HD-DVD Hanging on by a thread

[randers29259]

According to the Hollywood reporter, HD-DVD sales last week were 15% of total HDM sales. Could this be a 85:15 week, if that is true HD-DVD has no chance of survival. With those sales numbers how long before retailers start dropping HD-DVD. Could this be the end for Red, it would be great to get this over so people sitting on the fence can finally jump on the HiDef bandwagon.

The consumers had a choice and they choose Blu, no matter what kind of spin HD-DVD puts on it consumers have always chosen Blu. !!!!!

HD DVD still kickin' with new releases

 

[allargon]

HD-DVD has had bad weeks. Honestly, the week's sales depend on what movies are available and what deals are run.

However, things look grim. If Universal and Paramount actually start releasing day and date product again in earnest, things should look up.

 

[vurbano]

HD DVD still kickin' with new releases

By Thomas K. Arnold

Jan 17, 2008
More CES coverage

Down but not out, the beleaguered HD DVD format suddenly has some product in the pipeline, after studio announcements that had been slotted for the Consumer Electronics Show were yanked at the last minute due to the pre-show defection of Warner Home Video to the Blu-ray Disc camp.

One of the most high-profile HD DVD releases, ironically, will be from Warner, which won't officially abandon the Toshiba-developed format until the end of May. The studio Wednesday announced it will release a two-disc special edition of the action hit "Twister" on all three home entertainment software formats, with the DVD and Blu-Ray Disc coming May 6 and the HD DVD edition following May 27.

Orders are due April 1 for the standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc and April 22 for the HD DVD. Special features include a commentary, an HBO First Look Special on the making of the film, and a 2003 History Channel special on tornadoes.

Paramount Home Entertainment, which after May will be the only major studio besides longtime supporter Universal Studios Home Entertainment to release titles on the HD DVD format, is expected to announce a full slate of HD DVD titles for the first quarter Thursday -- a slate it was to unveil at CES.



Already in stores is "Zodiac," which quietly shipped to retailers during CES -- and the HD DVD Promotional Group's self-imposed quiet period.

Next is "Into the Wild," Sean Penn's acclaimed adaptation of an inspirational true story, which arrives in stores March 4, along with the drama "Things We Lost in the Fire."

DreamWorks Animation's animated hit "Bee Movie" is next, coming March 11 with hours of extras, including Web-enabled downloadable features such as a "Build a Bee" avatar. The HD DVD also comes with a picture-in-picture storyboard reel, customizable menus, a trivia track and an interactive exploration of the world of bees.

Slated for later in the quarter, with no release date yet set, are "The Kite Runner" and "The Jack Ryan Collection," the latter a set of four thrillers starring the fictional CIA operative: "The Hunt for Red October," with Alec Baldwin as Ryan, "Clear and Present Danger" and "Patriot Games," each with Harrison Ford in the lead role, and "The Sum of All Fears," in which Ben Affleck takes over as Ryan.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is expected to announce upcoming HD DVD titles as well, including "American Gangster," coming as a combo disc. Ken Graffeo, executive vp of HD strategic marketing, said the studio was "very encouraged" by Toshiba's recent player price drops and believes it will spur HD DVD software sales, particularly on the new release front.

The product announcements come in a week when the top 10 high-definition disc sellers are all Blu-ray Disc releases, according to an analysis of Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales numbers by Home Media Magazine's market research department.

Net HD DVD sales, according to Nielsen, constituted only 15% of hi-def disc sales last week. And the top HD DVD seller, "The Kingdom," sold just 10% as many copies as the top Blu-ray Disc release, "3:10 to Yuma."

 

[FlyingJ]

Kicking? Sounds like the flopping around of legs while someone is having an attack of some kind....right before they die.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yeah, looks like its being reported.

All Jan numbers where going to be bad for HDDVD because of crappy releases, the WB move just worsens it.

HDDVD does have a few good releases in first qtr, but I would not bank on the 2nd qtr stuff because you are most likely going to see it on blu too.

 

[ramimac]

I was an original HD-DVD supporter and I have to say


Wave The Flag already Toshiba/Universal

 

[mike123abc]

85:15 would not be too hard to imagine, but still worse for HD-DVD than I would have thought. I can see many people shying away after all the press releases about the death of HD-DVD, it seems like any HD-DVD you buy now will spontainiously combust soon. If it really is an 85:15 week and the trend continues, that will force Universal and Paramount out of the HD-DVD camp faster than anything. It is one thing to be on a "dying" format where at least you are selling movies, it is another if you cannot sell any more.

 

[Zookster]

Other than the "Bee Movie," I don't think any other HD DVD exlusive releases have a chance of cracking the top ten in sales. BD has much more/better releases coming out, including some really strong catalog stuff like "I, Robot," "Independence Day," "Ice Age," and "Wall Street."

 

[BlackHitachi]

I wanna see the Bee movie and American Gangster.

 

[allargon]

Other than the "Bee Movie," I don't think any other HD DVD exlusive releases have a chance of cracking the top ten in sales. BD has much more/better releases coming out, including some really strong catalog stuff like "I, Robot," "Independence Day," "Ice Age," and "Wall Street."

There's no such thing as strong catalog anymore on either format.

 

[FlyingJ]

There's no such thing as strong catalog anymore on either format.

What does that mean?

 

[gadgtfreek]

I think he means in terms of selling. Most arent going to re-buy.

There is only a few I am planning to replace if released.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Other than the "Bee Movie," I don't think any other HD DVD exlusive releases have a chance of cracking the top ten in sales. BD has much more/better releases coming out, including some really strong catalog stuff like "I, Robot," "Independence Day," "Ice Age," and "Wall Street."

I thought it was very interesting that the first thing this article points to as a good sign for HD-DVD is a Twister release that is three weeks later than it's Blu-Ray counterpart....

 

[Zookster]

There's no such thing as strong catalog anymore on either format.

By "strong catalog" I was referring to video collection favorites, particularly ones that benefit from the HD format, inducing some to "re-buy." It's a relative term, and obviously subject to personal tastes. :

 

[Bountykiller]

It is amazing that theres guys who still cant see things clearly here ;0 HD DVD is dead. I am saying this as a VERY recent owner of the Samsung Combo Unit. Yes I took a loss to buy it and I am saying HD DVD Lost. Get over it already ;0 It Went Betamax on us ;0 Stop living in Fantasy land where they will make a comeback.. and NO they wont be bringing back the 8-Track or Elvis either with it ;0

-Bounty

 

[navychop]

Elvis? Isn't he playing Vegas?

 

[putterboy]

Happen to catch a commercial last night for HD DVD by Toshiba, it was on Fox in prime time(A. Idol) Had not seen any advertising in a while, still kickin'.

 

[IcEWoLF]

Well again, HD-DVD is selling lots of movies on ebay, I bet thats one of the factors on why there are less movies purchased in the stores...
who wouldn't buy movies for 5-10$ each where in the stores they are 20$+

 

[allargon]

Well again, HD-DVD is selling lots of movies on ebay, I bet thats one of the factors on why there are less movies purchased in the stores...
who wouldn't buy movies for 5-10$ each where in the stores they are 20$+

This is true for both formats. There are probably an equal number of discs for both formats on Ebay. There are probably slightly more Blu-Ray discs since there are more discs in the wild. People aren't selling the discs for $5. Most discs go for $9+ with $5 shipping. A lot of those discs are catalogs available at Amazon for $19 w/ free shipping. I do wonder WTF is wrong with people sometimes.

Strong catalogs? I meant strong catalog sales. Catalog titles don't sell compared to day and date. 27 Dresses (Fox), Bee Movie (Dreamworks) or Enchanted (Disney) would probably trounce Jaws (Universal) or Lawrence of Arabia (Sony). Gamers will go nuts for Hitman (Fox), Jumper (Universal) and Cloverfield (Paramount).

 

[Peter Parker]

This format was never known for fairness or objectivity but drawing conclusiosn from one week of data isa real stretch even for here.

The WB announcement was a bad development for HD DVD but it takes longer than this to draw any real conclusions from sales data.