Data from several researchers indicate that Blu-ray may be beginning to falter as HD DVD builds momentum thanks to price cuts on its standalone players.
NPD Group and Nielsen/NetRatings reports along with point of sale data indicate that overall HD DVD hardware sales were up 37 percent from the first to second quarter, which is a 183 percent increase in standalone HD DVD players. More than 180,000 players have now been sold.
"The numbers are clear -- HD DVD is steadily gaining momentum and market share," HD DVD Promotional Group co-president Ken Graffeo said in a statement.
During this same period, software sales have increased 20 percent. According to analysts, there is only about 20-30 title gap between the two formats, which is not as large as many would perceive, and price is a major factor in buying decisions.
A study by CEA in June backs up these claims. HD DVD players now sell for as little as $299 USD, while the cheapest Blu-ray players, standalone or otherwise, are at least $499 USD.
Blu-ray hardware sales fell 27 percent from Q1 to Q2, with software sales also being off by about five percent. Some of Blu-ray's struggles could be attributed to sagging sales of the PS3: Sony banked on brisk sales of the console to help win the next-generation DVD format war.
However, with the price cut on its discontinued 60GB model in the United States, increased sales of Sony's PS3 will probably also have the residual effect of helping to prop-up Blu-ray in the face of stronger competition from HD DVD.
Mods: JDM H22a Swap, Greddy SS Header, Greddy SP Cat Back, Car Sound highflow Cat, Skunk2 Cam gears (tuned), Light weight Flywheel, AEM CAI and Short Ram (I switch for different things). ON THE WAY: JUN Valve Train, Jun High Comp Pistons and JUN Flywheel
Mods: JDM H22a Swap, Greddy SS Header, Greddy SP Cat Back, Car Sound highflow Cat, Skunk2 Cam gears (tuned), Light weight Flywheel, AEM CAI and Short Ram (I switch for different things). ON THE WAY: JUN Valve Train, Jun High Comp Pistons and JUN Flywheel
Well, you'll have to watch out for the HD-DVD fanboy's who will swear up and down that VC-1 is a god send and HD DVD is superior, but that's not true.
In the end, visually, they are both of the same quality. The difference, however, is that Blu-Ray allows for much more content on the disc, which could simply mean high def additional content as well.
But, for movie selection and variety, Blu-Ray comes out on top, as it has support from nearly everyone in the industry, while HD DVD only has exclusive support from Universal (for now).
The reason I say "wow" to the article is because it's a crock of shit. If Toshiba sold 1 HD DVD player last month, and 10 this month, they'd do the same shit they're doing here, proclaiming them regaining the 'throne' becuase of a sales increase.
Block Buster, [b]every retail outlet in australia[b] and many other retailers don't stop stocking HD DVD for no reason. It's a dying technology months before it's even fully realized.
The way I see it, people buying into HD DVD at this point are simply ruining it for all consumers by stringing out an already lost battle.
That must be why whenever people walk into my Best Buy they all ask about Blu-Ray/PS3 and walk past the HD-DVD endcap and not give a shit.
I'm not even trying to be biased, hell I've owned both and at the "Middle America" store that I work at no one is buying HD-DVD...but even red necks know what Blu-Ray is nowadays.
But oh shit...I forgot that I would rather much see Alpha Dog, Breach, and The Good Shepard in HD over Casino Royale, The Prestige, Kingdom of Heaven, Gone in 60 Seconds, Black Hawk Down, and of course the Pirates of the Carribean series
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