Poor blu-ray reviews spur HD-DVD sales...

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...ind_HD_DVD/124
First-week sales of Blu-ray hardware and software received mixed marks
from retailers, with consumer demand for discs and players solid but
still lagging behind continued strong sales for rival HD DVD, reports
Video Business.

Primary Blu-ray backer Sony Home Entertainment shipped 15,000 copies
apiece of its first seven Blu-ray launch titles, including top sellers
'Underworld: Evolution,' 'xXx' and 'House of Flying Daggers,' which hit
stores June 20. The studio's worldwide president Benjamin Feingold was
upbeat about initial first-week projections indicating a respectable 15
percent to 20 percent sell-through of initial disc shipments, with
greater sales generated at retailers that were also selling Blu-ray
players.

"I think we're encouraged," Feingold said. "The only issue is
hardware supply. In terms of our national accounts, where there's
hardware, the results are encouraging."

However, fellow Blu-ray supporter Lionsgate (and the sole other studio
to release disc titles on the format at launch was less enthusiastic.
Studio president Steve Beeks called initial sales results "small but
heartening," citing initial shipments of between 7,000 and 10,000 units
of its six launch titles that include 'Crash,' 'Terminator 2' and
'Saw.'

In an informal survey of local Los Angeles-area high-end electronics
retailers, including Tweeter, Abt Electronics and Value Electronics, VB
found that none had sold out its initial Blu-ray software allotments,
nor its initial invetory of Samsung's first-generation BD-P1000 Blu-ray
player.

"I think some people are waiting for some of the other brands [of
Blu-ray players]," said Frank Roshinski, Tweeter VP and general
merchandising manager for video. "We ordered the same quantities [as
Toshiba HD DVD hardware, which sold out], about 500 pieces [for the
chain]. We didn't sell out [of Blu-ray], but it's still a good seller."

Some retailers also claim early mixed reviews by the online media for
Blu-ray hardware and software may also have contributed to the format's
bumpy initial sales, and only increased consumer interest in rival HD
DVD.

"HD DVD players are selling even better now given the poor reviews of
Blu-ray," said Value Electronics president Robert Zohn. Of the twelve
Blu-ray players the store received in stock, Zohn said it has sold only
two, compared to backorders of over 2,000 units for Toshiba's first two
HD DVD players the store has yet to fulfill, due to Toshiba currently
unable to manufacture enough units to meet the continued demand.

" Toshiba's being as fair as they can be [with HD DVD player
allotments]," Zohn added. "I wish I had more, and I think they do, too."

Yeah, I'm sure the problems with HDMI on that Samsung pretty much kill
its viability. No informed consumer is going to spring for known
faulty hardware. I'm sure when a Blu-ray player comes to market that
doesn't have that issue that it'll sell very well.

--
Bill Cable - Steelers Fan & Star Wars Collector
http://CreatureCantina.com <----- funny!
cable@creaturecantina.com

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Bill Cable wrote:
> I'm sure when a Blu-ray player comes to market that
> doesn't have that issue that it'll sell very well.

I'm sure you'll be praying at the Mos Eisley altar for this to happen.

Robert P Holley wrote:
>
> I'm sure you'll be praying at the Mos Eisley altar for this to happen.

Nah... as long as the PS3 has a decent player I'll be happy. I don't
care about any other Blu-ray players. Every review I read about the
Samsung went into great detail about its problems with HDMI. And I
wasn't really paying that close attention. Somebody who would actually
consider buying one would no doubt read about the problem and
reconsider. With the Internet, companies can't get away with buggy
hardware anymore. If the Samsung came out to flawless reviews and
still didn't sell, then I'd say Blu-ray might be in trouble.

--
Bill Cable - Steelers Fan & Star Wars Collector
http://CreatureCantina.com <----- funny!
cable@creaturecantina.com

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Don't forget too that most informed customers will be waiting for HDMI
1.3.

--
Bill Cable - Steelers Fan & Star Wars Collector
http://CreatureCantina.com <----- funny!
cable@creaturecantina.com

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Well its not just the player. Part of the problem is due to BR movies
need more space than what single layer 25GB BR movies allow.
Additionally, sony is supposedly having problems with 50GB BR disks.
Lastly the current BR players can not read 50GB BR, they will have to
be flash upgraded to support it. Thus, sony has a few issues to
resolve. I got this from some of the HD forums.

Bill Cable wrote:
> Yeah, I'm sure the problems with HDMI on that Samsung pretty much kill
> its viability. No informed consumer is going to spring for known
> faulty hardware. I'm sure when a Blu-ray player comes to market that
> doesn't have that issue that it'll sell very well.
>
> --
> Bill Cable - Steelers Fan & Star Wars Collector
> http://CreatureCantina.com <----- funny!
> cable@creaturecantina.com
>
> Please ask your provider to add:
> alt.games.video.sony-playstation3

Millions of HDTVs have been sold without HDMI 1.3 support. Most people
are not going to buy another HDTV just for that. Besides, most HDTVs in
stores do not support 1.3. You really have to question some of the
stuff sony is doing... Its not just consumers that have to be
"informed" but manufacturers as well.

Bill Cable wrote:
> Don't forget too that most informed customers will be waiting for HDMI
> 1.3.
>
> --
> Bill Cable - Steelers Fan & Star Wars Collector
> http://CreatureCantina.com <----- funny!
> cable@creaturecantina.com
>
> Please ask your provider to add:
> alt.games.video.sony-playstation3

TheGame wrote:
> Millions of HDTVs have been sold without HDMI 1.3 support. Most people
> are not going to buy another HDTV just for that. Besides, most HDTVs in
> stores do not support 1.3. You really have to question some of the
> stuff sony is doing... Its not just consumers that have to be
> "informed" but manufacturers as well.

When HDMI 1.3 player will be available in just a few months, who would
pay $1000 for a machine now that lacks it? It doesn't matter if your
TV supports it, by buying a 1.3 player you're future-proofing that
purchase. Your TV dies, you buy a new TV that has 1.3 and you don't
need a new player to take advantage of that.

BTW, it's not Sony who's pushing HDMI 1.3. There are seven companies
who made that decision: Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Silicon Image,
Inc., Sony, Thomson, Inc. and Toshiba.

--
Bill Cable - Steelers Fan & Star Wars Collector
http://CreatureCantina.com <----- funny!
cable@creaturecantina.com

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In alt.games.video.sony-playstation2 TheGame <n0n0n0n0n0@excite.com> wrote:
> Millions of HDTVs have been sold without HDMI 1.3 support. Most people
> are not going to buy another HDTV just for that. Besides, most HDTVs in
> stores do not support 1.3. You really have to question some of the
> stuff sony is doing... Its not just consumers that have to be
> "informed" but manufacturers as well.

There are greater numbers of people who haven't bought a HDTV yet, and
personally, I'm going to try to wait until next year to make my decision.
By then, HDMI 1.3 should be available on TVs, and hopefully the whole DRM
confusion will have cleared up.

Of course, if Sony or others keep playing the "just one more feature!"
game it's going to cause consumers to gnash their teeth and sit on the
fence indefinitely. TVs are traditionally not thought of like computers,
which we're used to becoming hopelessly obsolete just a few years after
purchase...

In alt.games.video.sony-playstation2 Bill Cable <billcable@gmail.com> wrote:

> When HDMI 1.3 player will be available in just a few months, who would
> pay $1000 for a machine now that lacks it? It doesn't matter if your
> TV supports it, by buying a 1.3 player you're future-proofing that
> purchase. Your TV dies, you buy a new TV that has 1.3 and you don't
> need a new player to take advantage of that.

....and so, the waiting game begins... Oh, yes, I'm playing it too.

I just hope that in a few months, we don't hear about yet another
"enhancement" that requires new hardware on both the TV and player.