Study finds high prices, hamstrung players limiting Blu-ray's dominance

[gadgtfreek]

Study finds high prices, hamstrung players limiting Blu-ray's dominance - Engadget HD

ABI Research has just confirmed feelings that we've had for months: Blu-ray just isn't going to dominate the market until prices sink down from the stratosphere and players emerge that are fully-featured. A new study from the previously mentioned firm has suggested that we still have "12 to 18 months" before the BD market really kicks into gear, and it specifies that "fully-featured" decks need to come in at $200 or below before the general public will consider coughing up the cash required to make the jump to high-definition media.

While I agree that they need to drop, I think once they get below the $299 price point it will help. Im glad to see that the new Sammy is looking to stay at $399 msrp.

 

[TNGTony]

This study wins the "no-duh" award.

When you can buy a full-featured $90 standard DVD player, or $150 recorder with component or HDMI which looks great (no, not as good as BD, but still fabulous!) why in heaven's name should a regular joe (not a videophile) in their right mind spend $400 for a player in order to them have to spend twice as much for a BD DVD? If he buys a regular version of the DVD he might as well have just bought the $90 or $150 DVD player/recorder.

See ya
Tony <---17 years ago bought LD player and forever cured of this kind of stuff.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Hehe. I wonder how much these firms get paid to state the obvious . My only disagreement with you Tony is that BD's dont cost twice as much as DVD's. Not even close in some cases.

Sorry Rocky, could not resist.

 

[allargon]

. My only disagreement with you Tony is that BD's dont cost twice as much as DVD's. Not even close in some cases.

Have you shopped at Border's/Barnes and Noble and seen the $40+ Blu-Rays next to the $22 SD DVDs?

 

[nonrev]

Maybe not double for new releases, but for the vast majority for catalog titles triple may be more inline in many cases.


Underworld-Evolution (Widescreen) : DVD : Kate Beckinsale : Bill Nighy : Scott Speedman : Len Wiseman : Sony Pictures - Buy.com $9.66
Underworld-Evolution (Blu-ray) : : Kate Beckinsale : Bill Nighy : Scott Speedman : Len Wiseman : Sony Pictures - Buy.com $35.05

There were many more cases like this.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Have you shopped at Border's/Barnes and Noble and seen the $40+ Blu-Rays next to the $22 SD DVDs?

$22.

I only watch amazon, where I recently saw $18 for a dvd that was $22 as BD.. Ive bought one per week and have not paid more than $27.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Have you shopped at Border's/Barnes and Noble and seen the $40+ Blu-Rays next to the $22 SD DVDs?

Who tha frack buys discs from them???

 

[TNGTony]

The point still holds true. BD are significantly higher than standard right now in most places. That will change in the future if the BD players are going to take off.

See ya
Tony

 

[gadgtfreek]

Maybe not double for new releases, but for the vast majority for catalog titles triple may be more inline in many cases.


Underworld-Evolution (Widescreen) : DVD : Kate Beckinsale : Bill Nighy : Scott Speedman : Len Wiseman : Sony Pictures - Buy.com $9.66
Underworld-Evolution (Blu-ray) : : Kate Beckinsale : Bill Nighy : Scott Speedman : Len Wiseman : Sony Pictures - Buy.com $35.05

There were many more cases like this.

Great quote you have

Amazon.com: Underworld Evolution [Blu-ray]: Kate Beckinsale,Scott Speedman,Tony Curran,Shane Brolly,Derek Jacobi,Bill Nighy,Steven Mackintosh,Zita Görög,Brian Steele,Scott McElroy,John Mann (II),Michael Sheen,Sophia Myles,Richard Cetrone,Mike Mukatis



You guys like to find the most outworld link with the most ridiculous price and think its fact. Guess what, its not the realistic price that most of us pay, get over it. $19.95


Im still amazed that some of you go out of the way to search for the most unrealistic price and quote it as the norm. Must be nice not having a life huh? Did you really quote Buy.com vs amazon?? Jerky nuts. :haha

 

[gadgtfreek]

The point still holds true. BD are significantly higher than standard right now in most places. That will change in the future if the BD players are going to take off.

See ya
Tony

Amazon.com: I Am Legend (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition with Digital Copy): Will Smith,Charlie Tahan,Thomas J. Pilutik,Salli Richardson,Paradox Pollack,Michael Ciesla,Sterling Wolfe,Alice Braga,Francis Lawrence (II): Movies & TV

Amazon.com: I Am Legend (Full-Screen Edition): Will Smith,Richardson,Braga,Pollack: Movies & TV

Amazon.com: I Am Legend (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition): Will Smith,Richardson,Braga,Pollack: Movies & TV


Amazon.com: I Am Legend [Blu-ray]: Will Smith: Movies & TV


Oh yeah, big jump there. I mean come one fellas, if you are going to dump on BD prices, try a little harder.

 

[gadgtfreek]

It is so lame that you guys continue to accuse BD's of being that much more pricey than dvd's. Get over it.

We have guys with $2000 tv's and $500 rcvr's complaining about $399 players and $25 discs. Boohoo

:river

 

[nonrev]

Must be nice not having a life huh? nuts. :haha

You just posted 5 times between 3:20am to 3:43am!!! Who needs to get a life???

It is so lame that you guys continue to accuse BD's of being that much more pricey than dvd's. Get over it.

We have guys with $2000 tv's and $500 rcvr's complaining about $399 players and $25 discs. Boohoo

:river

Who the hell is going to build their library at $25 a pop? Accept its a niche format "get over it".

 

[gadgtfreek]

Who the hell is going to build their library at $25 a pop? Accept its a niche format "get over it".

$25, I thought it was $35?

I think it'd be best for you to avoid this forum, you obviously are still sore over HDDVD and the prices, so 95% of your posts are skewed and negative. I personally dont see what you gain from being in here, unless you just enjoy complaining.


BTW, I worked late last night(some of us have a job) and could not sleep, the posts were spread out because two of them had all the links.

 

[nonrev]

$25, I thought it was $35?

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, obviously you didn’t appreciate it. Either way $25 or $35 is no way to build a library for J6P.

 

[mike123abc]

You just posted 5 times between 3:20am to 3:43am!!! Who needs to get a life???

Who the hell is going to build their library at $25 a pop? Accept its a niche format "get over it".

The same people that bought DVDs at an inflation adjusted price above $25. Face it, BDs are cheaper than 1997 DVDs, even less when you factor in inflation.

Look at it this way, in 1997 DVDs were 2x the price of a fillup, now BD are about 1/2 the price of a fillup...

 

[haertig]

now BD are about 1/2 the price of a fillup...

Correction, BD are about 1/5 the cost of a fillup for me. Unless they've raised BD prices more. 34 gallon tank.

 

[diogen]

Make the fillup 10 times the BD price and people will not only abandon BDs, they will stop buying DVDs...

Average DVD price in 2007 was $15 (1.7B discs sold), BD - $30 (before subsidies).
BDA hopes to drop 2008 BD average to $25. DVD probably won't change.

Diogen.

 

[nonrev]

The same people that bought DVDs at an inflation adjusted price above $25. Face it, BDs are cheaper than 1997 DVDs, even less when you factor in inflation.

Look at it this way, in 1997 DVDs were 2x the price of a fillup, now BD are about 1/2 the price of a fillup...

Sorry to challange your math related to filling up your gas tank but the price of gas has less to do with inflation then geopolitical issues. When Bush took office oil was $20 per barrel. It’s now near $120.

Its all about perceived value. To J6P is BD that much better then DVD? I think not. But its no doubt that DVD was revolutionary compared to VHS so the masses were more willing to pay for that premium.

 

[haertig]

I don't buy the whole "inflation" or "you gotta pay more because it's better" arguments. Nope. I expect to pay less for electronics as time advances. BluRay has been advancing for what, almost two years now? I replaced a 10 year old SD rear projection 60" TV with a much better 65" HD one. Cost me half as much for that replacement as the original TV. My first calculator cost me $149 (or $169 - I can't remember). Now you get similarly functioning ones as free giveaways. My first computer was over $3500. I build them myself now for less than $800.

If BluRay expects people to patiently wait years and years for the prices to go down, they'll miss the boat. HDDVD would have been subject to that too. While their player prices were more in line with reality, their media prices were no better than BluRays. I'm afraid that the general population would view people who spend large amounts of money on minor improvements as having too much money, or too little brains. BluRay views them as their primary customer base. And it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy ... they will REMAIN BluRays primary customer base.

 

[vurbano]

I simply will not Buy BD for more than 20 bucks. I refuse. I bought 2 BD the other day from amazon (my first discs since HD DVD went under) for 40 dollars, 20 a piece and one HD DVD. I have wanted to buy but the prices are too damn high.