Costco quits selling HDDVD players

[randers29259]

I think there was another big issue in the laser disc days, and that was recording, Laser disc was a playback only format, I know a lot of people who saw my laser disc and was blown away but you could not record on it. Everyone I knew with laser was an audio/videophile with home theaters. DVD made playback only acceptable and mainstream. I think HDM (blu-ray) will catch on. I know a lot of people who know nothing about tech that are buying HD TVs and Blu-Ray players

 

[diogen]

I know a lot of people who know nothing about tech that are buying HD TVs and Blu-Ray players

I know a lot of people who know a lot about tech and not only ain't bying into HDM, don't give a rat's ass about it...

Diogen.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Nothing against the OP, but Id like to see an article somewhere before getting too excited.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

BD and HD DVD are niche products, and sadly will likely stay that way... Btw not smart to infer a mod is stupid

Just be glad its dfergie and not Iceberg

 

[gadgtfreek]

Just be glad its dfergie and not Iceberg

Yepp, you'd be seeing "Icewolf deleted reason:Spam"

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I agree, HD DVD and BD are niche products. Just go into retail store; there may be a little bit of space of red and blue, but 100Xs that for DVD. And DVD is so ubiqutious, there is no fear - for the next decade, I would guess - that it won't be possible to view.

And to be honest, many of the upconverted DVDs I have look very good. Sure not 1080p, but they look good. And they are cheap to buy.

 

[shanewalker]

I think there was another big issue in the laser disc days, and that was recording, Laser disc was a playback only format, I know a lot of people who saw my laser disc and was blown away but you could not record on it. Everyone I knew with laser was an audio/videophile with home theaters. DVD made playback only acceptable and mainstream. I think HDM (blu-ray) will catch on. I know a lot of people who know nothing about tech that are buying HD TVs and Blu-Ray players

This touches upon something I've said for a long while.

DVD took off when it was a multi-use format that attacked the consumer market on multiple fronts. It was a movie release format, a computer data recording format, and, eventually, a home video recording format--this gave the move to disc a 'common sense' sales point by virtue of its ubiquity and multitude of uses.

We won't see DVD-scale numbers or anywhere near its success if the industries (movie, computer, consumer electronics, et al) allow for a full implementation of the HD disc format into people's homes--THIS MEANS RECORDING. So, while Toshiba and Sony have started putting them into some of their computers, we aren't seeing the global assault on the consumer that inspires purchases en masse. We need to be able to record our favorite TV shows, pop them in our laptops and watch our recordings and pre-recorded media, throw system backups onto the discs, etc. Then JSP will know that its not a niche and its safe and practical to buy in.

The content providers are strangling the US market by fighting our ability to get set-top recorders and cheap/effective PC-based authoring in our eager hands. And I think we all know why--they don't trust us...and they're willing to see the HD disc formats die because of that distrust. They'd rather move on to pay-for-play DRM-saturated downloads.

 

[gadgtfreek]

While I dont think HDM is the next DVD, I think it will surpass "niche" status.

 

[Chucky Cheese]

Yep, Costco on line doesn't have the hd-dvd players on thier web site. The only thing they have is the add on player to the x-box360. I guess it's what ever in the shelves left for them.

 

[JonUrban]

You have to remember that places like Costco sell stuff, then don't, then might sell stuff again. It's a crap shoot. I've bought something there, then gone back a month later only to have it gone, goodbye.

There's no doubt that Blu-Ray is getting better exposure in the warehouses. The BJ's around here have a large Blu-Ray display "wall" full of discs, and our local Sams has quite a few Blu-Rays and only a sprinkling of HD-DVDs.

Quite frankly, the Costco's have the worst choice in HDM software, with only the "4-Packs" of Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs.

So yes, BD is "winning" in the warehouses, but judging by what's available at Costco both on line and in the store is nothing to write home about.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yeah, and its already confirmed Costco's still have the product in stores.

 

[jayn_j]

I think the difference is exposure. Not many knew about Laserdisc. Plenty know of these two formats by now, most are just waiting for cheap players and/or one format. I think most are waiting for one with 100% studio support.

I would tend to disagree with the not knowing part. The CED/Laserdisc war got just as much publicity and was available in most of the mass market electronic stores of the day. No BB or CC back then, but it was heavily promoted at Good Guys, Soundtrack, etc, etc. This was back in 81-84 timeframe. The niche thing emerged later as the mass market venues lost confidence. I see BD heading the same way because J6P just doesn't care. Doesn't see the advantage of that expensive player and discs, especially when he views them on that 19" 720P LCD screen on the endcap.

 

[dfergie]

There ya go jayn_j ... I have been an early adopter all my life and have seen things come and go...(quadraphonic, 8 track, Master recording LP's etc...) J6P will win, resistance is futile

 

[dfergie]

I rented both LD formats and tried ...

 

[Kevinw]

BD and HD DVD are niche products, and sadly will likely stay that way... Btw not smart to infer a mod is stupid

You posted in here that's nearly proof in it self

 

[akodoreign]

I think the difference is exposure. Not many knew about Laserdisc. Plenty know of these two formats by now, most are just waiting for cheap players and/or one format. I think most are waiting for one with 100% studio support.

LD *bleh* wish that Harmony Gold and the other anime companies would have never supported that format. I wasted so much money on that

 

[Mdvalenz]

I think the obstacle right now is that such a low percentage of people have HDTVs in the US and the rest of the world. For them the price is for the player, plus the TV, plus the receiver and speakers if they want the sound quality as well. That is more than most people need.

 

[jayn_j]

I think the obstacle right now is that such a low percentage of people have HDTVs in the US and the rest of the world. For them the price is for the player, plus the TV, plus the receiver and speakers if they want the sound quality as well. That is more than most people need.

HDTV sales strong among wealthier consumers, study says - USATODAY.com
About a sixth of all homes have at least one HDTV, up from 1-in-14 two years ago, according to LRG's study, "HDTV 2006: Consumer Awareness, Interest and Ownership."

1 in 6 in October. Given the number I saw fly off the shelves this Christmas season, I would bet it is now around 1 in 5. 20% of households is definitely critical mass to have the ability to view HD source material.

 

[allargon]

1 in 6 in October. Given the number I saw fly off the shelves this Christmas season, I would bet it is now around 1 in 5. 20% of households is definitely critical mass to have the ability to view HD source material.

Unfortunately, less than half of HD households even have HD sources (like rabbit ears, cable, sat) hooked up to their sets. 30% of US households have HDTV's, BTW. 50% of all TV sales are digital (not necessarily HD) TV's.

 

[jayn_j]

Unfortunately, less than half of HD households even have HD sources (like rabbit ears, cable, sat) hooked up to their sets. 30% of US households have HDTV's, BTW. 50% of all TV sales are digital (not necessarily HD) TV's.

But isn't that exactly the point? The set is not the obsticle. It is perception, inertia and the lack of knowlege on how to hook it up properly. If they can't bother to set it up for cable/OTA network signals, what are the odds they are going to care about High def media?