Planet Earth high-definition DVDs have sold 45,000 copies, best-selling HD DVD yet
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Planet Earth high-definition DVDs have sold 45,000 copies, best-selling HD DVD yet
The high-definition DVD version of the Discovery Channel and BBC’s Planet Earth has sold about 45,000 copies. That’s “one for every five owners of a high-def disc machine, a ratio only a handful of DVDs have ever come close to,” USA TODAY reports.
Those sales translate to $3.2 million, “the biggest moneymaker yet to hit Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.” The set actually has “a list price of nearly $100 costs more than the average DVD player,” although it retails for around $65—still more than many DVD players.
The four-disc high-definition set has been available in both HD-DVD and Blu-ray; both have the British narration by David Attenborough, and are not the Sigourney Weaver-narrated US version. There’s also a standard DVD version. Today, the Discovery Channel starts selling HD versions of the US version.
Warner Home Video’s Ron Sanders tells the paper, “This series was made for high definition. Its success points to consumers wanting to see and hear high-definition content, and there isn’t a huge amount of content available from broadcast or cable or satellite.”
The BBC’s Burton Cromer tells the paper, “In a month and a half, we’ve sold more copies of Planet Earth across all three formats than we’ve sold of The Office or Fawlty Towers. And we don’t see any letup; in fact, we’re selling more units a day than when we first streeted.”
He attributes that success in part to Oprah, who talked about the series during two episodes of her show. “If you don’t think I have a shrine to Oprah set up in my office, you’re wrong,” he said.
‘Planet Earth’ looks great in HD — and to the BBC [USA TODAY]
Those sales translate to $3.2 million, “the biggest moneymaker yet to hit Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.” The set actually has “a list price of nearly $100 costs more than the average DVD player,” although it retails for around $65—still more than many DVD players.
The four-disc high-definition set has been available in both HD-DVD and Blu-ray; both have the British narration by David Attenborough, and are not the Sigourney Weaver-narrated US version. There’s also a standard DVD version. Today, the Discovery Channel starts selling HD versions of the US version.
Warner Home Video’s Ron Sanders tells the paper, “This series was made for high definition. Its success points to consumers wanting to see and hear high-definition content, and there isn’t a huge amount of content available from broadcast or cable or satellite.”
The BBC’s Burton Cromer tells the paper, “In a month and a half, we’ve sold more copies of Planet Earth across all three formats than we’ve sold of The Office or Fawlty Towers. And we don’t see any letup; in fact, we’re selling more units a day than when we first streeted.”
He attributes that success in part to Oprah, who talked about the series during two episodes of her show. “If you don’t think I have a shrine to Oprah set up in my office, you’re wrong,” he said.
‘Planet Earth’ looks great in HD — and to the BBC [USA TODAY]
#4
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Originally Posted by DVD Josh
Today, the Discovery Channel starts selling HD versions of the US version.
Last edited by PerryD; 06-25-07 at 04:10 PM.
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Obi-Jon Kenobi
So basically with the US version we'd be listening to Ripley instead of a British Guy?
#12
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Originally Posted by slop101
Anyone else think that 45K is a ridiculously low number for a "best seller"?
45K units for any hi-def disc is pretty damn good.
#13
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Originally Posted by Qui Gon Jim
Also, isn't this number HD DVD and BD combined?
#15
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Originally Posted by Damed
Wait wait wait..
This is getting re-released with shorter episodes and Weaver narrating? Is the existing set going OOP?
I'd better get this ordered..
This is getting re-released with shorter episodes and Weaver narrating? Is the existing set going OOP?
I'd better get this ordered..
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Damed
Wait wait wait..
This is getting re-released with shorter episodes and Weaver narrating? Is the existing set going OOP?
I'd better get this ordered..
This is getting re-released with shorter episodes and Weaver narrating? Is the existing set going OOP?
I'd better get this ordered..
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I bought the BBC version yesterday, and every single disc in the set was scratched when I opened it. Fucking hell. Anyone else have any problems?
#19
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Drexl
No, it's not. As I read the article, I assumed they were again wrongly lumping in BDs as "high definition DVDs," but the number is too low for that, so they are indeed only referring to HD DVD here. The number can't be for both formats because they've sold a combined 100,000 copies of The Departed.
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/686
Last edited by Shannon Nutt; 06-26-07 at 05:01 PM.
#20
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Originally Posted by slop101
Anyone else think that 45K is a ridiculously low number for a "best seller"?
#22
Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I bought the BBC version yesterday, and every single disc in the set was scratched when I opened it. Fucking hell. Anyone else have any problems?
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Originally Posted by bee_01
It's combined sales for both formats.
And the number is insignificant in the big picture. How many DVDs of this were sold?
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They need to supply supplement DVDs to people who bought the HD sets, for the cost of shipping. Leaving that material out was a ridiculous, incomprehensible decision. Great set otherwise.
#25
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Originally Posted by porieux
They need to supply supplement DVDs to people who bought the HD sets, for the cost of shipping. Leaving that material out was a ridiculous, incomprehensible decision. Great set otherwise.