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Sony says Blu-ray is winning format war

Written by James Delahunty @ 06 Feb 2007 8:59 User comments (35)

Sony says Blu-ray is winning format war

We reported a few days ago that figures from Nielsen VideoScan showed that Blu-Ray began to close its gap on HD DVD in January, outselling the format by a ratio of up to 3 to 1. Sony has been quick to use these figures along with its own research to declare the Blu-ray is winning the format war over HD DVD. As you might have guessed, Sony research also includes the PlayStation 3 (PS3).
Sony took an online survey that 100,000 PS3 owners took part in. The company claims that 90% of respondents had watched a Blu-ray movie with their PS3 already, and 80% planned to buy more Blu-ray releases. The Blu-ray camp has not been shy about admitting that PS3 plays a major role (if not the biggest) in Blu-ray's possible success over HD DVD.

The next-generation DVD format war has been so intertwined with the console war that experts believe they will decide the outcome of each other. The PS3 has an internal Blu-ray drive and Microsoft released an external HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360, selling 92,000 units before the end of 2006.



The PS3 will boost up the number of Blu-ray players in homes, but each Xbox 360 add-on drive sold has "definitely" been bought to play HD DVD movies - you get a Blu-ray player with a PS3 whether you are interested or not. Those on the HD DVD side will tell you that Sony's survey is just a "survey" and nothing solid or official and that VideoScan's ratings can be explained by the lack of new HD DVD titles.

However, those on the Blu-ray side can rest assured that the console will continue to sell, eventually leaving millions of homes with functional Blu-ray players and no add-ons necessary.

Source:
GamesIndustry.biz

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35 user comments

16.2.2007 10:14
hughjars
Inactive

The lying liars is probably the last place to get any of this info.

Self declared 'winners' are invariably just a sad joke.

The bit they run a mile from telling anyone is that is sales of both Blu-ray & HD-DVD combined are but a fraction of UMD-Video - which for those of you who don't know it is a failed format.

.....and that's even with the best efforts of the (stalled) PS3.

Until high def goes mainstream (which neither Blu-ray nor HD-DVD have done yet) these piffling 'leads' are meaningless.

Unfortunately Blu-ray is saddled with very high price-tags and is unlikely to be inexpensive for a long time.

HD-DVD meanwhile has the Chinese coming to look forward to this year ensuring they have all price-points covered.

26.2.2007 10:35

i bet you that survey was on the SONY website

hd-dvd should advertise more...I think Disney is making movies on hd-dvds, but thats just for kids, they need to get "big boy" companies to hop on the wagon ;D

36.2.2007 10:39

lies or not.. blu ray will win.

46.2.2007 11:19

Lies or not...the true winners are those who wait.

Besides, there are so many formats that are way better then HD-DVD of Blu-ray that are coming out, it is not even worth buying what will be replaced next year if not this coming year.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 06 Feb 2007 @ 11:21

56.2.2007 11:32
BobbyBlu
Inactive

Quote:
which for those of you who don't know it is a failed format.
How would it be a failed format when this format was not completeing against anything...lol it was PSP base only format.The reason it didn't workout for movie's was the price and due to the fact PSP Has been hacked like hell.But this has not stop the PSP from beening a very good saleing item.


Quote:
hd-dvd should advertise more...I think Disney is making movies on hd-dvds, but thats just for kids, they need to get "big boy" companies to hop on the wagon
Too late Blu-ray has just about all the major movie company except Universal Studios but i don't think it going to be long before they give in because the are the only 1 compared to 5.Plus Universal Studios is going thur a shakeup right now also so that might play a role into them coming over to Blu-ray.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 06 Feb 2007 @ 11:38

66.2.2007 11:53

well figuring i dont doubt companies might go to blu ray but its more expensive to switch to blu ray and so many companies will drop that after profits drop why would u pay 3-4 times more to make a blu ray movie then making one on a HD DVD..........just a thought i dont care which format wins just as long as theres one and its abl to be backed up on blank bluray/hdvd media.........

76.2.2007 12:02
hughjars
Inactive

Quote:
The reason it didn't workout for movie's was the price and due to the fact PSP Has been hacked like hell.
- Blah blah blah, shill shill shill.

It's still a failed video format no matter how much you try to soft soap it, shill.

Quote:
Too late Blu-ray has just about all the major movie company except Universal Studios
- More spin, distortion and lies from the self-confessed BB shill.

HD-DVD has Universal, Paramount and Warner as their big US backers.

They also have Studio Canal (which is a bigger Euro studio than Fox, Lionsgate or MGM) and around 30 smaller studios.

The truth is that neither Blu-ray nor HD-DVD are selling in big enough amounts for anyone to move to do too much right now either way.

SD DVD sales dwarf both high def DVD formats combined as does UMD-Video, amazingly, still.
.....which is, irrespective of the shills predictable comments, a very much failed video format.

SD DVD still sells in multi-millions, UMD has sold in the hundreds of thousands (perhaps totalling millions of sales).
High def of both flavours sells in thousands.
Thems the facts and no amount of trying to 'talk it up' can hide that.

It's the same as the % games they're playing.
20 sales instead of last weks 10 is a 100%!!!! boost!!!! in sales.......but it's still only 10 extra, big deal.

Self declared winners, what a joke.....but how true to form for this crowd.
Pathetic.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 06 Feb 2007 @ 12:16

86.2.2007 12:22
plutorash
Inactive

How much can you guys argue about this subject? It's always the same people too.

96.2.2007 12:33

its still way too early for Sony or HDDVD to anounce a winner.

106.2.2007 13:20

Originally posted by solarf:
its still way too early for Sony or HDDVD to anounce a winner.
*Raises hand signaling that he seconds opinion stated above*

Blu-Ray & HD DVD are both cool although HD VMD is the best in my opinion.

Its a cool new side in this war. If you want to read about it, do so here.

116.2.2007 13:35

Only simple minded people would believe a statement like that from Sony.

126.2.2007 13:51

Who cares who wins, just as long as one does, we dont need two formats.

136.2.2007 14:33

Yeap I vote for HD VMD too.

I'm not buying into Blu-ray or HD DVD !

146.2.2007 15:30
hughjars
Inactive

If I could buy one I'd have a HD VMD stand-alone and PC burner tomorrow.

Irrespective of what happens with HD-DVD or Blu-ray that would be an excellent means to playing everything downloadable right now and all the DVD5 & DVD9 back-up discs you might have (including all the high def VC-1, h264, MPEG2, .ts, .Xvid & hopefully x264).
That would be so useful.

I'm sure there are more than a few who'd see the prospect of an inexpensive red laser 'play anything' high res stand-alone as very very attractive.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 06 Feb 2007 @ 3:32

156.2.2007 17:59
plutorash
Inactive

Why haven't I ever heard of HD VMD format? From the way you guys talk there should be a little more publicity on the subject. It sounds pretty good.

166.2.2007 19:39

Damn, BR can't win the format war, it is inferior. It's recording layer is too close to the surface, so if the disc gets scrated there is no way to repair it. Buffing the scratches may rub off the recording layer, hell even the scratches may reach the recording layer. Its no good i tell you, no good.

176.2.2007 20:16
tabletpc
Inactive

wow sony has gotten despret

to lie about there playstation 3 users to lie about there format im sorry to say is really sad im not buying blu ray i dont have 800.00 for a bu ray burner to burn blu ray disks and i find it funny that all computer manufactures except sony are going with HD-DVD funny huh

186.2.2007 21:15

in other news, general motors just announced they make a better car than ford does...
the more easily pirated format will win no ifs ands or buts about it. no one (except the filthy rich) is going to rush out to spend 30 bucks a pop to buy all their movies again just because theyre in 1080p when 5 years from now the 1980P(or whatever its gonna be) TVs hit the market and we'll all be forced to buy either HD-HD-DVD or super-Blu-ray just to tell the difference. Ive watched DVD on an HD set, IMO it looks pretty damn clear. i dont feel that im getting ripped off when it comes to image quality.

This is one hell of a scam the corps. have going, and everyones falling for it(sadly).

197.2.2007 02:14
hughjars
Inactive

Quote:
in other news, general motors just announced they make a better car than ford does...
- right on the money, jb2453.

An Australian mag tore those stats to shreds, it's a mildly funny read.....

Quote:
HD DVD v Blu-ray — someone is winning. Nobody has the faintest idea who
Posted on February 6th, 2007 by Gareth Powell

Not for me to start a row with Google. They are bigger than me and have more money. But the heading Hardware Blu-ray Sales Surpass HD DVD Nearly Threefold is, to say the least, somewhat misleading.

Or, if you prefer, a load of bollocks

Luckily, the computer — Google swears there is no human intervention but it may be telling little porkies — later changed it to Fight for DVD Supremacy Heats Up which is much more accurate.

Again, strangely — the computer made me do it officer, honest — most of the sources listed internationally were Australian and, no, I am not in Australia nor using the Australian news site.

So Google News needs to lift its game.

What we have are figures released by Nielsen VideoScan to Home Media Magazine that Blu-ray movies are quickly gaining ground on HD DVD.

Let us stop there and consider the sentence. If they are quickly gaining ground then they are behind. Then comes the next sentence: the sales numbers show that Blu-ray Discs have been outselling HD DVDs by a strong margin thus far in 2007.

Which is followed by marketing analysis gobbledy-gook. Try following the logic, please.

During the first week of 2007, sales of Blu-ray more than doubled that of HD DVDs, with the latter making up only 46.14 percent of sales compared to the former.

Hold hard, my good fellow, simple maths tells us if you sell 46.24 percent and Blu-ray doubled it then Blu-ray sold 92.58 percent which means that altogether the sales were about 150 percent which is not totally logical. In fact, quite daft.

So let us look at some possible reasons. Obviously, the launch of the PlayStation 3, which has a Blu-ray Disc drive would have pushed sales. Because separate HD DVD players sold a lot less than the PlayStation 3. Say 175,000 HD DVD players.

But the PlayStation is for playing games. Of course, there are bugger-all games available as yet, so you need something to stick in this expensive machine and a movie will do.

Mark you, HD DVD has very little unless you could accept Batman Begins — top selling title with a picture used to illustrate this article — as intelligent viewing which I am not willing so to do.

The report allows HD DVD still holds the majority of total HD movies sold with Blu-ray is galloping up on the inside but still has not quite made it. Which makes a total nonsense of the original headline. It is pure iambic nonsense.

A saner moment, away from figures which make no sense at all, comes from the Global Optical Storage Industry Report, published December 2006. It says that HD DVD will still be the mainstream in the market during 2007 to 2009. After that it gives the edge to Blu-ray.

The problem is there is very little dependable Blu-ray manufacturing and testing equipment around. Think of HD DVD as being a logical extension of what had gone before. Blu-ray as a leap into technological advancement. Is it the bridge too far? I dunno. But some of the daft reports based on very iffy sales figures do not help to come up with an informed view. Google News should be ashamed of itself. The computer than runs it should be made to stand in corner until lunch break.


http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2007/02/06/hd-dvd-v-Blu-ray-someone-is-winning-nobody-has-the-faintest-idea-who/trackback/

Note too that other stats showed the HD-DVD sales ahead again in 2 weeks of Jan.....and that Blu-ray 'sales' numbers have been boosted by the free vouchers in PS3.

.....and that even so with those tiny overall numbers this is still those 2 bald men and that comb!
:D
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Feb 2007 @ 4:59

207.2.2007 15:56

thanks hughjars for clearing up all the FUD sony has been spreading.

217.2.2007 19:26

Blu-ray is going to win in the end. its psychological, the public would rather buy blu ray because of the name it just souinds cool, HD DVD sounds technical and stuff so the general public will be attracted to blu ray just because it sounds like its awsome like if you had a choice between a shinny quarter(Blu-ray) and a not so shinny quarter(HD DVD) people would pick the shinny one because of the way it looks even though they're both worth 25 cents.

228.2.2007 07:06
hughjars
Inactive

Originally posted by c4lvin:
blu-ray is going to win in the end. its psychological, the public would rather buy blu ray because of the name it just souinds cool
- You're entitled to your opinion, of course but this is just your own totally subjective view.

For a hell of a lot of people 'Blu-ray' is utterly meaningless.

It could be something to do with 'blue movie' or 'blu-loo' lavatory cleaner!

Quote:
HD DVD sounds technical and stuff
- HD DVD sounds like something to do with HD TV, Sky HD, Discovery HD, BBC HD, National Geographic HD etc etc all things which many of the public have heard of and are familiar with.

In fact some people say the name alone is a massive plus for HD-DVD.

Quote:
so the general public will be attracted to blu ray just because it sounds like its awsome
- Well, clearly you seem to hope so anyways.

238.2.2007 08:30
BobbyBlu
Inactive

Quote:
Blu-ray is going to win in the end. its psychological, the public would rather buy blu ray because of the name it just souinds cool, HD DVD sounds technical and stuff so the general public will be attracted to blu ray just because it sounds like its awsome like if you had a choice between a shinny quarter(Blu-ray) and a not so shinny quarter(HD DVD) people would pick the shinny one because of the way it looks even though they're both worth 25 cents.
You right that name really do sound cool & people like it because its something diffent that just HD.But when people come into BB looking at the Blu-ray that out in front of the eletronic area i tell them they have two choice's Blu-ray or HD-DVD sometime they think that HD-DVD is something they already own....lol
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 Feb 2007 @ 8:31

248.2.2007 10:52
hughjars
Inactive

Quote:
when people come into BB looking at the Blu-ray that out in front of the eletronic area i tell them they have two choice's Blu-ray or HD-DVD sometime they think that HD-DVD is something they already own....lol
- But I bet you soon put them straight on that one right away, right?

("lol" - was that the sales guy sneering & giggling with arrogant contempt for the lay-man punter, btw?
Cor, who'd a ever thunk that!?)

I bet you also talk to them about the future high def plans for internet connectivity and how maybe a 30gb movie and disc size is going to make a lot more sense in that kind of reality than a 50gb size?

Sure you do.
I bet the thought crosses your 'mind' regularly.

How much commission does BB (and Sony) have you on for Sony products, huh?
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 Feb 2007 @ 1:41

258.2.2007 12:24

hughjars, knock off the name calling or you'll be dealing with me. your choice!!

268.2.2007 13:43
hughjars
Inactive

Originally posted by ddp:
hughjars, knock off the name calling or you'll be dealing with me. your choice!!
- OK, apologies and I've edited the post.

I didn't think it was being abusive or name calling, the guy says that's that what he does and I thought it fair pointing that out.

But if you think it's out of order then OK, I shall not use the term.

2710.2.2007 02:31

This is just another Sony tactic. A proper survey will encompass all consoles and have info based on all those. But that would be playing fair :)

2810.2.2007 07:48
hughjars
Inactive

Speaking of proper surveys and fair comparisons, here's a little something to be considering -

There are several questions over the accuracy of those Neilson Videoscan figures:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2093290,00.asp

*The effect of the seven $10 rebate vouchers ($10 off seven different films! $70!) given away with 500 000 PS3’s and every Sony BDP-S1 may have had more than a little to do with sudden spike in Blu-ray sales.

http://www.blu-raymovierebate.com/

You'll also find that the Neilson Videoscan ‘data’ didn’t initially include HD-DVD combo’s (it had to be revised).
So perhaps it's best not to be reading too much into the figures at this stage.

If you look back at those ‘We've won!’ statements from the BDA at CES you might just say it’s almost as if they knew what figures Neilson and NPD would announce.....and bearing in mind those $10 discount vouchers (but not any free discs, apparantly free disc poffers don't count in the figures, it has to be actual purchases) you can really understand why.

It'll be interesting to see how this pans out over the next 6 months as those discount offers tail off and are all used up.

Here's another nugget of interesting info.
Crank the recent No.1 in the high def charts and such an apparant success for Blu-ray for the last month has sold a total of 7500 units.

"Also, the top titles on Blu-ray outsold those on HD DVD during the first three weeks of January. Lionsgate’s Crank sold 7,500 units on Blu-ray, compared to HD DVD’s top seller for the period, Batman Begins, which sold through 4,100 units, according to studio sources."

http://www.videobusiness.com/article....html?nid=2705


Yeah you read right 7500.

Perhaps folks can begin to see how ludicrously pathetic these claims of "we won" are, hmmmmm?

It hasn't even begun.

Maybe the 2 bald men analogy is making a little more sense, eh?

Perhaps you can see why I keep saying that nothing has been won.

But all the same it really is somewhat revealing the Blu-ray crowd are trying so desperately to talk up & claim this win before those inexpensive Chinese HD-DVD players arrive towards the end of this year?

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 10 Feb 2007 @ 8:17

2911.2.2007 05:50
hughjars
Inactive

So, a deathly silence from the fanboy element when confronted with the 'scale' of this so-called 'Blu-ray victory'!

You've got to laugh.

3012.2.2007 03:47
BobbyBlu
Inactive

Sony's New Blu-ray Marketing Message: Format War is Over

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/I...War_is_Over/468

Sounds good but its not looking to good for HD-DVD.Also i looked on back of my First Blood Blu-ray cover box to see that it was support by Studio Canal also.I guess there have got smart and see that it a one side race.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 12 Feb 2007 @ 4:59

3112.2.2007 08:09
hughjars
Inactive

Interesting, not.
What a bore another pathetic self-declared 'win'
(how many times is that now?)

Nevermind the spin concentrate on the real numbers.

Crank, 7500 copies. Wow.

Anyhoo, here's the latest dual format issue.

(and despite all those money off vouchers included in the PS3's sold they're pretty much neck and neck. Some "win".)

The Departed (Blu Ray)
http://www.amazon.com/Departed-Blu-r...?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

BD currently sitting at number 20, HD-DVD was high as number 22, so pretty much neck and neck.

So how many copies do we think Amazon sold of each - 5 on Blu Ray and 4 on HD-DVD?

Note the other SD version on release much higher.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 12 Feb 2007 @ 8:25

3212.2.2007 11:24
BobbyBlu
Inactive

Let me break down that link for you.

Adding further credence to the previously-released VideoScan numbers, studio sources told Video Business that for the first three weeks of January, the top selling Blu-ray title ('Crank') sold 7,500 units, while the top selling HD DVD title ('Batman Begins') sold 4,100 units. In a business traditionally dominated by new release disc sales, 'Batman Begins' on HD DVD is something of an anomaly, as it was released back in November.

Crank out sold HD-DVD highest selling HD-DVD title Batman Begins in just three weeks.Keep in mind Batman Begin launched in Nov.

25 new Blu-ray titles were released in January, compared to just 11 titles on HD DVD for the same period.

I got to think that this is a content issue with HD-DVD.Universal can hold up this sinking ship for so long before they jump ship.

indicating that Blu-ray discs outsold HD DVD in January by a ratio of 2:1.

It dont take a math major to see thats double what HD-DVD did.


There is no propaganda or smoke & mirror's like people claim that going on Blu-ray just has a better marketing team than HD-DVD & now its showing.With Sony being a major player it not going to be easy for HD-DVD to do much.

One thing is for sure -- after months of playing the underdog to HD DVD, Blu-ray is now the format to beat. And with many more announced titles for Blu-ray in the coming months than there are announced titles for HD DVD, it doesn't look like this overall trend will reverse itself any time soon

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/I...War_is_Over/468


Quote:
(and despite all those money off vouchers included in the PS3's sold they're pretty much neck and neck. Some "win".)
I don't think money voucher has anything to do with the sales number you only get 7 ten dollar's off rebate silp you can't mail them in all at the same time to collect 70 bucks but good promo for Blu-ray giving back money.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 12 Feb 2007 @ 11:30

3312.2.2007 12:01
hughjars
Inactive

7500 sales is only 'win' for an entire format in the minds of the deranged.

The truth is that with a million PS3s sold the sales boom for Blu-ray has not materialised.

7500, the Blu-ray best seller.

But then as so many people said long long ago a games machine is not an a/v machine.

7500.

Laughable.

This so-called 'war' hasn't even started yet, wake up.

You're also day-dreaming that Universal is going to do anything soon.....you have no evidence for this (other than shills trying to spread the word) but it'd be interesting to hear, why should they?

Universal are a movie studio competitor to Sony, why should they move to do anything to help Sony out of their troubles....particularly when BD sales are so pathetically low anyways?
(it's so obviously just yet another little attempt to FUD)

As I have said repeatedly they'll all be dual format.... eventually - although you can expect the Sony linked stuff to go last on that.

UMD outsells HD-DVD & Blu-ray put together and it's dead, wake up.

Stop trying to lie about these ludicrous claims of a 'win'.

The 'win' will happen when the sub $200/£100 Chinese HD-DVD machines arrive towards the end of this year and the Walmarts/Asdas sell them in the kinds of numbers they currently sell Chinese SD DVD players.

Wake up and stop trying to spread the idiotic propaganda.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 12 Feb 2007 @ 12:01

3412.2.2007 12:18
BobbyBlu
Inactive

I'm sorry that your so upset but the truth do hurt sometime.LOL

3512.2.2007 12:26

only time will tell which of the 2 will win so until that time comes there is no winner, understand!!?

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