10 Reasons Why High Definition DVD Formats Have Already Failed

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06-23-06 | 04:24 PM

#26

Mr. Cinema

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Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bus

This is incorrect on several counts.

First, if you want to compare new release DVD vs. new release VHS, DVDs often could be $70 cheaper due to the rental window. This is an advantage Blu-HD does not have.

Second, and this goes for the players as well, everyone could see the difference in quality and in convenience. Now, not everyone can see or experience the quality difference w/o a TV upgrade AND the titles aren't much more convenient (TV on DVD is an exception, but where are the TV on Blu-HD releases?)

Third, and this may not matter much, it seems like a LOT of people here built up big collections during the .com days where titles went for $1 to $5 as loss leaders. That doesn't exist for Blu-HD.

Fourth, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember VHS having the low prices that DVD does today. The average VHS movie certainly wasn't $7-$12 at Wal-Mart... was it?

Where is this VHS comparison coming from? I'm comparing DVD launch prices with HD launch prices. They're very similar. You're getting much better quality and aren't paying that much more for it. The studios aren't charging us $50+ for high-definition content. It's right in the same range when dvd first appeared.

You can't expect the studios to start releasing any and everything they have when the formats have only been out for 2 months. How many years did it take before TV on dvd appeared? I'm sure it won't take as long for some titles to appear on HD, but don't expect them to flood the market with tons of movies because the % of customers who have these players is limited...right now.

HDtv player sales are increasing. Now, if more people are buying more HDtvs, why settle on regular dvd? Why not get a HD player to really take advantage of that new tv. Not to mention that the current HD players will upconvert all dvds, and they do it very well.

The more players that are made available and sold, the more product the studios release. Batman Begins is rumored to release next month. Bigger titles will follow the closer we get to the holiday season.

Don't knock a format that's been out for 2 months. I'd give it a year and see how much fanbase has built up.

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06-23-06 | 06:07 PM

#27

J-Log

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Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bus

Fourth, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember VHS having the low prices that DVD does today. The average VHS movie certainly wasn't $7-$12 at Wal-Mart... was it?

From what I remember, in the last days of VHS (which was when I established most of my small VHS collection, unaware of the forthcoming DVD revolution), I remember many titles at discount stores being almost as inexpensive as DVDs are now.

Things may have been different in the 80s through mid-90s, though.