BR availability in the Midwest USA

[baccusboy]

Am on vacation in the Midwestern USA (Iowa). Here are my observations:

*Target stores all have an equal 50/50 split of BR and HD-DUD. Typical display is a side-by-side with 3 to 5 columns of each stacked maybe 7 high (guessing). Also has many PS3 games with Pirates for $50, and Harry Potter selling with a $10 gift coupon (for next order use).

*Wal-mart in my small home town has only one BR (Ghostrider) for $24.95 or so. I heard other wal-marts in Des Moines have more, but I haven't gotten there yet. No HD-DUD in my hometown.

*Best-Buy carries both, including about the same number of PS3 games as Target. I noticed that the HD-DVD display player was REMOVED this week, and there are now at least 2 BR players playing footage (including a PS3 elsewhere playing games). I saw twice as many BR's for sale as HD-DUD, but I might have missed some movies.

*Border's Books manager told me they don't have any BR, but can order them. He said they are too expensive now to stock (whatever that means) but that he's sure they'll be getting some stocked some day.

*Game Stop in my home town had a few used PS3 games for about $5 less than new. Also about 10 PS3 titles. Not much. But in Des Moines, there were nearly as many titles as Target/Best Buy. Also, they had 4 or 5 used titles in that store (most going for only about $5 to $10 less as used). I picked up Virtual Fighter 5 for $35 used.

* REX-TV (smaller local store) has HD-DUD's older 1080i player. A guy I graduated with works there. We talked about the format war a bit. He didn't know if they ever plan to stock a BR player, but the HD-DUD player doesn't sell well.

* Hollywood video rents nearly all of the PS3 titles that can be purchased at Target stores. Also some BR and HD-DVDs for rent... similar split.

There were also a few smaller independent movie stores. I got Ghostrider used for $20 at one.

After talking to various store people at these stores, I mentioned that BR is more scratch-resistant. Some of them knew that. Others didn't. All of them were more excited about BR (in comparison to HD-DUD) once hearing this news.

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by baccusboy

Am on vacation in the Midwestern USA (Iowa). Here are my observations:

*Target stores all have an equal 50/50 split of BR and HD-DUD. Typical display is a side-by-side with 3 to 5 columns of each stacked maybe 7 high (guessing). Also has many PS3 games with Pirates for $50, and Harry Potter selling with a $10 gift coupon (for next order use).

*Wal-mart in my small home town has only one BR (Ghostrider) for $24.95 or so. I heard other wal-marts in Des Moines have more, but I haven't gotten there yet.

*Best-Buy carries both, including about the same number of PS3 games as Target. I noticed that the HD-DVD display player was REMOVED this week, and there are now at least 2 BR players playing footage (including a PS3 elsewhere playing games).

*Border's Books manager told me they don't have any BR, but can order them. He said they are too expensive now to stock (whatever that means) but that he's sure they'll be getting some stocked some day.

*Game Stop in my home town had a few used PS3 games for about $5 less than new. Also about 10 PS3 titles. Not much. But in Des Moines, there were nearly as many titles as Target/Best Buy. Also, they had 4 or 5 used titles in that store (most going for only about $5 to $10 less as used). I picked up Virtual Fighter 5 for $35 used.

* REX-TV (smaller local store) has HD-DUD's older 1080i player. A guy I graduated with works there. We talked about the format war a bit. He didn't know if they ever plan to stock a BR player, but the HD-DUD player doesn't sell well.


There were also a few smaller independent movie stores. I got Ghostrider used for $20 at one.

After talking to various store people at these stores, I mentioned that BR is more scratch-resistant. Some of them knew that. Others didn't. All of them were more excited about BR (in comparison to HD-DUD) once hearing this news.

You obviously haven't been to small towns in the midwest.

Small towns meaning under 15,000. Most people where I'm from think Blu-ray is like a type of Star Wars person or somthing.

But, I've been changing the way people think. (Or i've been trying to at least)

[baccusboy]

My small town has 30,000.

The electronics area workers in the biggest city around (Des Moines) have an idea of what BR is, but they often need an education as to why it's better.

Generally, just mentioning the scratch-resistance of the discs wins them over!

[reiella]

It's really funny, what was prolly BD's biggest fault has turned into one of its greater strengths.

[ Refering to the sensitivity the discs had to scratches before the scratch-resist layer was added ]

[bg182]

Originally Posted by baccusboy

Am on vacation in the Midwestern USA (Iowa). Here are my observations:

*Target stores all have an equal 50/50 split of BR and HD-DUD. Typical display is a side-by-side with 3 to 5 columns of each stacked maybe 7 high (guessing). Also has many PS3 games with Pirates for $50, and Harry Potter selling with a $10 gift coupon (for next order use).

*Wal-mart in my small home town has only one BR (Ghostrider) for $24.95 or so. I heard other wal-marts in Des Moines have more, but I haven't gotten there yet. No HD-DUD in my hometown.

*Best-Buy carries both, including about the same number of PS3 games as Target. I noticed that the HD-DVD display player was REMOVED this week, and there are now at least 2 BR players playing footage (including a PS3 elsewhere playing games). I saw twice as many BR's for sale as HD-DUD, but I might have missed some movies.

*Border's Books manager told me they don't have any BR, but can order them. He said they are too expensive now to stock (whatever that means) but that he's sure they'll be getting some stocked some day.

*Game Stop in my home town had a few used PS3 games for about $5 less than new. Also about 10 PS3 titles. Not much. But in Des Moines, there were nearly as many titles as Target/Best Buy. Also, they had 4 or 5 used titles in that store (most going for only about $5 to $10 less as used). I picked up Virtual Fighter 5 for $35 used.

* REX-TV (smaller local store) has HD-DUD's older 1080i player. A guy I graduated with works there. We talked about the format war a bit. He didn't know if they ever plan to stock a BR player, but the HD-DUD player doesn't sell well.

* Hollywood video rents nearly all of the PS3 titles that can be purchased at Target stores. Also some BR and HD-DVDs for rent... similar split.

There were also a few smaller independent movie stores. I got Ghostrider used for $20 at one.

After talking to various store people at these stores, I mentioned that BR is more scratch-resistant. Some of them knew that. Others didn't. All of them were more excited about BR (in comparison to HD-DUD) once hearing this news.

I am from Des Moines and I have seen two walmarts carry blue ray and HD. The newest walmart that is the nicest and biggest doesn't carry anything in blue ray or HD. One of the walmarts had a decent selection of 19.99 blue ray and some others for 24.99. Target needs to fo something because they usally only put movies out that won't sell much.