The Format War

[imdaly]

People still rent movies from B&M stores?

 

[Zenien]

You spin me right round, baby
Right round like a record, baby
Right round, round, round

 

[imdaly]

Here's a little game we can all play!


Find the article: www.ap.org

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

That is definitely a major blow to HD dvd.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Here's a little game we can all play!


Find the article: www.ap.org

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/320196_bluray18.html

http://news.filefront.com/blockbuster-deals-a-blow-to-hd-dvd-and-favors-blu-ray/

http://www.psu.com/node/11698

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/17/blockbuster-chooses-blu-ray-is-the-war-over/

 

[KALEL114]

Sorry I did not provide a link... Thanks^^.

 

[imdaly]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/320196_bluray18.html



http://www.psu.com/node/11698

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/17/blockbuster-chooses-blu-ray-is-the-war-over/

Notice their sources are El Paso Times and Pittsburg Live.

Strange that this official announcement can't be found on neither The Associated Press's site, Blu-ray's official site, nor Blockbuster Video's Press Release site, even though it's supposedly an AP release from today...


Now, sure this could be true, but until I see it actually appear on AP's site, I'll take this with a grain of salt, just like all news should.


But seriously...who still rents offline anymore anyway?? 250 Blockbusters will still sell both HD DVD and Blu-ray, and 75% of all Blockbusters won't carry either at all, even if this does turn out to be true.

 

[BatMatt]

I believe an official announcement will be tomorrow but we'll see. I'd say that enough people rent offline to make this a significant decision

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

But seriously...who still rents offline anymore anyway??

Actually quite a few people. I work at just a local videostore (not a big name one such as Blockbuster or Hollywood Video) and we are pretty busy especially on weekends. A lot of people want the convienence of just driving to the local store and picking up a movie and getting home and watching it. I know your an HD dvd supporter and everything but why are you constantly trying to spin news in favor of Blu-ray into something negative? Lol. I just know that if Blockbuster decided HD over Blu-ray you would be singing a different tune.

 

[Zenien]

The source credits By Gary Gentile / AP Business Writer as the author of the story and is copy written at the bottom, if it's fake we'll know very quickly.

Anyway I can track down the market shares between B&M and online/ordering services is people really want. Imdaly keep in mind Blockbuster is also along with Netflix the biggest online video rental players in market. Without looking up the statistics I can say almost certainly that B&M still makes up the largest percentage of video rentals against the amount being moved by services like Netflix and BlockBuster Online.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Someone posted this on the Blu-ray forum.

Netflix Total Revenue for the year 2006: $996.7 million
(source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6409885.html)

Blockbuster Total Revenue for the year 2006: $5.52 billion
(source: http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6419949.html)

 

[KALEL114]

Notice their sources are El Paso Times and Pittsburg Live.

Strange that this official announcement can't be found on neither The Associated Press's site, Blu-ray's official site, nor Blockbuster Video's Press Release site, even though it's supposedly an AP release from today...


Now, sure this could be true, but until I see it actually appear on AP's site, I'll take this with a grain of salt, just like all news should.


But seriously...who still rents offline anymore anyway?? 250 Blockbusters will still sell both HD DVD and Blu-ray, and 75% of all Blockbusters won't carry either at all, even if this does turn out to be true.

Here ya go.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=257

How's that salt?

 

[imdaly]

Imdaly keep in mind Blockbuster is also along with Netflix the biggest online video rental players in market.

And Blockbuster Online will still offer both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

This news, if true, will only affect 25% of Blockbusters stores, and does not affect the online portion of the company at all.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

And Blockbuster Online will still offer both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

This news, if true, will only affect 25% of Blockbusters stores, and does not affect the online portion of the company at all.

Nobody is saying it is a gigantic deciding factor but whether you want to admit it or not the biggest movie rental company choosing Blu-ray is definitely a hit to HD dvd.

 

[imdaly]

Here ya go.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=257

How's that salt?

At the bottom of that page:

This web site is not affiliated with the Blu-ray Disc Association.
All trademarks are the property of the respective trademark owners.
© 2002-2007 Blu-ray.com. All rights reserved.

That's a fan site, which is using www.tvpredictions.com as a source.


That's not salt, that's just chalk.


I ask again, how is it that allllll these sites have this press release news from the Associated Press, when there is absolutlely no mention of this at their site? Hell, it's not even on Blockbuster or Blu-ray's sites, either!

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Well regardless I think you have covered your bases because even if it were true it doesn't mean **** anyway right? So why even bother?

 

[imdaly]

Well regardless I think you have covered your bases because even if it were true it doesn't mean **** anyway right? So why even bother?

Exactly.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

So if another rental company chooses HDdvd over Blu-ray I don't want to hear **** from you...lol.

 

[imdaly]

Deal.

But I'm curious...your comment seems to imply that there's been a rental company that's gone BD-exclusive...which company would that be?

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Deal.

But I'm curious...your comment seems to imply that there's been a rental company that's gone BD-exclusive...which company would that be?

I fixed it. Didn't mean it to sound it was 100% exclusive.

 

[Zenien]

250 Blockbusters will still sell both HD DVD and Blu-ray

Which is just that 250 locations that were already stocked with HD-DVD movies.

and 75% of all Blockbusters won't carry either at all, even if this does turn out to be true.

And the 25 percent of Blockbusters that carry high definition content (1/4) will virtually all exclusively rent Blu Ray movies, and as Block Buster expands the HD Definition selection across the rest of its stores those will exclusively support Blu Ray.

The underlying issue here isn't necessarily that BlockBusters going Blu Ray exclusive in the B&M side of their business is a war ender, it's a domino, metaphorically speaking, and it happened not because of Sony influence but because people weren't renting HD-DVD movies compared to Blu Ray movies.

And yesterday it was 250 stores carrying HD movies, then it became 1000+. It's not like this announcement is static, it's indicative of the market trend.

 

[RedIsNotBlue]

Which is just that 250 locations that were already stocked with HD-DVD movies.



And the 25 percent of Blockbusters that carry high definition content (1/4) will virtually all exclusively rent Blu Ray movies, and as Block Buster expands the HD Definition selection across the rest of its stores those will exclusively support Blu Ray.

The underlying issue here isn't necessarily that BlockBusters going Blu Ray exclusive in the B&M side of their business is a war ender, it's a domino, metaphorically speaking, and it happened not because of Sony influence but because people weren't renting HD-DVD movies compared to Blu Ray movies.

And yesterday it was 250 stores carrying HD movies, then it became 1000+. It's not like this announcement is static, it's indicative of the market trend.

Yep exactly. Nobody is saying this is the death of HDdvds but it is definitely going to make other stores consider Blu-Ray more just because Blockbuster is supporting it.

 

[KALEL114]

Well it looks like they are going to release a bargain player to compete with the bargain player HDDVD thats coming out soon. Not confirmed but this may be it.
http://www.gowellent.net/product web/vedio series/G875.html

 

[KALEL114]

At the bottom of that page:


That's a fan site, which is using www.tvpredictions.com as a source.


That's not salt, that's just chalk.


I ask again, how is it that allllll these sites have this press release news from the Associated Press, when there is absolutlely no mention of this at their site? Hell, it's not even on Blockbuster or Blu-ray's sites, either!

How's the salt now?
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BLOCKBUSTER_BLU_RAY?SITE=MAQUI&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[KALEL114]

I know that all of this does not instantly end the format war but, add them together with: Over 3 million ps3's in home's and 7 out of 8 major studios supporting it (Universal will give in eventually). Bottom line, it isn't looking good for HDDVD.