HD DVD Losing More Ground?

**SteveCallas** · **07-27-07, 08:54 PM**

Target to only carry Blue Ray

First Blockbuster and now Target. I don't really know who buys their electronics from Target

, but quite a few must if they have maintained an electronics section for this many years. I wonder who will be next to sell out to Sony? BB, CC, or Walmart would definitely stop to the war in its tracks. Even more reason for me to continue sitting this oneout for now I guess

**ACGREEN** · **07-27-07, 11:20 PM**

Frankly, the sooner a format dominates the better. Blu-Ray seems to be the better format. Hopefully this won't turn into the Beta vs VHS with the lesser format winning out in the marketplace.

**SteveB** · **07-28-07, 02:07 AM**

I don't buy electronics at Target but I have bought a lot of dvds there. Haven't looked for hd but I guess no I won't need to look.

**wbassett** · **07-28-07, 03:13 AM**

I have both players and my verdict is still out on which format is 'better'. I've seen movies in both formats that were mind blowing in their image quality and sound, and others that honestly... I couldn't tell the difference between it and an upconverted SDVD.

Sony owns movie studios and has more control over what format movies are released in. I do see a potential lawsuit as a last straw for Toshiba againts Sony if things start going down hill for them. (Think Netscape vs MicroSoft and the monopoly lawsuit that was filed)

Right now though, most of the movies I like and want in High Def are on HD DVD. I'm not saying that won't change with future releases, just that my personal movie preferences are more along the lines of what is out on HD DVD.

I think the format war is far from over. As much as people keep saying that Sony has more movies, the number of titles per format isn't as lopsided as a lot of people think. I personally feel that price is going to be the deciding factor. When a high def player gets to the price that people casually do an impulse buy, or when people start picking up a second player for the den or bedroom- that is the format that will win. Why do I think that when Sony controls so many studios and Toshiba just makes players? Money. The studios will want to tap into which ever player is the most widely owned and start getting money from that demographic. It could be Bluray, could be HD DVD. Right now though HD DVD seems to be getting closer to the impulse purchase price and by Black Friday I wouldn't be surprised to see A2's for under $150. Actually, I bet they will be well under $150 but they will also be those limited deals where you have to wait in a line at 4:00AM and fight the crowds.

Either way though I'm out of the format war and am thoroughly enjoying being format neutral and able to just buy a movie I like no matter what format it is in. For others that don't want to throw down that much on players when one is sure to go belly up- look through the list of movies in both formats, specifically the exclusives. Which ever format has the most movies you like, go with that format and then enjoy everything else upconverted. Or wait until Bluray gets its 2.0 release out and by then the prices will be down even more for both formats.

Personally if someone is thinking about spending $200 on an upconverting DVD player, why not just get the A2 and also be able to watch High Def flicks.

So what if your player ends up being the one that 'loses'? By then you'll be able to pick up a player in the other format for a fraction of the current price, and all those titles out there in the format that loses will certainly end up discounted dramatically. The only downside I see to that is years down the road when that player finally dies, but by then we'll have a totally different format. My prediction is credit card size media cards, but we still have a few years before that!

**Bob_99** · **07-28-07, 06:56 AM**

From my point of interest, I can spend $20 on a really good movie (rare) but prefer to find it on sale for $16 or $17 but I almost always buy older DVDs that are two for $20 or end up in the bargain bin. Some of those bargains are decent movies. But to get to the point, I just don't know how Blu-Ray or HD prices will affect my purchasing future DVDs as I don't want to go beyond that price point for a DVD and that's what will decide what type of high def player I purchase or if I purchase one. I may decide differently down the line but for now if the prices for the DVDs stay above $20, then for me perhaps it's time to consider NetFlix.

Bob

**bobgpsr** · **07-28-07, 09:48 AM**

Sony has just paid for an endcap in Target stores. This is the very first standalone high def optical player Target has offered in the B&M stores -- they have offered both kinds online. Target will still sell the XBOX 360 HD DVD Player add on and also HD DVD's.

Toshiba is paying for endcaps at Best Buy and Circuit City.

**wbassett** · **07-28-07, 10:07 AM**

Quote:

Bob_99 wrote:

From my point of interest, I can spend $20 on a really good movie (rare) but prefer to find it on sale for $16 or $17 but I almost always buy older DVDs that are two for $20 or end up in the bargain bin. Some of those bargains are decent movies. But to get to the point, I just don't know how Blu-Ray or HD prices will affect my purchasing future DVDs as I don't want to go beyond that price point for a DVD and that's what will decide what type of high def player I purchase or if I purchase one. I may decide differently down the line but for now if the prices for the DVDs stay above $20, then for me perhaps it's time to consider NetFlix.

Bob

And why should you? I still buy SDVDs at a ratio of probably 10:1 compared to High Def DVDs. I shop Hollywood Video and Block Buster previously viewed movies, Walmart, and Netflix even sells previously viewed movies all at great prices. Many of which aren't even out on either High Def.

There will be a day when everything is High Definition, but look at how long VHS hung around even after DVD was the standard. For at least a decade more people will still have regular DVD players too, and by then everything will be changing or already changed to a new format. High Def DVD players will then be where SDVD players are now.

I love the low prices of DVDs now, I just wish I could find more SuperBit ones because they look incredible upconverted. I also love the High Def format, but I only get certain movies, the rest are still regular DVDs. I'm not sure if you know this, but Walmart, Target, and Amazon do have both HD DVD and Bluray titles for $20. It's not a big list, but they are starting to show up.

**SteveCallas** · **07-28-07, 11:31 AM**

I don't think high def dvds will wash over the masses like dvd eventually did. At the same time, I don't think it will be a niche market like SACD or dvd audio. I think it will be somewhere inbetween. I say this because upconverted dvds still look great, almost as good as some high def dvds like you just stated, so few people will be willing to repurchase their dvd collection in a high def dvd format. That was not the case with VHS vs DVD. DVD was so clearly superior, both in picture and sound (anamorphic widescreen in and of itself was a deal maker), that most dvd player owners were willing to repurchase their old favorites.

So I think the high def dvd purchases - when the formats become more widely accepted - will be primarily focused on new, yet to be released films, and thus have maybe 1/5 the sales that dvd did.

**Bob_99** · **07-28-07, 05:50 PM**

Bill,

Quote:

I'm not sure if you know this, but Walmart, Target, and Amazon do have both HD DVD and Bluray titles for $20. It's not a big list, but they are starting to show up.

I did not know that. Thanks for the info and I hope that you are correct about regular DVDs being around for a while. Also the Superbit ones are nice and every once in a while I find some great deals on them.

Bob

**Sonnie** · **07-28-07, 06:40 PM**

There are several HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles in the Shack DVD Store for $17-20.

Just a couple of examples:

Blood Diamond [HD DVD] is only $18.50

The Fifth Element (Remastered) [Blu-ray] is only $19.49

The Patriot (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray] for $17.00

Some are even less if don't mind used.

**wbassett** · **07-29-07, 12:48 AM**

Good point Sonnie, I have to start shopping through the Shack! Those are some great prices.

**Bob_99** · **08-01-07, 06:29 AM**

Well, according to CNET this morning, some specific Japanese movie makers have selected Blu-Ray as their preferred high def media. I guess HD is really going to suffer now.

Bob

**wbassett** · **08-01-07, 09:19 AM**

Paramount announced the HD boxed set of Star Trek on HD DVD. There are Trek fans that will buy a player just to get that set.

Wasn't LOTR said to be HD DVD or is that going to be both formats?

**Bob_99** · **08-01-07, 09:54 AM**

I have not heard anything about LOTR but I am a bit surprised that it hasn't been released as of this time. I wonder what they are waiting for? Since the extended version is what motivated me to jump into the home theater in the first place, the high def version will probably be a call for a major upgrade.

Bob

**bobgpsr** · **08-01-07, 10:44 AM**

Quote:

wbassett wrote:

Paramount announced the HD boxed set of Star Trek on HD DVD. There are Trek fans that will buy a player just to get that set.

The boxed set is of Combos. So a normal standard DVD player can be used also. But >$200 for just one season!

True trekkies will likely bite though, considering what happened at the Christie's auction of ST material for Paramount last year.

**wbassett** · **08-01-07, 11:21 AM**

Quote:

bobgpsr wrote:

The boxed set is of Combos. So a normal standard DVD player can be used also. But >$200 for just one season!

True trekkies will likely bite though, considering what happened at the Christie's auction of ST material for Paramount last year.

Yeah my brother was telling me about that price too. Paramount is a pig when it comes to Trek. The original sets of STNG were $100 a season when they first came out.

I hear they completely redid the special effects and got an orchestra to rerecord all the music, they redid the intro, went with Dolby Digital, so aside from the price it sounds like a nice set.

There were people that bought laser disc players just to get the original series on LD, so this exclusive will bring out some new HD DVD owners.

The big one for BD is going to be this Christmas when the Spiderman box set of all three movies comes out, and POC 3 should be out by then too, not to mention the Fantastic Four. As much as I like HD DVD they need to get some new big titles out.

**MrPorterhouse** · **08-01-07, 07:53 PM**

Quote:

SteveCallas wrote:

Target to only carry Blue Ray

First Blockbuster and now Target. I don't really know who buys their electronics from Target

, but quite a few must if they have maintained an electronics section for this many years. I wonder who will be next to sell out to Sony? BB, CC, or Walmart would definitely stop to the war in its tracks. Even more reason for me to continue sitting this oneout for now I guess

I can't wait for Target to stock more Blu-rays. I went to 2 Targets today to buy "300" on Blu-ray for their advertised $24.99 price, and nothing. No Blu-ray, or HD DVD for that matter, to be found. Target still only stocks 15 titles on each format, so I look forward to October when Target expands its Blu-ray selection.

**SteveCallas** · **08-01-07, 08:36 PM**

I'm not into the series at all, but I would imagine that Star Wars would play a hefty role in who buys what kind of player. Also, don't underestimate the power of Disney Pixar films - isn't Finding Nemo something like the highest selling dvd?

**Sonnie** · **08-02-07, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

MrPorterhouse wrote:

I can't wait for Target to stock more Blu-rays. I went to 2 Targets today to buy "300" on Blu-ray for their advertised $24.99 price, and nothing. No Blu-ray, or HD DVD for that matter, to be found. Target still only stocks 15 titles on each format, so I look forward to October when Target expands its Blu-ray selection.

Why even fool with Target... 300 [Blu-ray] for $23.95. Order another title to get you over $25 and get free shipping. Not only do you save a few bucks on price and taxes, but gasoline as well.

**Bob_99** · **08-02-07, 07:12 AM**

Quote:

isn't Finding Nemo something like the highest selling dvd?

It may be but I don't think anyone watches it. The high sales are probably due to the sub enthusiasts who buy it for the knocking on the tank scene.

Bob

**John Simpson** · **08-03-07, 08:59 PM**

To date, I've bought nothing but Blu-ray, simply because we have a PS3. I didn't really care which format eventuated as the winner, just hoped it would happen relatively soon.

If I were a betting man, I'd now have to tip Blu-ray. With the release of the two Denon models (one just a transport, which is wonderful news for people with high-end processors), I think all the manufacturers will have to sit up and take notice. Denon has a massive international following, and doesn't adopt new technology lightly.

I wonder where this would leave the HDDVD-only studios?

**wbassett** · **08-07-07, 09:01 AM**

I still see this as a tennis match of sorts... the ball keeps going back and forth...

Toshiba was starting to look like they were in trouble at the beginning of the year. Sony sales were up with the PS3 and BD was riding a high. Then Toshiba offered free movies, and the two big box stores threw in some more free movies. BD then had a free movie deal, and Toshiba did a price reduction and the big box stores had another free movie offer. Toshiba sales went up dramatically.

Bluray then debuted their next generation models and did a slight price

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