Australia: JB Hi-Fi to exclusivly sell Blu-ray

[pretender2j]

http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/9548/52/

In this news story a JB rep at a Blu-ray event says that it's not worth stocking HD-DVD because it obvious that Blu-ray is better and is going to win.

"More than twenty Australian companies, including retail giant JB Hi-Fi, have thrown their support behind Blu-ray at the high definition format's official launch in Sydney.

Entertainment retail chain JB Hi-Fi has come out in support of the new format, declaring it will only stock Blu-ray products and not those of the rival HD DVD format.

"Blu-ray is the only format that has the ability to tell the whole story, with the most comprehensive offering on the market. With seven of Hollywood’s leading studios accounting for the vast majority of 2006’s home video sales, among the 170 plus companies globally that support Blu-ray Disc, it makes sense that content will be king when it comes to Blu-ray," said JB Hi-Fi marketing director Scott Browning

"Indeed this is the reason that we have decided to only stock Blu-ray products at JB Hi-Fi."

A raft of Blu-ray Disc products, including players, recorders, high definition computer drives, recordable media and PC applications, as well as over 70 movie and music titles were on display at the event. Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3 games console with also play Blu-ray discs.

Blu-ray offers retailers such a JB Hi-Fi a change to boost HDTV sales, which have suffered due to Australia's slow digital television takeup.

The Blu-ray camp also used the event to launch www.blurayaustralia.com.au as part of its ongoing marketing war with HD DVD. Sony continues to insist that Blu-ray has already won the format war, this time based on January sales figures. "

Sounds really good. Confirms what Blue was sying to me in a PM about lots of retailers in Australia not stocking Toshiba hardware.

JB

[dobyblue]

Nice post man thanks very much.

[MFS3Kiryu]

Well, who cares about Australia. It's only an entire continent. Sony probably paid all of them off. That's more HD-DVDs to sell in the states and Europe, which will need them more after PS3 launches because PS3 inspires people to buy HD-DVD, not Blu-Ray.

Great news for HD-DVD!

[MrBogey]

Totally great news for HD DVD. Now all those Australians will bypass Aussie BD-ROMs and go for American HD DVDs! That'll crush Blu-ray domestically!!!

Hehe....if rdjam hasn't responded yet I'd like to see who best predicts his reply.

[KenThompson]

[QUOTE=MFS3Kiryu;54557]Well, who cares about Australia. It's only an entire continent. Sony probably paid all of them off. That's more HD-DVDs to sell in the states and Europe, which will need them more after PS3 launches because PS3 inspires people to buy HD-DVD, not Blu-Ray.

Great news for HD-DVD![/QUOTE

Are you for real or just being sarcastic

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by KenThompson

Are you for real or just being sarcastic

I think he's being sarcastic. The line of thought has been dished by HD-DVD fanatics before. For example, "Who cares about Japan?" when talks about how HD-DVD in Japan is not getting much support.

Australia's population is close to Malaysia's despite the enormous land mass. Still a BD victory there is good. They have a good rental and sell-through market for DVDs there. It is unfortunate that the PS3's price is rather high compared to the US though.


fuad

[Blue]

Originally Posted by MrBogey

Totally great news for HD DVD. Now all those Australians will bypass Aussie BD-ROMs and go for American HD DVDs! That'll crush Blu-ray domestically!!!

Hehe....if rdjam hasn't responded yet I'd like to see who best predicts his reply.

They have been at that little import game for a while. They have even hijacked a forum here that makes a certain TLA (Three letter acronym) forum look like a Sony fanclub.
Although we have just had a secret HD-DVD disc release here about a week ago. It's going to be interesting as M$ release the XBOX, HD-DVD add on, a week after the PS3 is unleashed here.
There is a downside, no HD-DVD after the first 15 titles were released in November, there have been no more releases. Set top players are outrageously expensive. The PS3 should shake things up a bit.
JB is only one of many chain stores and is based in Victoria (that little wedge shape right bottom, just above Tasmania, although the second highest population in Oz). No one else in Melbourne (capital of Victoria) seems to be stocking HD-DVD but no players have yet been released, except for private imports.

[PootieThang]

I just seen that same post on IGN PS3. That makes me smile.

[mainman]

Originally Posted by PootieThang

I just seen that same post on IGN PS3. That makes me smile.

Sa da tay!
Cole me on the panny sty.

[Petra]

Looks like BDA really flexes their marketing muscle, leaving no market un-touched. Can we expect similar blu-ray official launch event/party in Europe at the dawn of PS3 launch there?

http://www.blurayaustralia.com.au/

[Dave]

Blu-ray hits Australia, JB Hi-Fi stocks Blu-ray only

Blu-ray has officially launched in Australia, receiving support from 20 Australian companies, including the retail giant JB Hi-Fi, according to iTWire. As seven Hollywood leading studios and over 170 global companies back the Blu-ray format, JB Hi-Fi believes Blu-ray will be the leading format and has decided to only stock Blu-ray products. The retail chain has no interest in stocking any HD DVD products.

Sony has already declared victory on the format war a couple of times with the most recent announcement based on the January sales figures. The event in Sydney showed off a range of Blu-ray players, recorders, PC drives, recordable Blu-ray discs, software and over 70 Blu-ray titles and was also used to promote the Australian Blu-ray website (www.blurayaustralia.com.au). So far, Australia has suffered from slow digital TV sales, so the launch of Blu-ray may help retailers sell more HDTV sets, at least to those who can afford the equipment.

With Blu-ray just launching in Australia and only at its early stages yet, the more serious breaking of AACS allowing the ripping of all currently released Blu-ray & HD DVD titles comes at a bad time for the studios. It will also be interesting to see how well Blu-ray's additional BD+ software layer copy protection tackles this assuming there is no way to recover from the AACS disaster.

Cool eh?
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/Blu-ray...-ray-only.html

[Slippy]

JB Hi-Fi is the biggest specialised electronics store, but our major retailers don't stock either format right now. They will stock Blu-ray once PS3 launches, instant-win. And like everywhere else, our HDTV sales are skyrocketing (300% year over year).

Australia's population is close to Malaysia's despite the enormous land mass.

Something to do with only 6% of the land being arable and having no water, I think - can't do much on desert!

But we're still a % or three of the overall international market,which adds up!

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

It is unfortunate that the PS3's price is rather high compared to the US though.

That won't stop it selling out IMO, hype is good here. Also, its only 33% more expensive than the X360, same as in the U.S.

[Shin-Ra]

It's a shame the BDA won't keep the international site up to date and correct, the Gaming section for example:

Here’s a list of the gaming titles currently available [largely not true] on Blu-ray Disc. Check back frequently as this list is constantly updated. [haha!]

• 6Gun 2
• Avalon
• Dark Sector
• The Darkness
• Devil May Cry 4
• EA Sports Fight Night Rd 3
• Eyedentify
• Fifth Phantom Saga
• Final Fantasy PS3 (always has been titled Final Fantasy XIII)
• Formula One PS3
• The Getaway PS3 (just titled 'Getaway' now)
• Heavenly Sword
• I-8 – Insomniac Games (has been titled Resistance Fall of Man for well over a year)
• Infraworld – Quantic Dream (cancelled)
• Killing Day (cancelled)
• Killzone PS3
• Metal Gear Solid 4
• Mobile Suit Gundam
• MotorStorm
• Ni-Oh
• Omikron 2
• Possession
• Project Delta
• ShadowClan
• Tekken PS3
• Vision GT (no longer a BD release)
• Warhawk PS3

I can't find a contact email for the lazy webmaster, wonder why.

[dialog_gvf]

It would be amazing if the retailers here didn't simply whine about the war, and rather did something about it like JB Hi-Fi Australia.

Gary

[goodstuff]

Australia rocks!

[kknight]

Great news for Blu-ray!!! Best Buy and Circuit City here, you see nothing but Blu-ray display.

[MozartMan]

Originally Posted by MrBogey

Hehe....if rdjam hasn't responded yet I'd like to see who best predicts his reply.

Here he is:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post9774078

[joeorc]

Originally Posted by MozartMan

Here he is:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post9774078

of course crying as always...that forum is just getting stupid...double standard as hell. they point the finger at the australia retailer stores wanting to only cary BLU-RAY saying it's squashing any compitition the consumer has the right to choose but the retailer does not...?...but if the reverse happened .for HD-DVD they would be posting that it's great for the consumer...total BS that forum has realy let me down..i used to respect that forum..an what it stood for..now its a breeding ground for MICROSOFT PROPAGANDA FUD ... it's all based on being ANTI-SONY pure an simple...

[Rio]

It's hilarious that xboxboi's rant thread about this news at AVS immediately gets deleted without any notification.

[MozartMan]

Originally Posted by Rio

It's hilarious that xboxboi's rant thread about this news at AVS immediately gets deleted without any notification.

Yeah, I noticed that.