Blu-ray Preferred 10-1 Over Downloads

[jeevez]

With all the articles bashing blu these days, it's nice to come across ones like this, thought some people might enjoy reading this.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...928a5430db60b2

[Blu Titan]

A new very positive report that is been carried in the from pages of Video Business News and Home Media Magazine, and The Hollywood Reporter.


Blu-ray earns high marks from consumers
Study finds that users prefer discs to streaming 10-to-1
By Thomas K. Arnold

Nov 14, 2008, 12:05 PM ET
Blu-ray Disc's prospects appear bright despite slower-than-expected sales attributed in part to the down economy.

An independent study found that HDTV owners familiar with Blu-ray favor the format over downloading and streaming by a margin of nearly 10-to-1, with about 70% of respondents citing the fact that there's a physical disc to keep as a key factor in their decision to buy Blu-ray.

The study, conducted in the fall by market research firm SmithGeiger on behalf of DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, surveyed more than 1,100 HDTV owners in the U.S. and 500 in Japan and 500 in the U.K.

Respondents were asked to share their views on various forms of HD media, including digital downloading, streaming and Blu-ray.

The study found 96% of Blu-ray users are familiar with downloading and streaming services, but that two-thirds believe watching a movie on Blu-ray is a better overall entertainment experience. Nearly nine out of 10 Blu-ray users said they would likely recommend the format to potential buyers.

The survey also found that 28% of HDTV owners already own at least one Blu-ray Disc player, either standalone or PlayStation 3. By significant margins, these Blu-ray owners say the packaged media format beats both DVD and VOD in picture quality, sound quality and extras. Blu-ray even received high marks for title availability, a testament to the Hollywood studios' concerted push to release high-profile product on the format. According to the DVD Release Report, there are now more than 1,000 Blu-ray Disc titles either already in stores or in the pipeline.

The DEG findings are contained a white paper report, "HDTV Owners: The Prospects for High Definition Media," that was presented Friday to media and analysts in Los Angeles.

At that presentation, Chris Lang, senior vp of SmithGeiger, said he is surprised at Blu-ray's strong showing, noting that he had initially expected digital downloading and streaming to fare better. But primarily because of the superior picture and sound of the high-definition packaged media format, he said, "even younger groups are tending toward Blu-ray."

The DEG's Amy Jo Smith said Blu-ray Disc software sales are rising fast, and the format just celebrated its 2 million-unit month. She said the DEG projects that Blu-ray sales will account for as much as 20% of total sales of certain upcoming high-profile titles, including Warner Home Video's "The Dark Knight," the year's No. 1 movie.

Blu-ray has been in the market since June 2006, but adoption was stymied by a brutal format war with another high-definition disc format, HD DVD. Both formats offered picture quality about six times better than standard DVD. The format war ended in February when HD DVD backer Toshiba pulled out of the race, and Blu-ray now enjoys the exclusive support of all six major studios as well as minimajor Lionsgate and a growing number of independent suppliers.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...928a5430db60b2

[Mr. HiDef]

WOW blu-ray not being bashed for once thats good to see

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

How the hell are Microsoft and all those other download backers gonna counter this one now?

MS: B, b, but, its more convenient...

Wait, just found out that there are a couple of threads on this right now. Mods, please merge.

[CosmoKid]

hard to tell, but posted 15 minutes before this....

i like your title better though

[jeevez]

Your title is better tho, ha. Long as people see the article it's all good

[owa]

Yeah, home media magazine has it also. I was getting ready to post the info as well but then saw the others.

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu...nloading-13900

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by Nerdkiller likes BD

How the hell are Microsoft and all those other download backers gonna counter this one now?

MS: B, b, but, its more convenient...

Wait, just found out that there are a couple of threads on this right now. Mods, please merge.

well the article did say hdtv owners that are familiar with blu-ray. ms and the other download lovers will say that the study is only looking at hdtv owners so of course they're going to like blu-ray instead of dowloads. why not ask the average consumers. they're the ones you need to be talking to. that is probably what ms would say.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

well the article did say hdtv owners that are familiar with blu-ray. ms and the other download lovers will say that the study is only looking at hdtv owners so of course they're going to like blu-ray instead of dowloads. why not ask the average consumers. they're the ones you need to be talking to. that is probably what ms would say.

Your average consumer either has an HDTV or looking to purchase one this holiday season. I don't mean a 50+ inch LCD or Plasma per say, but something thats legitamently considered HDTV which even projects only 720p is considered HD.

[tron3]

Absolutely no mention of Toshiba's "powerful" upconversion. They are toast. The word is out and most everyone knows now - blu-ray is IT!

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

Your average consumer either has an HDTV or looking to purchase one this holiday season. I don't mean a 50+ inch LCD or Plasma per say, but something thats legitamently considered HDTV which even projects only 720p is considered HD.

i'm not sure that the average consumer may be looking at hdtv's this holiday season. with all these reports of electronic stores hurting for business one has to wonder. yes, hdtv's are getting cheaper. but they're not cheap enough yet for the average consumer to plunk down yet. the economy is a big reason why. even though you can get a decent hdtv for $600 that's still probably going to be out of range for a lot of average consumers right now. i'm curious to see how the holiday shopping season shapes up. i think we may see the worst holiday shopping season in history.

[jetydosa]

Isnt this what we've been saying all along

[Barry18025]

Blu-ray sales are slow because of the lousy titles they keep releasing.

[owa]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

i'm not sure that the average consumer may be looking at hdtv's this holiday season. .

If they're looking for a TV for the holiday season, I'd say they're in the market for an HDTV. There are barely any CRT TVs still being displayed (if they even have them at all). So, my guess is that the people that want a new TV but can't really afford it yet will wait and everyone else will go with an HDTV.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

well the article did say hdtv owners that are familiar with blu-ray. ms and the other download lovers will say that the study is only looking at hdtv owners so of course they're going to like blu-ray instead of dowloads. why not ask the average consumers. they're the ones you need to be talking to. that is probably what ms would say.

Fine. So why do they and their minions spend so much effort trying to slow Blu-ray adoption?

Since DVD quality streaming and storage is a heck of a lot easier target to hit, why are they so fixated on HD downloads?

Gary

[durden26]

Unfortunately DVD is preferred 10 to 1 over Bluray. This is the number that must change for Bluray to succeed. Downloads haven't ever been a real threat to the success of Bluray.

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

why not ask the average consumers.

You can ask this question three years from now. For today, it is better to ask people who are familiar with HDTV, BD, DVD and download service.

The reasoning is simple. If you ask people who are not familiar with these things, they'd draw a blank. Some might not even know what those acronyms mean. At least if they are familiar - even if they don't own these things - they can share what they like about the features of these products.

Originally Posted by durden26

Unfortunately DVD is preferred 10 to 1 over Bluray. This is the number that must change for Bluray to succeed.

The Trojan Horse plan. When BD players are as cheap as DVD players, there's no point for average users not to upgrade to a better player. They don't have to buy BD titles but it makes better sense than just buying a DVD player. Once the player is in the house they can, if they so choose, figure out why BDs are better than DVDs.

This plan cannot be expected to be successful overnight.


fuad

[andyman1970]

Originally Posted by Barry18025

Blu-ray sales are slow because of the lousy titles they keep releasing.

Well, I guess it depends on your taste in movies. I like a lot of the titles that are being released and I'm finding it difficult to exercise control over my spending so I can save up for a new surround system.

I think a lot of the reason for the slow Blu-ray sales is a lot of people just assume BD's are just like DVD's but more expensive and don't realize the quality they get with BD's such as much better PQ and AQ. I'm glad to finally read an article that states BD is preferred to Downloading and streaming and based on an actual survey as opposed to some computer geeks personal opinion.

[Bobby Henderson]

I'll second that.

From the beginning of September, I've spent at least a couple hundred dollars on new Blu-ray movies for my modest yet growing collection.

We've seen some great titles lately. Both Kill Bill movies arrived on Blu-ray with great video transfers (thanks largely to effective digital intermediate use). The Godfather Collection and Iron Man rounded out September. October opened with Sleeping Beauty and The Matrix box set. Baraka established a new high water mark for image quality on the format. We have a few notable releases during November. I'm going to buy Wall•E when it is released. December is going to be a great month as well. Obviously, The Dark Knight is going to move a LOT of Blu-ray discs. Other worthwhile releases are hitting the shelf that month. Casablanca may do well among purist film fans. The Shawshank Redemption could do very well too.

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

You can ask this question three years from now. For today, it is better to ask people who are familiar with HDTV, BD, DVD and download service.

The reasoning is simple. If you ask people who are not familiar with these things, they'd draw a blank. Some might not even know what those acronyms mean. At least if they are familiar - even if they don't own these things - they can share what they like about the features of these products.

The Trojan Horse plan. When BD players are as cheap as DVD players, there's no point for average users not to upgrade to a better player. They don't have to buy BD titles but it makes better sense than just buying a DVD player. Once the player is in the house they can, if they so choose, figure out why BDs are better than DVDs.

This plan cannot be expected to be successful overnight.


fuad

i agree. i was just playing devil's advocate and saying what microsoft might say. which i think is something microsoft would say. don't ever put anything past them.