kick-backs and bribes). :rolleyes

 

[ppltd]

First, they would not be kick backs or bribes. If there was compensation made for corporate decisions it is simple normal business. Since when did it become a terrible thing for corporations to strick deals with other corporations that are mutually beneficial to both sides.

And BTY, the BD supporters are just as much to blame for cramming the 'MS subsidizes Toshiba/Universal' conspiracy theory around this forum. Both sides seem equally to blame.

 

[Paul Arnette]

Well, Thomas, whatever you call it, let's just admit it exists. And if what is good for the goose is good for the gander, then I'd just rather not see those foul crys brought up any longer by either side. Its really starting to get on my fracking nerves.

 

[Jim_K]

No malicious intent was intended in my choice of words, sorry if you took it that way.

BTW if my every word I use is going to be over-analysed please give me the courtesy of not injecting words which I didn't use such as "afraid" in order to overemphasize the point you're trying to make.

But I'll take the "hint" and leave this thread.