81:19 Nielsen/VideoScan Weekly Sales Numbers

[Grubert]

YTD sales through November 25, 2007

1.  300                 Blu-ray 100.00
2.  Transformers        HD DVD  70.23
3.  Casino Royale       Blu-ray 52.54
4.  300                 HD DVD  52.43
5.  PotC DMC            Blu-ray 34.60
6.  The Departed        Blu-ray 33.27
7.  Spider-Man 3        Blu-ray 32.98
8.  Planet Earth        HD DVD  32.64
9.  Planet Earth        Blu-ray 30.65
10. PotC CBP            Blu-ray 30.34
11. Ratatouille         Blu-ray 27.85
12. Apocalypto          Blu-ray 26.81
13. Ghost Rider         Blu-ray 22.01
14. Batman Begins       HD DVD  21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS       Blu-ray 21.02
16. The Departed        HD DVD  20.63
17. The Prestige        Blu-ray 19.78
18. Black Hawk Down     Blu-ray 18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy  Blu-ray 18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray 17.97

xx. Open Season         Blu-ray 17.77
xx. Déjà Vu             Blu-ray 17.69
xx. Live Free Die Hard  Blu-ray 15.56

xx. Knocked Up          HD DVD  15.01
xx. Heroes Season 1     HD DVD  13.12
xx. Shrek the Third     HD DVD  12.02
xx. Hot Fuzz            HD DVD  10.93
xx. Bourne Supremacy    HD DVD  10.87
xx. Troy                HD DVD  10.72
xx. Smokin' Aces        HD DVD  10.50
xx. Happy Feet          HD DVD  10.15
xx. Serenity            HD DVD   9.57
xx. Bourne Identity     HD DVD   9.46
xx. Goodfellas          HD DVD   9.03
xx. Children of Men     HD DVD   8.74
xx. Ultimate Matrix     HD DVD   8.32
xx. V for Vendetta      HD DVD   8.09
xx. Complete Matrix     HD DVD   7.70

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ques...p?startpage=56

[TJones8124]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

Oprah promoted Planet Earth on DVD. However, her site incorrectly linked to the Amazon page for the HD DVD and/or showed a picture of the HD DVD (could someone clarify exactly which it was?) for a while. When this was pointed out to Oprah's people, they fixed it.
.

When I checked it, her site had a picture of the HD DVD and it linked to the SD DVD. Below the SD DVD was Amazon's typical advertisement for the HD and Blu-ray versions.

I'm sure a lot of people saw the picture on her site, then saw it below the SD DVD and clicked on that.

[Balian]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

No, that would not be getting it straight.

Oprah promoted Planet Earth on DVD. However, her site incorrectly linked to the Amazon page for the HD DVD and/or showed a picture of the HD DVD (could someone clarify exactly which it was?) for a while. When this was pointed out to Oprah's people, they fixed it.

While that's a minor mistake, Oprah has been known to have massive influence on book and video sales, so the suspicion was there were a lot of sales coming from the Amazon link and/or people buying the red-fringed set that looked just like the picture they saw on Oprah's site.

The theory was also mixed in with anecdotal evidence of confusion about HD DVDs, where apparently a lot of people think they're a special type of DVD with higher definition that works on standard players, leading some to believe that Planet Earth was doing great business on DVD due to Oprah with a lot of spillover to HD DVD due to uninformed people accidentally buying HD DVDs (but not BDs, since they're obviously different).

I personally don't put too much stock in the Oprah theory. I think it's more likely this is a case of title that's a good pickup at any time, so it's going to continue to sell very well over an extended period. It looks fantastic, it shows off your equipment, and it's a lot of fun to watch, but it's not generally something people have to have right now. In other words, for a lot of people it's a title they pick up when there's nothing else they want. I think it did better on HD DVD because there are fewer must-have titles in that format.

Explain this graph then please:



I am sure if your theory is true, wouldn't there be a increase in orders of PE HD DVD since there were a huge amount of new HD DVD owners on Christmas day?

[reiella]

Originally Posted by Balian

I am sure if your theory is true, wouldn't there be a increase in orders of PE HD DVD since there were a huge amount of new HD DVD owners on Christmas day?

flash-pan answer, it was purchased along with the HD-DVD player as part of the gift.

The real oddity though, as the graph points out, why exactly it sells better on HD-DVD instead of Blu. The justification of it being an eye-candy piece holds true for both. Is it because there are 'other' titles to buy on BD?

Or is it because of the misnomer?

[Seretur]

Grubert -- thank you VERY MUCH for that link!

I had no idea HMM published a separate HDM issue just before New Year. Now it's time to have a glass of wine and read up.

Cheers!

[Dalese]

Originally Posted by Grubert

YTD sales through November 25, 2007

1.  300                 Blu-ray 100.00
2.  Transformers        HD DVD  70.23
3.  Casino Royale       Blu-ray 52.54
4.  300                 HD DVD  52.43
5.  PotC DMC            Blu-ray 34.60
6.  The Departed        Blu-ray 33.27
7.  Spider-Man 3        Blu-ray 32.98
8.  Planet Earth        HD DVD  32.64
9.  Planet Earth        Blu-ray 30.65
10. PotC CBP            Blu-ray 30.34
11. Ratatouille         Blu-ray 27.85
12. Apocalypto          Blu-ray 26.81
13. Ghost Rider         Blu-ray 22.01
14. Batman Begins       HD DVD  21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS       Blu-ray 21.02
16. The Departed        HD DVD  20.63
17. The Prestige        Blu-ray 19.78
18. Black Hawk Down     Blu-ray 18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy  Blu-ray 18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray 17.97

xx. Open Season         Blu-ray 17.77
xx. Déjà Vu             Blu-ray 17.69
xx. Live Free Die Hard  Blu-ray 15.56

xx. Knocked Up          HD DVD  15.01
xx. Heroes Season 1     HD DVD  13.12
xx. Shrek the Third     HD DVD  12.02
xx. Hot Fuzz            HD DVD  10.93
xx. Bourne Supremacy    HD DVD  10.87
xx. Troy                HD DVD  10.72
xx. Smokin' Aces        HD DVD  10.50
xx. Happy Feet          HD DVD  10.15
xx. Serenity            HD DVD   9.57
xx. Bourne Identity     HD DVD   9.46
xx. Goodfellas          HD DVD   9.03
xx. Children of Men     HD DVD   8.74
xx. Ultimate Matrix     HD DVD   8.32
xx. V for Vendetta      HD DVD   8.09
xx. Complete Matrix     HD DVD   7.70

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ques...p?startpage=56

15 of the top 20 High Def Titles sold in 2007 (through November) were Blu-ray!

Hopefully we will see a end-of-year numbers wrap up from HMM that can fill in some of the blanks below 15.56. My guess is there is a lot of blu down there as well.

[RUR]

Originally Posted by Dalese

15 of the top 20 High Def Titles sold in 2007 (through November) were Blu-ray!

A perfect BDA sound-byte.

[richard lichtenfelt]

Originally Posted by Grubert

YTD sales through November 25, 2007

[code]
1. 300 Blu-ray 100.00
2. Transformers HD DVD 70.23
3. Casino Royale Blu-ray 52.54
4. 300 HD DVD 52.43
5. PotC DMC Blu-ray 34.60
6. The Departed Blu-ray 33.27
7. Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray 32.98
8. Planet Earth HD DVD 32.64
9. Planet Earth Blu-ray 30.65
10. PotC CBP Blu-ray 30.34
11. Ratatouille Blu-ray 27.85
12. Apocalypto Blu-ray 26.81
13. Ghost Rider Blu-ray 22.01
14. Batman Begins HD DVD 21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS Blu-ray 21.02
16. The Departed HD DVD 20.63
17. The Prestige Blu-ray 19.78
18. Black Hawk Down Blu-ray 18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy Blu-ray 18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray 17.97

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ques...p?startpage=56

75 freakin' % of the 20 best selling hd titles are blu. That is fantastical!

[The Don]

Originally Posted by Grubert

YTD sales through November 25, 2007

1.  300                 Blu-ray 100.00
2.  Transformers        HD DVD  70.23
3.  Casino Royale       Blu-ray 52.54
4.  300                 HD DVD  52.43
5.  PotC DMC            Blu-ray 34.60
6.  The Departed        Blu-ray 33.27
7.  Spider-Man 3        Blu-ray 32.98
8.  Planet Earth        HD DVD  32.64
9.  Planet Earth        Blu-ray 30.65
10. PotC CBP            Blu-ray 30.34
11. Ratatouille         Blu-ray 27.85
12. Apocalypto          Blu-ray 26.81
13. Ghost Rider         Blu-ray 22.01
14. Batman Begins       HD DVD  21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS       Blu-ray 21.02
16. The Departed        HD DVD  20.63
17. The Prestige        Blu-ray 19.78
18. Black Hawk Down     Blu-ray 18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy  Blu-ray 18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray 17.97

xx. Open Season         Blu-ray 17.77
xx. Déjà Vu             Blu-ray 17.69
xx. Live Free Die Hard  Blu-ray 15.56

xx. Knocked Up          HD DVD  15.01
xx. Heroes Season 1     HD DVD  13.12
xx. Shrek the Third     HD DVD  12.02
xx. Hot Fuzz            HD DVD  10.93
xx. Bourne Supremacy    HD DVD  10.87
xx. Troy                HD DVD  10.72
xx. Smokin' Aces        HD DVD  10.50
xx. Happy Feet          HD DVD  10.15
xx. Serenity            HD DVD   9.57
xx. Bourne Identity     HD DVD   9.46
xx. Goodfellas          HD DVD   9.03
xx. Children of Men     HD DVD   8.74
xx. Ultimate Matrix     HD DVD   8.32
xx. V for Vendetta      HD DVD   8.09
xx. Complete Matrix     HD DVD   7.70

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ques...p?startpage=56

this issue was heavy on the high def advertising and had a few good articles...

good stuff..

[Deciazulado]

Added color and a couple of Blus missing

 YTD through Nov 25

1.  300                 Blu-ray 100.00
2.  Transformers        HD DVD   70.23
3.  Casino Royale       Blu-ray  52.54
4.  300                 HD DVD   52.43
5.  PotC DMC            Blu-ray  34.60
6.  The Departed        Blu-ray  33.27
7.  Spider-Man 3        Blu-ray  32.98
8.  Planet Earth        HD DVD   32.64
9.  Planet Earth        Blu-ray  30.65
10. PotC CBP            Blu-ray  30.34
11. Ratatouille         Blu-ray  27.85
12. Apocalypto          Blu-ray  26.81
13. Ghost Rider         Blu-ray  22.01
14. Batman Begins       HD DVD   21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS       Blu-ray  21.02
16. The Departed        HD DVD   20.63
17. The Prestige        Blu-ray  19.78
18. Black Hawk Down     Blu-ray  18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy  Blu-ray  18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray  17.97
21. Open Season         Blu-ray  17.78
22. Déjà Vu             Blu-ray  17.69
23. Live Free Die Hard  Blu-ray  15.56
24. Knocked Up          HD DVD   15.01
25. Happy Feet          Blu-ray  14.99
26. Wild Hogs           Blu-ray  14.05
xx. Heroes Season 1     HD DVD   13.12
xx. Shrek the Third     HD DVD   12.02
xx. Hot Fuzz            HD DVD   10.93
xx. Bourne Supremacy    HD DVD   10.87
xx. Troy                HD DVD   10.72
xx. Smokin' Aces        HD DVD   10.50
xx. Happy Feet          HD DVD   10.15
xx. Serenity            HD DVD    9.57
xx. Bourne Identity     HD DVD    9.46
xx. Goodfellas          HD DVD    9.03
xx. Children of Men     HD DVD    8.74
xx. Ultimate Matrix     HD DVD    8.32
xx. V for Vendetta      HD DVD    8.09
xx. Complete Matrix     HD DVD    7.70

[Grubert]

Thanks Deci.

[makingmusic476]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

Added color and a couple of Blus missing

 YTD through Nov 25

1.  300                 Blu-ray 100.00
2.  Transformers        HD DVD   70.23
3.  Casino Royale       Blu-ray  52.54
4.  300                 HD DVD   52.43
5.  PotC DMC            Blu-ray  34.60
6.  The Departed        Blu-ray  33.27
7.  Spider-Man 3        Blu-ray  32.98
8.  Planet Earth        HD DVD   32.64
9.  Planet Earth        Blu-ray  30.65
10. PotC CBP            Blu-ray  30.34
11. Ratatouille         Blu-ray  27.85
12. Apocalypto          Blu-ray  26.81
13. Ghost Rider         Blu-ray  22.01
14. Batman Begins       HD DVD   21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS       Blu-ray  21.02
16. The Departed        HD DVD   20.63
17. The Prestige        Blu-ray  19.78
18. Black Hawk Down     Blu-ray  18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy  Blu-ray  18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray  17.97
21. Open Season         Blu-ray  17.78
22. Déjà Vu             Blu-ray  17.69
23. Live Free Die Hard  Blu-ray  15.56
24. Knocked Up          HD DVD   15.01
25. Happy Feet          Blu-ray  14.99
26. Wild Hogs           Blu-ray  14.05
xx. Heroes Season 1     HD DVD   13.12
xx. Shrek the Third     HD DVD   12.02
xx. Hot Fuzz            HD DVD   10.93
xx. Bourne Supremacy    HD DVD   10.87
xx. Troy                HD DVD   10.72
xx. Smokin' Aces        HD DVD   10.50
xx. Happy Feet          HD DVD   10.15
xx. Serenity            HD DVD    9.57
xx. Bourne Identity     HD DVD    9.46
xx. Goodfellas          HD DVD    9.03
xx. Children of Men     HD DVD    8.74
xx. Ultimate Matrix     HD DVD    8.32
xx. V for Vendetta      HD DVD    8.09
xx. Complete Matrix     HD DVD    7.70

I'm assuming that the HD DVD listing of Troy includes both versions? When was the Director's Cut released? Was it well in '07, giving HD DVD a few months of exclusive sales?

I'm sure the Director's Cut alone sold much better on Blu, since it's a war flick, and those generally sell a lot better on Blu (see 300). Not to mention many HD DVD owners probably already bought the original.

Of course, I'm sure it would've sold better on both formats if Best Buy would ever stock the darn movie. I've never seen it at my BB, and every tiem I check online, none of the 6 stores in my area have it. I finally ordered it from the Amazon BOGO last night.

[kowhite]

Originally Posted by makingmusic476

I'm assuming that the HD DVD listing of Troy includes both versions? When was the Director's Cut released? Was it well in '07, giving HD DVD a few months of exclusive sales?

I'm sure the Director's Cut alone sold much better on Blu, since it's a war flick, and those generally sell a lot better on Blu (see 300). Not to mention many HD DVD owners probably already bought the original.

Of course, I'm sure it would've sold better on both formats if Best Buy would ever stock the darn movie. I've never seen it at my BB, and every tiem I check online, none of the 6 stores in my area have it. I finally ordered it from the Amazon BOGO last night.

The Director's Cut was released in September 07 on both formats. Otherwise, the original version of Troy had been on HD-DVD for pretty much exactly a year prior to the release of the Director's Cut. So basically...HD-DVD had Troy exclusive for an entire year.

[cakefoo]

This is how the list should look, and it should stop @ 26th place because, well, that's Blu's 20th place disc and it's not fair to show all those HD DVD movies on the end because it makes them look undeservedly good. I could almost guarantee that anything with an index of <10% would not round out a Top 40 list. It would be 3 HD DVD's (Knocked Up, Heroes and Shrek 3) mixed in with 11 additional Blu-rays.

1.  300                 Blu-ray 100.00
2.  Transformers        HD DVD  70.23
3.  Casino Royale       Blu-ray 52.54
4.  300                 HD DVD  52.43
5.  PotC DMC            Blu-ray 34.60
6.  The Departed        Blu-ray 33.27
7.  Spider-Man 3        Blu-ray 32.98
8.  Planet Earth        HD DVD  32.64
9.  Planet Earth        Blu-ray 30.65
10. PotC CBP            Blu-ray 30.34
11. Ratatouille         Blu-ray 27.85
12. Apocalypto          Blu-ray 26.81
13. Ghost Rider         Blu-ray 22.01
14. Batman Begins       HD DVD  21.84
15. Fantastic 4SS       Blu-ray 21.02
16. The Departed        HD DVD  20.63
17. The Prestige        Blu-ray 19.78
18. Black Hawk Down     Blu-ray 18.18
19. Spider-Man Trilogy  Blu-ray 18.00
20. Night at the Museum Blu-ray 17.97
21. Open Season         Blu-ray 17.77
22. Déjà Vu             Blu-ray 17.69
23. Live Free Die Hard  Blu-ray 15.56
24. Knocked Up          HD DVD  15.01
25. Happy Feet          Blu-ray 14.99
26. Wild Hogs           Blu-ray 14.05

[irfoton]

Using Grubert's list I get 62/38 for BR movies for the year.

[cakefoo]

I count 73:27 using my list. But I'm stopping at #26 because that's Blu-ray's 20th place disc, and the chart doesn't go past the 20 titles per format.

[makingmusic476]

Originally Posted by kowhite

The Director's Cut was released in September 07 on both formats. Otherwise, the original version of Troy had been on HD-DVD for pretty much exactly a year prior to the release of the Director's Cut. So basically...HD-DVD had Troy exclusive for an entire year.

It was only released back in September? You'd think stores would stock more of something so recent.

*curses Best Buy*

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by The Don

so that was all just a coincidence.........

What is "that all"? Someone was told to link to the DVD on Amazon, so they did a search for it, thought they found it, and put a link to it and copied the picture used on that link. Basically only one mistake (not realizing this was an HD DVD that wouldn't play in DVD players), so I'm not sure what "that all" would entail.

Could it have been an HD DVD fan pulling a little stunt for promote his format? Sure, it's certainly possible. But since it's probably not a hard mistake to make for someone not following the format wars, and since they fixed it pretty quickly when told IIRC, I tend to think it was just an accident.

[The Don]

Originally Posted by TheRealBob

What is "that all"? Someone was told to link to the DVD on Amazon, so they did a search for it, thought they found it, and put a link to it and copied the picture used on that link. Basically only one mistake (not realizing this was an HD DVD that wouldn't play in DVD players), so I'm not sure what "that all" would entail.

Could it have been an HD DVD fan pulling a little stunt for promote his format? Sure, it's certainly possible. But since it's probably not a hard mistake to make for someone not following the format wars, and since they fixed it pretty quickly when told IIRC, I tend to think it was just an accident.

a lot of people posted on these sites as having confused the HD-DVD version as something that could be played in their DVD player...

right after Oprah plugged PE to everyone and having the HD-DVD version advertised the sales spiked....and then after christmas there is a sudden downward spike like you wouldn't believe on Amazon for PE...

like it or not...Oprah had a hand in PE skyrocketing on HD-DVD for those 2 weeks or so..

nothing else was selling close to those numbers on their format..

[TheRealBob]

Originally Posted by Balian

Explain this graph then please:



I am sure if your theory is true, wouldn't there be a increase in orders of PE HD DVD since there were a huge amount of new HD DVD owners on Christmas day?

Has there been a surge of buys of other HD DVD titles (aside from the limited case of the Amazon BOGO)? If not, and I don't think there has been, then why would we expect one for Planet Earth?

I also said in my theory that this was a title people tended to get when there was nothing hot they wanted to buy. I believe it's a big "we have to pick that up some time" type of title.

If the Oprah theory is true, then explain why the numbers didn't change dramatically right when her site was corrected instead of slowly moving toward parity as the chart shows.

I personally think there is some truth to the theory that people were mistakenly buying HD DVDs as Christmas gifts, not realizing they weren't normal DVDs. I could somewhat buy into the theory that Oprah pushing Planet Earth to a bunch of older women who thought it would make a nice gift caused that to happen more frequently before Christmas. But I don't buy the main theory which is by mistakenly showing the wrong disc and having the wrong link for a short time it had this massive, long-last impact on HD DVD sales.

This chart is just for Amazon, right? So this should show the "Oprah effect" in all its glory, and it should show a massive dropoff in HD DVD sales exactly when they fixed the link. Do you see any such dropoff? I don't see any dropoff at all until 12/21, well after the link had been fixed.