Blu-ray Disc Association declares victory over HD DVD
The Blu-ray Disc Association has wasted no time, issuing a statement that it is victorious as the premiere high definition format of choice. With 25 different companies having released Blu-ray related products, over 170 movie and music titles announced so far and of course, more than one million PlayStation 3s shipped to the U.S. Andy Parsons, chair of the U.S. Promotions committee is comfortable citing Blu-ray's industry support as a reason customers have voted with their wallets and will continue to do so. In 2007 the BDA looks forward to second generation PC and and standalone Blu-ray drives, like the BD-P1200, the Sony Vaio XL3 and a strong lineup of movie releases as why its market share will continue to increase this year, all but eliminating any competition by 2010. Check out our live coverage of the BDA press conference going on right now for more propaganda/truth (depending on your viewpoint).
Filed under: Blu-ray
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dean @ Jan 8th 2007 7:26PM
Let me be the first to say: LOL!!!!
hmurchison @ Jan 8th 2007 7:26PM
So in other words they are stating
"We won...we played the dirtiest"
They're lying out their arses but feel free to hype this consumer debacle called HD for consumers.
I would have liked to know years ago that the studios had such a disdain for the serving their consumers.
Wellinformed @ Jan 8th 2007 8:22PM
hmurchison, I thought you were for Blu-ray. I guess all that talk on the Blu-ray forum were lies. Enjoy the reigning champs (Blu-ray) for the better format.
Of course, anyone with foresight could have seen this coming. I guess we now know those that lack vision (HD-DVD supporters).
hmurchison @ Jan 8th 2007 8:33PM
Wellinformed.
You can just tell there's a lot of dirt and cheating going on behind the scenes. Consumers don't get a chance to choose the best format because of these dirty dealings. It may be in my head but sometimes where there's smoke there's fire.
Derrick @ Jan 8th 2007 9:02PM
I guess this is the same as Bush saying "we're winning the war" lol
Kevmanone @ Jan 18th 2007 4:39PM
I actually bought a PS3 for Blu Ray playback. I am sure a lot of other people who enjoy the best possible high def format with the higher bitrates have done the same. Fact is Blu Ray can hold more information than HD DVD. Argue with facts if you want but the FACT will always be true. Utilizing the same VC-1 Codec on both systems but one has a higher bitrate, which one do you think will look better? It's amazing how many people can see around the truth for what they want to believe. These are the same type that fall for scams.
Tim @ Jan 8th 2007 9:18PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't HD DVD sold more discs than Blu Ray? Saying you're winning the war because you sold more hardware is such a red herring. NOBODY purchased a PS3 because of the blu-ray playback ability.
Phil @ Jan 11th 2007 10:28PM
Hmmm... Do some searching... Apparently 80% of 10,000 PS3 owners interviewed plan on using their PS3 as a Blu-Ray player. The news just came out today. Goodbye HD-DVD I guess...
Michael @ Jan 9th 2007 10:13AM
Umm..I did. I also have an HDTV, which looks great with Blu-ray on it.
CrazedFiend @ Feb 11th 2007 3:54AM
uh...i did.
don't play games much, but $600 for a BR player is DAMN cheap!!!
CrazedFiend @ Feb 11th 2007 3:53AM
uh...yeah...
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/ps3-driving-blu-ray-movie-sales-outpacing-hd-dvd/
Kevin Murphy @ Jan 8th 2007 10:03PM
Amazon rankings are higher for HD-DVD versions (e.g. Superman Returns) when they are on both formats.
Sure there are more BD players if you count all those PS3s, but you have to compete with PS3 games, AND get them to use a game controller to play a DVD which is awkward at best.
If you discount the PS3s, Sony has sold zero players.
EatingPie @ Jan 8th 2007 11:19PM
"NOBODY purchased a PS3 because of the blu-ray playback ability."
I sure did. Sheesh. Do you even care about the truth?
According to Sony, 80% of the PS3 owners have tried Blu-Ray (they've shipped 1.4 million). According to Fox Blu-Ray sales on Amazon have caught up to HD-DVD sales... though I believe that's monthly sales, not over all.
I know this sounds all fanboy and whatnot, but I DO plan to purchase the XBox 360 HD-DVD add-on when my XBox comes back from the repair center.
-Pie
Joseph R @ Jan 9th 2007 5:21AM
Sorry to disappoint the Blu-ray fanboys, and/or the Blu-ray Disc Association, but can ANYONE quote ANY source stating Blu-ray software sales are higher than HD-DVD?
Of course not! I guess the BD fans missed the variety of industry reports during November/December that revealed the FACT that HD-DVD software sales are 3-to-1 over Blu-ray! And growing...
Just search the web or some of the well-known industry sites - videobusiness.com, homemediamagazine.com, cepro.com, wsj.com, and others.
At no time has Blu-ray ever come close to "catching" the disc sales of HD-DVD! They are desperate to claim "victory" because they now have sold a bunch of PS3's [money loser for Sony till at least 2009/2010, if even then], but from now on there will be NO MORE EXCUSES for why HD-DVD disc sales trump Blu-ray!
That's right Sony - NOW you have the greater overall number of Blu-ray capable players [adding PS3], BUT will you see those Blu-ray discs actually outsell HD-DVD? So far, it's a big NO!!
Now here in 2007, FIVE new companies are releasing HD-DVD players [see engadgethd.com links], including high-end company ONKYO and leading mass-market [low-priced] Asian leader LITE-ON.
And at least 300 HD-DVD titles are planned for 2007, a format with LOWER COST and HIGHER IMAGE QUALITY than the "Blu-ray" [based on comparison reviews].
Blu-ray may survive as a computer-storage and game console medium, but for HD home theater it's going to end up with HD-DVD the winner [faster sales, and better quality at a lower, more profitable cost], AND you will enventually see those "Blu-ray only" studios "cross over" to HD-DVD.
If not, those non-region foreign editions of certain "Blu-ray only" titles will be released in overseas HD-DVD markets (and imported to the USA), which means loss of $ALES to those studios here in the USA that currently don't support HD-DVD.
Striker @ Jan 27th 2007 4:23PM
Sure, Sony has "Shipped" 1.4 million consoles, but did they sell 1.4 million consoles? Last time I checked, PS3s were not selling too well, but the Wiis have been flying off the shelf.
CrazedFiend @ Feb 11th 2007 3:53AM
Oh, and uh...guess I'm not the only one (^_^)b
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/ps3-driving-blu-ray-movie-sales-outpacing-hd-dvd/
CrazedFiend @ Feb 11th 2007 3:53AM
sorry Joseph R
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/ps3-driving-blu-ray-movie-sales-outpacing-hd-dvd/
Marco Fedrizzi @ Jan 8th 2007 11:51PM
"Blu-ray drives, like the BD-P1200, the Sony Vaio XL3 and a strong lineup of movie releases as why its market share will continue to increase this year, all but eliminating any competition by 2010"
So what you are saying is that you will continue to fight this useless format war for 4 more years while the real people that get hurt are the average consumers that don't understand all this format war nonsense. Way to go BDA you greedy bastards, all you guys care about is royalties.
JLL @ Jan 9th 2007 3:37AM
"So what you are saying is that you will continue to fight this useless format war for 4 more years while the real people that get hurt are the average consumers that don't understand all this format war nonsense. Way to go BDA you greedy bastards, all you guys care about is royalties."
You could also say:
So what you are saying is that you will continue to fight this useless format war for 4 more years while the real people that get hurt are the average consumers that don't understand all this format war nonsense. Way to go DVD Forum you greedy bastards, all you guys care about is royalties.
SimbaDogg @ Jan 9th 2007 3:48AM
Tim...you're an idiot if you think NOBODY bought the ps3 for the bluray playback, there are people out there that bought it solely for that ability (parents getting expensive x-mas presents for their kids, only so they could watch next gen movies...i've seen this countless times. And marco...do you really think that companies like toshiba and nec dont care about royalties either? lets not be blindly ignorant people...this is a business...not charity work
EatingPie @ Jan 9th 2007 5:32PM
Let me just quote The Digital Bits at you here...
"They also indicated that Blu-ray software sales surpassed HD-DVD sales in December, with a strong surge coinciding with the PS3's November launch (a 700% increase since mid-November), and that they project Blu-ray software sales to outpace HD-DVD sales by a factor of 2 or even 3 to 1 in the first half of 2007."
Sure, the Blu-Ray Group isn't unbiased. But this illustrates that, indeed, Blu-Ray has suprpassed sales of HD-DVD for the most recent month of data. And it strikes me as a curious coincidence that your 3 to 1 number has come back, though obviously pure, biased projections on the BD Group's part.
Remember, too, that HD-DVD still has more titles then Blu-Ray, though it's now only about 15-20 more, and they had 3-4 month head-start in the format war. And note that Universal, HD-DVD's largest exlcusive studio supporter made NO NEW HD-DVD ANNOUNCEMENT at CES, and doesn't plan to.
Finally, I find it somewhat hypocritical that you cite "Blu-Ray Fanboys" while your post is the rudest, and most speculative in this thread. Citing 300 HD-DVDs for 2007 with "highest image quality based on comparative reveiws"... though you don't explain how reviews have compared unreleased product for 2007 yet! :p
Image and sound quality is comprable between both formats (on properly calibrated and reviewed set-ups). Still, both formats have plusses and minuses. It's a bummer we're in a format war. But mellow out. It's just movies, and it's not like people are dying over this stuff.
-Pie
Dave @ Jan 9th 2007 7:17AM
Yeah! Blu-ray WINS!
TJ @ Jan 9th 2007 9:59AM
Meh. I'm pulling for Blu-ray anywy. Nothing against HD DVD (I've had the HD-A1 since launch day), but I just think the Blu-ray format's got more support.
Toshiba's not playing dirty? They just want to keep the royalties from standard DVD that they're already getting. And Universal could end the farce right now if it would jump in with the rest of the movie studios.
Aron @ Jan 9th 2007 4:44PM
Yes, HD-DVD discs are outselling Blu-Ray, but I don't think that's currently a good indication of the relative health of the formats. Remember that there has been a reasonably priced (~$500) and excellent-looking (video performance-wise) HD-DVD player on the market for several months (the HD-A1), while that hasn't been true for Blu-Ray until now (the PS3). Let's wait about six months; then the relative disc sales will mean something, and we'll be able to draw a more informed conclusion from them.
Also, let me offer a radical idea: that the format war (if it is resolved, which it certainly will be -- by dual-format players or discs, if nothing else) will turn out to be a good thing in the long run, for the simple reason that it provided competition. And competition improves quality and price. The presence of HD-DVD has forced Blu-Ray to significantly improve the video quality of its discs and the price of its players. And the presence of Blu-Ray is probably what motivated HD-DVD to ensure that its discs were of high video quality and that its players were reasonably priced to start with.
pliepl @ Jan 9th 2007 6:46PM
You know youre a fan boy if you take anything one side says as fact without third party corroboration.
EatingPie
According to Sony, 80% of the PS3 owners have tried Blu-Ray (they've shipped 1.4 million). According to Fox Blu-Ray sales on Amazon have caught up to HD-DVD sales... though I believe that's monthly sales, not over all.
Any outside source to support this besides someone from the Blu ray camp? And youre right; it does sound all fanboy and whatnot.
Sure, the Blu-Ray Group isn't unbiased. But this illustrates that, indeed, Blu-Ray has suprpassed sales of HD-DVD for the most recent month of data. And it strikes me as a curious coincidence that your 3 to 1 number has come back, though obviously pure, biased projections on the BD Group's part.
It actually doesnt illustrate anything until a third party corroborates those findings.
Phil
Hmmm... Do some searching... Apparently 80% of 10,000 PS3 owners interviewed plan on using their PS3 as a Blu-Ray player. The news just came out today. Goodbye HD-DVD I guess...
News that came from the BDA, not exactly a strong use of that word.
EatingPie @ Jan 10th 2007 12:40AM
I don't necessarily agree with your definition of fanboy. I think it's more like THIS FORMAT WILL WIN, AND YOU'RE AN IDIOT IF YOU DON'T AGREE! :)
I did leave out said third part: Amazon.com. They were specifically cited by Fox in their statements about BD sales increasing. One commentator said it was more likely a spike due to new PS3 sales.
-Pie
pliepl @ Jan 10th 2007 10:20AM
I don't necessarily agree with your definition of fanboy. I think it's more like THIS FORMAT WILL WIN, AND YOU'RE AN IDIOT IF YOU DON'T AGREE! :)
That is one definition. The way I see it, its a supporter (of whichever side or subject matter) who cannot see faults or objectively. To take anything said in the BDA press conference as fact without outside confirmation is an example. To take anything said in the HD DVD press conference as fact without outside confirmation is another example.
I did leave out said third part: Amazon.com. They were specifically cited by Fox in their statements about BD sales increasing. One commentator said it was more likely a spike due to new PS3 sales.
Third party corroboration would be Amazon themselves (or someone else outside of the BDA) making a statement in a press conference that confirms what was stated by the BDA; someone credible outside the BDA who would confirm those statements.
If the DVD forum made the same type of statement in their favor, would you believe it? No, you shouldnt. Youd wait until a third party (or parties) confirmed those findings.
When you get information from someone with a vested interest in the subject matter, anything that is said shouldnt necessarily be taken as fact till its confirmed by an outside source.
Mark @ Jan 10th 2007 1:44AM
The first hint I think we'll see if HD-DVD is threatened at all will be a price drop in software. BR's licensing overhead and mfg costs will at the very least keep it from killing HD-DVD altogether. Personally, I think the war will be won on the cost front, not on the support front so my $ is on HD-DVD.
Ben Hobbs @ Jan 10th 2007 2:15PM
HD-DVD has just signed up a load of chinese manufacturers (important to get the pricing down for the average Joe on the street), Onkyo and Meridian (Boutique electronics companies for the HT enthusiast) and I just read that four porns are coming out on HD-DVD in January (previously where touted for Blu-Ray, but switched sides).
Add this to the 2:1 software sales of HD DVD movies to Blu Ray, the fact that its 50% cheaper for the hardware, and all this "Blu-Ray has won" just doesn't add up.
LilMike @ Jan 10th 2007 5:04PM
I just bought a PS3 (it arrives tomorrow!) for the sole purpose of using it as Blu-Ray player. For whomever is keeping track. If there was a new Grand Theft Auto for PS3, I might have bought it for that reason, but for now I spent $599 for the thrill of going to Netflix and changing all the movies possible in my queue to Blu-Ray format. Yay!!
Yeah Right @ Jan 15th 2007 8:40PM
Yeah right, they WHY did you "Spring" for the extra $200.00 and get the premium PS3? You DO NOT need a Wireless Card and a bigger hard drive to just WATCH Blu-Ray discs.
So NICE TRY, on that's the ONLY reason that you bought it. And if I WERE dumb enough to spend CLOSE to $800.00 Tax, Extra Warrenty, Game, Controller, EVEN AN HDMI cable and etc. I'd probably go out and pay $30.00 for a Blu-Ray disk to SEE what it looks like. BUT NEVER would I change my whole collection to ANOTHER one of Sony's BS!
You guys ALL remember Sony's imfamous Mini-Disk player, right? It could hold up to a CD's worth of info. was smaller and Sony went at it saying it was, "Better". Sony said that MD's (Mini-Disk's) were goiing to replace CD's.
REALLY!
bigmike @ Jan 11th 2007 11:15AM
New announcement!!! Beta wins over VHS!!!
Matt @ Jan 11th 2007 3:44PM
This is quite humourus! its all propaganda! and I'm a blu ray supporter too. It just has more space for the upcoming x.v.Colour if they ever get that passed so im just looking out for the future. Also triple layer HD DVD discs will skip like double layer discs do on early DVD players. Until the new HD DVD drives come out that is. Right now both formats do not even have quality drives availbile for $500 (entry level models are not what i consider "quality")
Dave @ Jan 9th 2007 8:27AM
Exactly, thats why dvd fanboys should never be trusted. They spread FUD!
pliepl @ Jan 19th 2007 12:30AM
Hmmm... Do some searching... Apparently 80% of 10,000 PS3 owners interviewed plan on using their PS3 as a Blu-Ray player. The news just came out today. Goodbye HD-DVD I guess...
Interviews conducted by whom?
Shane @ Jan 13th 2007 12:04PM
If Blu-Ray had more reasonable equipment prices, then I'd possibly believe this announcement because I would have gone that route. But I just bought a Toshiba HD-A2 for $385 at Page Computers and am very happy with my HD-DVD setup.
MRacca @ Jan 17th 2007 10:13AM
Well According to MATT if you didnt pay out the ASS then you didnt buy a "quality" HD-DVD player... so you should not be as happy as you are sounding. Stop sounding like a happy customer!!!! ...LMAO I actually would like to thank MATT cause I bought the $200 add-on for my xbox last weekend and I was happy with it untill MATT showed me my wrong doings, now I guess I need to find one for at least a GRAND to be happy. :p
jason @ Jan 13th 2007 2:42PM
"According to Sony, 80% of the PS3 owners have tried Blu-Ray (they've shipped 1.4 million). According to Fox Blu-Ray sales on Amazon have caught up to HD-DVD sales... though I believe that's monthly sales, not over all."
I would like to see those results had Sony not given away a free Blu-Ray movie with each console.
I have both and I believe HD-DVD is far superior.
Connors @ Jan 15th 2007 8:50PM
Yeah, that's a good idea I NEVER thought about what Sony spent on THAT HORRIBLE movie Talladega Nights! NOT EVEN A GAME FOR $600.00 + Tax, Shipping And Extra Warenties.
Uranium @ Jan 16th 2007 3:40PM
Rofl, the Blu-ray association sounds like Sony (detached from reality).
Tauron @ Jan 16th 2007 6:00PM
"preffered format of choice"? Whose choice? Certainly not the consumers choice! Just because Sony has monopolized the movie industry into backing Blu-ray doesn't make them "victorious" when HD DVD outsells Blu-ray 3 to 1. Especially when you consider 75% of stand-alone Blu-ray disc players returned their players according to at least one poll.
As far as PS3 consoles being used as a Blu-ray disc player...how many owners of PS3 are actually going to use it for that purpose? The real movie buffs are buying stand-alone players and that's what really counts!
southernsd @ Jan 17th 2007 2:04AM
Guys, Just go with LG's new HD and Blue-Ray DVD player. Problem solved.
Albert James Gomez @ Jan 17th 2007 2:35PM
Hello southernsd, In case you don't know by NOW LG's hybrid player is toast. It does not support HDi, therefore doesn't play HD DVD's. So there goes that idea (in the sewer)at least for now.
As far as a hybrid player "solving the problem" it doesn't. who wants to get stuck paying a lot more for a player and then getting stuck with a library of Blu-ray discs? Assuming that people who buy hybrid-players WILL buy both formats and then end up with the obsolete discs of the losing format, in this case Blu-ray.
Jason @ Jan 18th 2007 5:12PM
Blu-Ray Disc May have more storage area but HD-DVD uses MPEG4 So it requires less space for the same Picture quality. ( I have Both and I can see no difference on my 42in Panasonic Plasma(600u). Actually Most HD-DVD movies also come with the sd version on the other side making it much more appealing knowing I can watch it in any room in the house. Oh Yeah, they have already came out with a 3 layer HD-DVD disc holding 51GB so if size is what matters!!!!!!
Zed @ Jan 19th 2007 10:26PM
Wow this was a good one. Why is everyone so mad? Hi DEF kicks ass. If everyone said F* off to all of the companies and said were not buying any new media untill it's all on one format. There would never have been a format war in the first place. BETA vs VHS, Laser Disk vs DVD, blu-ray vs HD-DVD, come-on. You know who is really winning the war? All of the companies out there that profit off the anger of people that spew it aginst each other. We argue, and spend money to support a format, that could be obsolite (this one looks like it could go either way although recently; as of Jan 19 2007; it looks like blu-ray is pulling a head, especially when real market analysists, not paid by BDA, are saying by march it's BD 3:1 over HD-DVD). This one is especially bad because of the internet being the force that it is now. We have the power to control who wins this. I say stop buying any HD movies/players untill they give us a universal format. It's way to late this time around, but just remember 10 years from now when it's ??? vs ??? To say F* all of them an give us a universal standard. All HD cable can be veiwed by anyone with a HI DEF TV. Why should movie titles be limited to a certain format?
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!
sonyUshit @ Jan 20th 2007 2:51AM
HHHMMmm BETA=sony OHHhh BLURAY oh sorry bluray=sony to HHHHHMMMmmm something tell me that..... comeone people sony with all there problem they trying to buy people off but HD DVD is coming strong. Lets imagine microsoft making vista none bluray compatible ( or XP ) or sony computer can't get windows. bluray LOL what do you fanboys like the new name does it sound high tech for you. Please.
Ron @ Jan 20th 2007 8:08PM
sonyUshit, nice one. Too bad that's not true you would actually have a point. However, why is MS not making any HD-DVD drives? If they were backing HD-dvd 100% MS would be three times as involved. Sounds like you want HD-DVD to suceed more than MS does funny man.
sonyUshit @ Jan 21st 2007 2:45AM
Everyone knows (well some) that this HD war is all business, and even MS is backing up HD DVD doesn't mean they sure it'll win, I wouldn't mind who wins but I fucking hate sony, you know why cause they don't care about the customer they just wanna make money, MS maybe the same but when they say you'll get something you'll get it, sony no matter how you trust them they always let you down somehow. Let's say OOHHHh PS3 in europe, after buying PS1, PS2, so many people are waiting for that shit still not here. HD DVD TO WIN bluray is just a storage disc for pc that's how it should stay.
silverHalo @ Jan 21st 2007 3:01AM
Game Over! The Porn industry sided with HD-DVD. Remember Beta vs. VHS, guess which format the porn industry chose then? Read on....
http://www.tgdaily.com/2007/01/11/ces2007_hddvd_blu_ray/
Jypson @ Jan 21st 2007 9:47AM
I guess being a gamer helps a lot right now. I bought the Xbox HD DVD box shortly after release and I couldn't be happier with it. I guess that's a lie, I could be happier (ie. HDMI...duh MS). Anyway, for 2oo bones I get to watch 1080p movies. Awesome. It's a new Samsung DLP that supports 1080p via component...had to say that before some one jumps all over me and says its only 1080i. I'll eventually break down and get a PS3 when they finally release some decent games, and then I'll get 1080p movies via Blu ray. It's going to be annoying as hell switching back and forth depending on what movie I want to watch, but I guess thats the price you have to pay when the big boys are bumpn' heads. 7oo bucks for me, maybe 1200 bucks for others if you haven't chosen your next gen gaming medium.... isn't too bad to be able to ride out the format war comfortably. 1200 seems awfully steep though for a stand alone combo player, especially since video games have such a high penetration rate in the average american home. (sorry rest of the world, not sure how your penetration rate looks). Anyway, it's taking forever to get to my point, but my point is....is there going to be a winner in the HD format war? Why didn't Betamax survive? VHS were smaller, cheaper, more popular and 3rd party people got a piece of the action. Why didn't mimi disc survive? Expensive!, no 3rd party action, CD's just worked better for everyone. Why didn't Laser Disc survive? They were HUGE, expensive, and being first in the market didn't help since DVD came in with a clearly better medium shortly afterward. So here we are now stuck between a rock and a hard place with Blu ray and HD DVD. But all is not the same. Now we have Xbox and Playstation in the game already in a lot of homes now pulling double duty with the ability to play their respective HD format. With a solid start with us gamers, it removes the advantages the previous formats had to crush their competition. I know their are still a lot of people out there who are not that interested in gaming who won't be purchasing an Xbox or PS3 for games anyway, so what will it take to win? I mean really win, not just have a small majority of titles or studio support. HD DVD and Blu Ray appear to be equals in quality and ability, so that eliminates that. Both have been developed and released in the relatively same time, so that cancels that advantage. So I guess in my eyes, its going to come down to which group will foster 3rd party support the best and be willing to give them a big enough piece of the pie. Weve been seeing exclusive titles go the way of the dodo bird in trade for more profits by getting their product in more hands vice making people buy THEIR equipment. (ie. PS3 exclusives going to 360. www.gamespot.com) Sorry it took so long, but this is the question I come down to. How WILL they (HD DVD / Blu Ray) clearly and decisively take the lead?