Blu-ray in retail stores - reports and anecdotes

[WickyWoo]

1. How do these totally unfounded rumors get started?

I'd say 85% of the time it's when someone reads something and doesn't know what it means, but reads it so that it says what they want it to say instead of what it actually does.

The other 20% is organized FUDing

2. When they do get started in such a rampant manner, why doesn't the target, in this case WB, issue a statement that there is nothing being announced?

Fanboys want to believe. It's a religion.

Anything that gets people talking about your brand is a good thing, so unless it's a negative for your company, let it run as long as possible.

I guess I could ask a better question:

Why doesn't WB actually drop HD-DVD and bring the format war to a quick conclusion so everyone makes more money from unconfused and reluctant consumers

Because through the end of the year, it's more profitable not to

Christmas sales also offer a face-saving exit point, where you can blame Toshiba for their failures brining your product down rather than it look like you're abandoning them and have them blame YOU

[mattym]

Originally Posted by Steverhcp02

I am left to wonder how "inside" some of our friends here are....since there apparently wasnt anything.....not even minuscule. Oh well.

i cant recall any of the insiders saying anything other than a release schedule...

[davidPS3]

Originally Posted by Deane Johnson

Now that 2pm PDT has come and gone with no announcement (as usual), I have to ask two questions.

1. How do these totally unfounded rumors get started?

2. When they do get started in such a rampant manner, why doesn't the target, in this case WB, issue a statement that there is nothing being announced?


I guess I could ask a better question:

Why doesn't WB actually drop HD-DVD and bring the format war to a quick conclusion so everyone makes more money from unconfused and reluctant consumers?

You do realize that it is just now 2:30 West Coast time. The press conference was suppose to start at 2:00 West Coast time. Yes, we live in a world were people expect instant news, but let's give someone who is actually at the conference time to let us know what happened.

[Steverhcp02]

Originally Posted by mattym

i cant recall any of the insiders saying anything other than a release schedule...

have we even gotten that? Thats my point.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by bazie

possibly because they are considering that sub 200 dollar players might actually be better able to reach the mass market then the 400 dollar ps3?

... Until that market realises that they won't be able to watch most of the best movies 'cause they're only available on Blu. If you disagree, I have an 8 track player for sale: your's for $50 + shipping.

:-)

[Seretur]

I'm pretty much certain that Warner (and the rest of the industry) see the sub-$200 HD DVD players as the last hope for that format. They're going to give them the benefit of the doubt ...again, as their lower prices haven't helped them throughout this year.

But if Blu-ray keeps on winning (which it will, because the combined power of more attrative titles and the campaign to wake up the existing PS3 userbase is certainly going to outweigh any cheap new player a consumer has to buy to enjoy expensive new media) and loses the Q4 with a large enough margin (I do believe we'll be at a 3:1 weekly average by December) noone in their right mind will be able to say that HD DVD still has a fighting chance here.

And I'm seriously convinced that this is how it's going to play out with everybody, not only Warner.

[bazie]

Originally Posted by Seretur

But if Blu-ray keeps on winning (which it will, because the combined power of more attrative titles and the campaign to wake up the existing PS3 userbase is certainly going to outweigh any cheap new player a consumer has to buy to enjoy expensive new media) and loses the Q4 with a large enough margin (I do believe we'll be at a 3:1 weekly average by December) noone in their right mind will be able to say that HD DVD still has a fighting chance here.

yes i think you are definitely right. All indicators show that bluray is set up to take the software sales handily. The tricky bit would be that (IF) the 200 dollar player tricked hardware standalone sales to jump a lot in HDDVD's favour, the effect on software wouldn't be felt in Q4 it would be felt in Q1 next year. So I think warner will look closely at both software and hardware numbers to help them choose

[vladittude0583]

Well guys, all I can hope for is the best and to wish our side the best of luck because the $200 price range for HD-DVD can best be described as simple desperation, however, it can still sway over a huge chunk of the population given people's idiocy towards Hi-Def and stance of "lower prices." However, I contributed to BD's side today and purchased an additional 16 BD movie titles in an effort to help and maintain our lead as it always has been and always will be.

[bdrex28]

Originally Posted by Steverhcp02

have we even gotten that? Thats my point.

What do you expect them to say? I don't believe any of them work at Warner.

And even if there was something "hush hush" and "news breaking" I doubt they'd be allowed nor would they risk saying anything.

I also doubt they come and run to us and tell us anything they might know. In fact, i'm sure they don't and I'm glad for it.

They say what they can say and answer quite a few questions when they can.

[vladittude0583]

I know there is some uncertainty on WB moving to HD-DVD exclusitivity. However, from what I have read thus far on certain sites regarding the VP of WB commenting on their stance regarding BD, it seems to me that BD sales of WB titles are outperforming those of HD-DVD. Would this be enough of a guarantee for them to switch over or is there other cards at play besides just numbers? Thanks.

[AaronSCH]

Originally Posted by Deane Johnson

Now that 2pm PDT has come and gone with no announcement (as usual), I have to ask two questions.

1. How do these totally unfounded rumors get started?

2. When they do get started in such a rampant manner, why doesn't the target, in this case WB, issue a statement that there is nothing being announced?


I guess I could ask a better question:

Why doesn't WB actually drop HD-DVD and bring the format war to a quick conclusion so everyone makes more money from unconfused and reluctant consumers?

Just a guess, but it seems that most of this stuff takes root at AVS Forum. The people running that joint seem more intent on policing those who confront the FUD rather than those who produce it. The disc rot rumor that spread across the net like a California wildfire took root at AVS Forum. There wasn't a scintilla of evidence to back up the claims yet that thread was allowd to flourish for days. Go ahead, say something negative...anything...about HD DVD and you are outta there. It is not the place to go if you want reliable information.

As far as Warner Bros is concerned, if they are serious about bringing this format war to a close, they have to know that the only way the industry would feel the full weight of their influence is to go exclusively Blu-ray. Based on the rather strong rhetoric coming from the BDA, I don't see Disney, Fox, MGM and of course Sony being influenced by a Warner move to HD DVD any time soon. So the war would rage on. However, if Warner went Blu-ray exclusive, Universal and Paramount would roll over like a pair of dead horses.

[bazie]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

I know there is some uncertainty on WB moving to HD-DVD exclusitivity. However, from what I have read thus far on certain sites regarding the VP of WB commenting on their stance regarding BD, it seems to me that BD sales of WB titles are outperforming those of HD-DVD. Would this be enough of a guarantee for them to switch over or is there other cards at play besides just numbers? Thanks.

I think if it was just this they would have switched a long time ago.

Dual release movies from warner have been consistently 2:1 in blurays favour. I think what they are considering boils down to which format they think has the best chance of getting into customers houses so they will start buying the HDM disks opposed to DVD.

2 months ago that was clearly bluray. I don't know why they didn't just switch then. Now with paramount and 200 dollar players HDDVD does present a better option then before to warner. Whether it is good enough though, that is another quesiton

[Blu Titan]

I feel very good and this is why:

Warner wants to see the end of the "war".
If Warner goes HD DVD exclusive, the "war" would never be resolved and the demise of both formats would be assured. Consequently, we can sleep pretty good.

[bazie]

Originally Posted by AaronSCH

Just a guess, but it seems that most of this stuff takes root at AVS Forum.... Go ahead, say something negative...anything...about HD DVD and you are outta there.

Seriously? If you present some good evidence that is bad for HDDVD they will ban you? wow. glad i didn't register there then.

[gearyt]

Originally Posted by w_tanoto

sainsbury reminds me of orange juice

reminds me of hamburger steak w/ gravy

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by bazie

but that would be the point. If warner switched, the majority of new and catalogue releases would be back in HDDVD's court.

The point is that Warner probably won't be switching until after the end of the year. In the meantime, when people go to buy their HD DVD player for $198, they're going to want to get some movies to watch on it, and they're probably going to want the big movie release that week:

October 30th: "Spider-Man 3" - ADVANTAGE: BLU-RAY

November 6th: "Ratatouille", "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry" - ADVANTAGE: BLU-RAY

November 13th: "Ocean's Thirteen", "Shrek III" - ADVANTAGE - HD DVD

November 20th: "Live Free Or Die Hard", "The Santa Clause 3", "Hairspray" - ADVANTAGE: BLU-RAY

November 27th: "I Know Who Killed Me", "Hot Rod"", "Mr. Bean's Holiday" - ADVANTAGE: HD DVD, but truthfully, with releases like these, no one does.

December 4th: "Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End", "Superbad", "Battlestar Galactica: Season One" - Advantage: BLU-RAY

December 11th: Harry Potter films, "The Bourne Ultimatum", "High School Musical 2" - ADVANTAGE: NEUTRAL

December 18th: "The Simpsons Movie", "Stardust", "Underdog" - ADVANTAGE: BLU-RAY

December 26th: "Rush Hour 3", "The Brothers Solomon" - ADVANTAGE: BLU-RAY

~Alan

[whippersnapper]

Yep, hopefully Warner's pride, decency and honesty are greater than the suitcases the Red Agents are carrying.

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by BlueNeon

I feel very good and this is why:

Warner wants to see the end of the "war".
If Warner goes HD DVD exclusive, the "war" would never be resolved and the demise of both formats would be assured. Consequently, we can sleep pretty good.

Exactly, it's either dual format support or Blu-ray exclusive.

Right now I'd give you 10/1 WB going HD-DVD exclusive, and believe me I was very pessimistic about them only last week!

[JAGUAR1977]

Originally Posted by bazie

Seriously? If you present some good evidence that is bad for HDDVD they will ban you? wow. glad i didn't register there then.

Yeah.......sure

[krispydude]

we're screwed. HD DVD gets Hot Rod