Sad stuff (why the PE HD DVD is doing so well on Amazon)

[stockstar1138]

By Tewfik Benredjeb "Tewfik" (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews
I had to return the HD DVD because i don't have a HD DVD Player.I reordered Planet earth's DVD with no problem.I received my credit.The service was fast and good.Thank you.This was my 1st order thru Amazon.com and it would'nt be the last.

By Justin M. Griffin - See all my reviews
I am mainly writing this out of disgust for the stupidity of some people. This is an excellent program with some of the best HD visuals you will see currently on the market. For those of you stupid enough to not understand that you must have an HD player to play an HD DVD...well... go back to your caves and get a clue! It has noting to do with the show so why would you give an excellent program a bad review because you are to stupid to buy the right format...hey I got a bunch of VHS tapes if you wanna try those on your DVD player...

By Elaine E. Paasch - See all my reviews
Real rating is a minus 30! I was unable to access the DVD on ANY player! I took it to Best Buy, and they said it will not work in any player they have in stock and are unable to program any player to play the DVD. It was a total waste of money and a horrible experience with Amazon because they will not help in any way to correct the problem.

By Charles A. Jacques "Tony" (S.C.) - See all my reviews
I Purchased the HD DVD to finf out that it would not work in my DVD Player. I could not return It because it was opened but not used. How are you supose to know it a thing works if you don't open it. So your return is not worth a dime! I ored the regular DVD and Found that all one needs is DVD one. The outher four DVD Has the same things as on the first DVD.

By Dwight F. Entwistle (satellite beach, florida United States) - See all my reviews
I ORDERED THIS ITEM WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, MY DVD PLAYER COULD NOT PLAY AND IT AND I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR "FIRMWARE OR SOFTWARE" UPDATES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS OF NO HELP AT ALL BECAUSE, AS IT TURNED OUT, THEY DO NOT MAKE THE NECESSARY HARDWARE. SO FAR, I HAVE HAD TO BUY A NEW "BLUE LASER" DVD PLAYER AT A COST OF $500 (AND AT THAT I AM BETTING ON HD DVD AS OPPOSED TO BLU RAY) PLUS A $138 REMOTE TO PLAY THE HD DVD WITH MY EXIXTING HD TV AND MY CURRENT $600 AV RECEIVER SO I WON'T HAVE TO SPENT $800 OR MORE FOR A MORE ADVANCED AV RECEIVER. OF COURSE I COULD HAVE RETURNED THE PLANET EARTH DVD SET AND GOTTEN A REGULAR RED LASER SET FOR POSTAGE COST, BUT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE "NEWEST" TECHNOLOGY. WHAT'S NEXT? ALL THIS IS JUST VENTING! THANKS FOR LISTENING. POINT: I DO FEEL YOU SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED A CAVEAT SOMETHING LIKE "THIS HD DVD SET WILL NOT PLAY ON YOUR CURRENT DVD PLAYER. PERIOD!!" YOU WOULD BE CORRECT 99.9+% OF THE TIME.

By T. Shelton - See all my reviews
I thought since I have a high def TV that this would work but apparently you have to have a high def DVD player to play this dvd. I couldn't use or play this so I had to return it. I will be buying the regular dvd though.

By Francesca Matterhorn "skeptic" (WA) - See all my reviews
Thanks to Amazon's pathetic scheme, I now own an HD DVD format piece of plastic. It was very deceiving of them to have the HD formatted DVD as the first choice in a search on this series. So I'm out almost $80 because I took the plastic off... I now know that an HD DVD is not only a different format, but is being compared to laserdiscs, so don't bother buying this version of Planet Earth or an HD DVD player for that matter.

By Jeffery C. Ottesen "Jeff" (Juneau, AK) - See all my reviews
I've given the Planet Earth DVD 5 stars because the cable broadcast of the work is so compelling. I can only wait to actually see it in High Definition. Alas, that is the rest of this story.

Owning a shiny new HD TV (Sony Bravia) and a tenured DVD player I opted to purchase the HD version of the Planet Earth series. Here is where I made my mistake (and Amazon too!)

I did not understand that only HD DVD players can play a HD DVD. Your ordinary DVD player simply can't read the new technology on the HD DVD. Period.

OK, it does say so, in the very fine print on the back of the DVD case. Why with 10X reading glasses I might have even noticed. But no where on the ordering process on teh Amazon web site is this requirement brought to my attention.

Sure, snicker, you video-philes who are early adopters and know this implicitly. But trust me, I have talked to at least a dozen people who like me didn't have a clue. And not one person I have discussed this with was aware of the DVD shortcoming with HD DVD format.

[rmatt]

Proves that marketing a new format with name recognition of standard DVDs would backfire miserably.

[assur191]

This is truly hilarious. I have to keep reminding myself that J6P really exists.

[GreenMotion]

You guys are scaring me!. I ordered this set as well .... are you guys telling me it will not work on my laserdisc player??????

[dgator783]

By Elaine E. Paasch - See all my reviews
Real rating is a minus 30! I was unable to access the DVD on ANY player! I took it to Best Buy, and they said it will not work in any player they have in stock and are unable to program any player to play the DVD. It was a total waste of money and a horrible experience with Amazon because they will not help in any way to correct the problem.

WHat a dumbass! and Im not suprised about the best buy expierence....those folks dont know about anything

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by dgator783

By Elaine E. Paasch - See all my reviews
I took it to Best Buy, and they said it will not work in any player they have in stock and are unable to program any player to play the DVD.
WHat a dumbass! and Im not suprised about the best buy expierence....those folks dont know about anything

your so right. Don't tell me Best Buy didn't have at least one hd dvd player in stock. The idiot probably put it in 12 dvd players, pressing all these different buttons, LOOKING smart, not even knowing it was an hd dvd.

[Gremal]

I wouldn't be too quick to blame consumers for this. Purely based on the name, it seems reasonable enough to assume you can enjoy an HD-DVD if you have a DVD player and an HDTV. This is what happens when you use "DVD" in the name of a format that is incompatible with pretty much the entire installed base of DVD players.

The doods behind HD-DVD are not the brightest bulbs in the box.

[CJS234]

hey I got a bunch of VHS tapes if you wanna try those on your DVD player...

ROFL!!!

[Rup_Muk]

First off, this is funny - in a very perverted way.

But, let me pose this question - hopefully hypothetical:

A person buys the HD-DVD version of PE - cannot play it on the existant SD player - calls Amazon and *****es about it. Amazon sales rep says - OK won't play on your SD player - you need a HD-DVD player. Said person asks how much it costs - gets a reply "Oh we're running a special right now - you buy 7 disks - and pretty much get the player for free"

How many of you think:
1. Said person buys HD-DVD player?
2. Says, "no thanks, I'll return these disks - you send me the SD version"?
3. Keeps the HD-DVD disks (PE is not combo) as coasters?

Rup.

[Sane]

Originally Posted by Rup_Muk

A person buys the HD-DVD version of PE - cannot play it on the existant SD player - calls Amazon and *****es about it. Amazon sales rep says - OK won't play on your SD player - you need a HD-DVD player. Said person asks how much it costs - gets a reply "Oh we're running a special right now - you buy 7 disks - and pretty much get the player for free"

How many of you think:
1. Said person buys HD-DVD player?
2. Says, "no thanks, I'll return these disks - you send me the SD version"?
3. Keeps the HD-DVD disks (PE is not combo) as coasters?

Rup.

And for those who go with option 1, how many make another call to Amazon the next week:
"I just got my new player but you sent me the wrong cables! My tv has red and white inputs - but not green and blue. What gives?"

[Blue]

It's easy for us to think the general consumer is stupid and deserves everything they get, but stop and have a think about it for a minute. Many DVD's especially a few years ago were Superbit, High Quality well High Definition is just another marketing idea and the higher price justifies the extra quality. The general consumer doesn't have a clue what a pixel is and cares even less if there are any running around in the bottom of the garden. Many consumers are still struggling programming their VCR and they have just mastered not having to rewind a DVD - no they are not stupid, it's just a tool, they don't want to even know about the technology behind it. At least Blu-ray is not even related to a DVD. However it's amazing a picture speaks a thousand words - most instantly pick the difference, I heard one very knowledgeable guy commenting to his lady how the new movies looked sooo much better on DVD than the older movies. Blu-ray signs were all over the display with information about Blu-ray and what it is, but when one is bombarded with Hyperbole for everything from dish washing powder to the breakfast cereal people just switch off and just get what they want and use it - or in this case attempt too.

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

Originally Posted by Rup_Muk

First off, this is funny - in a very perverted way.

But, let me pose this question - hopefully hypothetical:

A person buys the HD-DVD version of PE - cannot play it on the existant SD player - calls Amazon and *****es about it. Amazon sales rep says - OK won't play on your SD player - you need a HD-DVD player. Said person asks how much it costs - gets a reply "Oh we're running a special right now - you buy 7 disks - and pretty much get the player for free"

How many of you think:
1. Said person buys HD-DVD player?
2. Says, "no thanks, I'll return these disks - you send me the SD version"?
3. Keeps the HD-DVD disks (PE is not combo) as coasters?

Rup.

Rep then adds, "Oh, and we're also tossing in a boiling pot and potholders for only $9.99 extra."

Befuddled customer, "But why..."

Rep interrupts, "Just get them. Trust me."

[Merrick]

So, I copied the text of the warning from DrinkMore's post and pasted it into Google and hit search. Ironically, the link to the HD DVD version of Planet Earth on Amazon.com was at the top of the list. Same page that I saw before? In fact, yes. So I did a search for the word "buying" on the entire page - nothing. So I did a search for the word "buy" instead, and there were several on the page spaced from top to bottom - so the search is working - and the text DrinkMore posted is not there. Searching on that text did bring up the page, however. That means that at some point Google's search engine DID find that text on that link.
At this point the best we can presume is that either it appeared at one time and does no more or Amazon.com is being tricky and popping it up sometimes and not others. DrinkMore happened to get it and I didn't.

Again, I'm getting less and less critical of the people who bought this for their DVD players.

Can anyone else check this out and post their findings?

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Merrick

Can anyone else check this out and post their findings?

Via search on Amazon

I don't see any warning.

Gary

[haushausman]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

hey I got a bunch of VHS tapes if you wanna try those on your DVD player...

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People can be such idiots! Hopefully their brains don't start hemorrhaging when they finally get to watch PE.. lot's of knowledge on there

[calgarymarc]

I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but 'Planet Earth' on Blu-ray has surpassed the rank of 'Planet Earth' for HD-DVD on Amazon.com.

Current PE Blu-ray ranking: # 14

Current PE HD-DVD ranking: # 15

http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/

*EDIT: The numbers have swapped a little bit, but overall the BD version should clearly be ahead of the HD-DVD version from here on out

[The Don]

Originally Posted by calgarymarc

I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but 'Planet Earth' on Blu-ray has surpassed the rank of 'Planet Earth' for HD-DVD on Amazon.com.

Current PE Blu-ray ranking: # 14

Current PE HD-DVD ranking: # 15

http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/

now the BD one is 16 and HD is the same..

[jbuttler007]

What's wrong with these people.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by jbuttler007

What's wrong with these people.

Short Attention Span is what's wrong.

[onanie]

Originally Posted by reiella

Short Attention Span is what's wrong.

I'm trying to understand this phenomenon. I wouldn't have bought a screensaver (okay, I'm exaggerating) unless I have spare change. But to be honest, all these people buying the title makes me somewhat curious.

My alternative theory is that PE seems to be a good title for amazon manipulators to use - it is a high cost item that might have more weight in the rankings. It explains the volatility of the HD DVD rankings compared with BD, although I don't understand why BD supporters are also crazy about this title.