Thread: Warner to go Blu-Ray Exclusive

Originally Posted by go

So when is bluray going to have there sub $150 1080i/720p players? That is the problem with this announcement. Warner just lost the consumers, at least for a year or so, that can afford HDM at sub $200 and don't care about 1080p or lossless audio.

If price was such an issue, HD DVD would have won this thing long ago. And if it wasn't for Blu-ray kicking their butts in sales, there is no way Toshiba would ever bring the prices down so much this soon. They were practically giving the players away.

Regardless, they're thinking long term. Holding off for another year would mean even less people caring about adopting HD. In the long run this will benefit everyone.

Originally Posted by go

So when is bluray going to have there sub $150 1080i/720p players? That is the problem with this announcement. Warner just lost the consumers, at least for a year or so, that can afford HDM at sub $200 and don't care about 1080p or lossless audio.

First off, where is the sub $150 A2/A3? I see them now back around the 199 - 248 mark. In fact, in today's BB flier, the A3 is $299.99. (and most John Q. Public buyers go to the Big Box stores).

My hunch is November 1, 2008. In fact, it may even be Profile 2.0 and 1080p. We shall see what is announced this week. Funai can't be the only ones with a sub 300 player to announce this week.

As far as losing the consumer for a year, I don't see it. I think that there are plenty of consumers who can afford a $300 BD player, and have chosen NOT to due to this format war. I would venture that HDM sales will increase over the year. Hopefully get up to 5% of the total disc sales (now 1-2%).



BTW, it looks like Best Buy knew the Warner announcement was coming. The front page of the newspaper flier says buy a 50" panny plasma and a BD-30 and save an extra $500 (and get 10 free movies). On page 8 there is also Sharp giving away a 1080p player with an Aquos TV. The Circuit City flier had noting about BD.

A3 is 180 at Amazon. Sure not 150 but since there will be only one format now or so it seems deals are going to go away.

In the long term there will be something better than bluray.

1,000,000 consumers bought HD-DVD, are you telling me that they are going to rush to bluray now?

I don't think that they are going to "run" to Blu-ray.

However, they had to know that this was a possibility when they purchased a HDDVD player. It was the same possibility for those who bought a BD player. There wasn't going to be 2 High Definition disc formats. The consumer spoke loudly by withholding their money almost entirely.

If the BDA was smart, they would offer a $100 mail in rebate for each HDDVD player sent back with the purchase of the BD player, while still honoring the free movies mail-in's as well. Do something to get some of the HDDVD adopters into Blu. I doubt it'll happen though.

What I found amusing in the format war threads on other boards was the hatred for Sony. "I hate Sony because.. large corporation.. overpriced... under performing... etc.." Yet have no problem supporting Microsoft's involvement in HDDVD..

Since we're pretty much having a Blu-Ray victory party in here (sans Go), why don't we all post our Blu-Ray Libraries? I'll start:

Curse Of The Golden Flower
The Host
Pan's Labyrinth
Casino Royale
Oldboy
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Halloween (the original)
The Aviator
Sunshine ( I just ordered it from deepdiscount.com)

and I'm still awaiting my 5 from PS3 deal:
The Prestige
The Last Waltz
Full Metal Jacket
The Patriot
American Psycho

Harry Potter 1 - 5
Dave Mathews at Radio City (for the wife)
Meet the Robinsons
Simpsons
Pirates - At World's End
Seven Years in Tibet


and I have on HDDVD

Transformers
Oceans Trilogy
Ray
300
Shrek the Third

plus the 5 free HDDVD's I am waiting for (and I forgot which 5, it's been since early November...)

Mine has just started since I just got my PS3 about 3 weeks ago.

Ratatouille
Pirates - At World's End

On the way - Rebate Movies for PS3 purchase
The Prestige
Hart's War
The Patriot
American Psycho
Pirates - Black Pearl

Originally Posted by go

1,000,000 consumers bought HD-DVD, are you telling me that they are going to rush to bluray now?

Are they going to have a choice? Are you telling me that there are people that still only watch their old BetaMax movies?

just went shopping for other stuff (no movies). ended up with.

Bourne Ultimatum on HDDVD

Close Encounters on BD