Amazon Blu-ray vs. HD DVD wars

[dialog_gvf]

Clearly if a BD disc and HD DVD disc each sell N copies in an hour, and they don't get the same rank (because there are no ties), some other means is used to rank.

If the answer to place HD DVD as high up as it can go, and Blu-ray as low as it can go, then we have a totally meaningless and biased ranking system.

The thing is, HD DVD came on the scene and has maintained average rankings mostly above what BD has ever accomplished. That doesn't seem possible. How could HD DVD in the first month be ahead of BD right now?

Gary

[onanie]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Clearly if a BD disc and HD DVD disc each sell N copies in an hour, and they don't get the same rank (because there are no ties), some other means is used to rank.

If the answer to place HD DVD as high up as it can go, and Blu-ray as low as it can go, then we have a totally meaningless and biased ranking system.

The thing is, HD DVD came on the scene and has maintained average rankings mostly above what BD has ever accomplished. That doesn't seem possible. How could HD DVD in the first month be ahead of BD right now?

Gary

It seems likely that rankings are affected by factors other than units sold. If item "popularity" is a factor, it is something that could easily be influenced without having to buy anything.

[C6 Z06]

Well, I'm trying to do my part for Blu-ray. I purchased 10 Blu-ray movies in 2 days and plan on picking up 7 or 8 more today(all retail). I have an X-BOX360, but still think Blu-ray is the way to go.

[Deciazulado]

Well, about 2 or 3 weeks ago the amazonwarnumbers site said that there were only 78 BDs released. A week ago I posted in this thread that on the AVS list they said there were only 56 BDs released to date but the list hadn't been updated since October. Now, the amazonwars numbers have gotten better since then (but still off by nearly 20 as usual), but the amazing thing is that the AVS list was updated a couple of days ago.. and it says there are only 78 BDs released! . Wonder where they got that number . For sure, I personally have about 20 titles sitting next to me that they are not counting in their 78 number. Like Superman (any version)

[Chris Beveridge]

It's unfortunate that Amazon doesn't seem to be able to carry any of the other hardware that's out there. Though I don't expect big sales, I'd rather see 4-5-6 players listed in the hardware section at different ranks than just the Samsung and some BD-R discs.

[Deciazulado]

Oh and it has been updated yet again, and the "Currently Available" count is still way off:


New & Improved! AVS Master List of Blu-ray Releases!

The following is a complete list of released titles as well as those with solid release dates:


Currently Available
16 Blocks (Warner)
<..snip...>
XXX (Sony)

TOTAL: 87

oh yeah? what about these ones that I do have? They're real. It's almost like I can touch them! :

1-Black Hawn Down (Sony)
2-Behind Enemy Lines (Fox)
3-Fantastic Four (Fox)
4-Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut (Fox)
5-League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Fox)
6-Transporter (Fox)
7-Black Crowes: Freak N Roll Into the Fog (Eagle Rock)
8-Enemy of the State (Buena Vista)
9-Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fox)
10-Sky High (Buena Vista)
11-The Wild (Buena Vista)
12-Superman (Warner)
13-Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (Warner)
14-Superman Returns (Warner)
15-The Omen (Fox)

Add Those Totals: 102



And I don't have everything. Sadly it seems true, the Aviator Vindicative Squadron is always living in a better, kinder time
How many weeks till those already-released (for weeks for some) titles are counted?

The Time Tunnel!




__________________


Btw, I've split the console sales numbers posts to a thread started by Petra about Sony PS3 projected sales where they made more sense:

Sony: We're on track to ship 1 million PS3 units by year end

[dialog_gvf]

In Bill Hunt 's piece where he mentions he was told about Warner's plan to catch up BD to HD DVD titles, he also had this comment about the Amazon rankings:

(in the same way that select people regularly e-mail me the list top selling high-def titles on Amazon as proof of one format or the other winning - I can tell you from personal experience that the Amazon numbers are almost meaningless in terms of judging actual strength of sales).

Still, it would be funny if despite this, the BD trend pushes it past HD DVD.

Gary

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

In Bill Hunt 's piece where he mentions he was told about Warner's plan to catch up BD to HD DVD titles, he also had this comment about the Amazon rankings:



Still, it would be funny if despite this, the BD trend pushes it past HD DVD.

Gary

The best thing about that was showing the fickleness of HD DVD supporters, one minute he was their Messiah (when he claimed that Samsung might not be able to read BD-50), and the next he is a nobody (when he makes a few reasonable insights into the 'war').

[dialog_gvf]

Important day:

BD surpassed HD DVD for shipping AND available titles today on thedvdwars.com

And the site showed its true colours: The graphs were immediately re-arranged to push the disc graphs way down. Apparently, now the only thing that matters is Amazon.com rankings. Silly you should think otherwise.

Gary

[Chris Beveridge]

Yeah, I was just going to post on that. It's highly amusing even if it's wrong, since it lists the top ten inaccurately. But as soon as something big was in BD's favor, even in error, bam, down the list it goes.

It's a reliable barometer for how Amazon is doing. But Amazon is not the world. Just like AVS isn't the world. It's been about a month at least since I had my account disabled there and as much as I want to reply to the FUD, I'm not. I'm just enjoying my movies and players.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Chris Beveridge

Yeah, I was just going to post on that. It's highly amusing even if it's wrong, since it lists the top ten inaccurately.

I noted the HD DVD top ten list that you can navigate to on Amazon was wrong (Miami Vice doesn't appear). But, is the BD list wrong too?

Gary

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Important day:

BD surpassed HD DVD for shipping AND available titles today on thedvdwars.com

And the site showed its true colours: The graphs were immediately re-arranged to push the disc graphs way down. Apparently, now the only thing that matters is Amazon.com rankings. Silly you should think otherwise.

Gary

I think it is also important to note that the BD rankings are on a general upwards trend, while the HD DVD rank seems to have stagnated. This is also shown by the graph of the Number of Titles in the Top 1000 graph, I remember a time when HD DVD had 10+ and now it stands at 3.

[Chris Beveridge]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

I noted the HD DVD top ten list that you can navigate to on Amazon was wrong (Miami Vice doesn't appear). But, is the BD list wrong too?

Gary

I don't know about amazon's list itself; I was talking about the top ten list that DVD Wars provides. It lists like 5 different versions of A Christmas Story that have different rankings.

[dialog_gvf]

The trend for HD DVD has been falling. When the PS/3 was release, HD DVD was at about 500 and now it's over a 1000. BD has stayed in a 2000-3000 range, which actually could mean a significant increase to allow it to stay flat.

I believe a lot of this has to do with holiday shopping. DVDs are an extremely popular gift, and the Barbie and Dora discs sales would probably blow away any HD disc numbers this time of year.

After the holidays we'll see if Xbox 360 add-ons have been picked up in large numbers. There should be a pop for HD DVD and then a restored slow erosion of the difference as PS/3 and stand-alone purchases start to factor in more and more.

Gary

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

The trend for HD DVD has been falling. When the PS/3 was release, HD DVD was at about 500 and now it's over a 1000. BD has stayed in a 2000-3000 range, which actually could mean a significant increase to allow it to stay flat.

I believe a lot of this has to do with holiday shopping. DVDs are an extremely popular gift, and the Barbie and Dora discs sales would probably blow away any HD disc numbers this time of year.

After the holidays we'll see if Xbox 360 add-ons have been picked up in large numbers. There should be a pop for HD DVD and then a restored slow erosion of the difference as PS/3 and stand-alone purchases start to factor in more and more.

Gary

I think the BDA need to go on a recruitment drive .

[dialog_gvf]

An interesting piece of info:

According to whois.net:

Domain name: thedvdwars.com

Registrant Contact:
Amzlists
Tony Small (amazondashboards@gmail.com)
+1.4253130412
Fax: +1.2065796487
4655 244th Place SE
Issaquah, WA 98029
US

Issaquah, WA is about 15 miles from Redmond. And a Tony Small shows up as an employee of Microsoft in the past.

Gary

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Chris Beveridge

I don't know about amazon's list itself; I was talking about the top ten list that DVD Wars provides. It lists like 5 different versions of A Christmas Story that have different rankings.

Ah yes, the numbers must be pooched. I'm sure they'll be fixed again, and when HD DVD regains the lead, the graph will be restored to its place of honour.

[Dave]

According to (the not very trust able - hd dvd fud alert) information on thedvdwars.com Blu-ray got an instant lead over hd dvd with:

Number of DVDs that can ship today:
Blu-ray 189 vs hd dvd 182

AND

Number of DVDs that can be purchased today:
Blu-ray 235 vs hd dvd 211


Cool. They moved those charts which were on top till now, to the bottom - not make much attention but its still cool

Blu-ray is catching up in the other graphs too (while we know how overestimated is hd dvd on them)...

[thunderhawk]

Idd, I've seen it as well...

Too bad there are no overall sale counts available

[dialog_gvf]

They've fixed the numbers:

Shipping:

Blu-ray: 124
HD DVD: 138


Available for order:

Blu-ray: 166
HD DVD: 162


So, unless they change this again, BD has moved ahead.

And note the lead in top 10000 rankings titles.

Gary