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[navanman]

Walmart denies HD-DVD order:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2122715,00.asp

 

[VanMardigan]

So I thought I rented Last Samurai HDDVD from Blockbuster online, and 10 minutes into the movie I'm thinking "this is the worst HD transfer I've EVER seen", and got ready to go on hddigest forums to whine about the picture quality. Then I hit the menu button and notice that the movie stopped. Turns out Blockbuster send me the DvD version and I hadn't noticed when my wife popped it in. :lol

Well, my wife noticed the subpar image too and we're glad we didn't just fall for the hype. HD really IS a big step up from dvd. We were both shocked at how "awful" the supposedly HD picture looked.

 

[Ponn]

Digital Bits with a bit to think about on this whole "Whatever cheap HD player at Walmart" thing.

It's no surprise that Wal-Mart is investigating making available in their stores the cheapest players possible, whether they be HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Driving prices in their stories down as low as possible is what they do. But here's the problem with cheap Chinese HD-DVD players that a lot of people are glossing over. The kind of people who might buy a $199 HD-DVD player at Wal-Mart are not the kind of people who are likely to want to have to deal with software glitches, firmware updates and disc/player incompatibility problems. Right now, Toshiba and Universal can't yet tell me why the HD-DVDs of The Good Shepherd and Children of Men aren't working in Toshiba's top of the line player. If Toshiba is having issues with their BEST player, does anyone really think a $199 Fuh Yuan player won't have even MORE problems? Who's going to do tech support for Fuh Yuan? Wal-Mart? One would also expect the kind of people who want a $199 high-def player are also going to be the kind of folks who might also want Disney movies for their kids. That's not going to happen on HD-DVD. Not to mention, with cheap Chinese players available at $199, what other major hardware manufacturer is going to want to try to compete with that? There's no profit margin. LG and Samsung are making combo HD-DVD/Blu-ray Disc players available because they rightly perceive that there's a market for such players with high-end enthusiasts. But those players are going to cost in excess of $1000. There's no incentive at all for companies like LG or Samsung to try and compete with the likes of Fuh Yuan on budget players at Wal-Mart. Meanwhile, the prospect of $199 HD-DVD players will force Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Panasonic and the other major Blu-ray Disc player manufacturers to lower their prices faster (which, as Home Media editor T.K. Arnold pointed out in a recent editorial, may be an unexpected advantage of the HD format war). By the end of the year, a number of name-brand Blu-ray players will be available for $399 or less, with even cheaper models likely to follow in 2008. Cheaper players that WILL play those Disney high-def movies.

Some good points in their about the cheap players. Both HD players have some of their wonky issues and these cheap ass players would just worsen them. Hell the DVD players that had trouble reading dual layer DVD's was a big deal I could just imagine these players.

 

[mckmas8808]

So I thought I rented Last Samurai HDDVD from Blockbuster online, and 10 minutes into the movie I'm thinking "this is the worst HD transfer I've EVER seen", and got ready to go on hddigest forums to whine about the picture quality. Then I hit the menu button and notice that the movie stopped. Turns out Blockbuster send me the DvD version and I hadn't noticed when my wife popped it in. :lol

Well, my wife noticed the subpar image too and we're glad we didn't just fall for the hype. HD really IS a big step up from dvd. We were both shocked at how "awful" the supposedly HD picture looked.

:lol

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Purely anecdotal evidence, but my neighborhood mom and pop video rental has started carrying BluRay and HD-DVD. They only have a couple of HD-DVDs, but a lot of BluRays.

 

[Bebpo]

Digital Bits with a bit to think about on this whole "Whatever cheap HD player at Walmart" thing.




Some good points in their about the cheap players. Both HD players have some of their wonky issues and these cheap ass players would just worsen them. Hell the DVD players that had trouble reading dual layer DVD's was a big deal I could just imagine these players.

I'd actually say the biggest problem with people buying $199 Chinese players is that they are not the kind of people who will be buying $30+ HD-DVDs...

 

[Crayon Shinchan]

I'd actually say the biggest problem with people buying $199 Chinese players is that they are not the kind of people who will be buying $30+ HD-DVDs...

Pretty much. By the time that $200 players become important, the format war would have already been decided on content.

 

[Kolgar]

LOL, gotta love the armchair analyses. Especially from those who're obviously hoping fervently for their format of choice to win.

HD movie wars: serious business. :lol

 

[Ponn]

LOL, gotta love the armchair analyses. Especially from those who're obviously hoping fervently for their format of choice to win.

HD movie wars: serious business. :lol

Well, for early adopters that dropped $1000 to 500 on a player and more on some movies that are hoping they didn't make a laserdisc sized mistake, yea it is interesting to them and worth watching and being involved in.

And stop acting like your above or mocking others when you are just involved with the discussion and analysis like this gem from the other thread...

I enjoy both formats too, but there's something about Bill Hunt I don't like. It's not just that he can be disingenuous, but he comes off as a bit of a prick, too.

Anyway, I think it's likely that the deal's done or close to done (Toshiba said long ago they were working with the Chinese), but it wasn't supposed to leak this early. The natural reaction now is for all parties to say, "What? A deal? Us? Sorry, but nooo, there's no deal here!"

We probably won't know the truth for some time, and I'm sure there will be more news and more surprises from both sides this year, so it'll only get more interesting.

 

[Kolgar]

Well, for early adopters that dropped $1000 to 500 on a player and more on some movies that are hoping they didn't make a laserdisc sized mistake, yea it is interesting to them and worth watching and being involved in.

And stop acting like your above or mocking others when you are just involved with the discussion and analysis like this gem from the other thread...

Yeah, that was pretty nice. Thanks for quoting for emphasis.

Here's the thing: I take part in the discussion but I'm not audacious enough to outright proclaim victory for any one side... as if I have a freakin' magic crystal ball or something. That's what I find funny, sad, and mock-worthy all at the same time. The best business minds in the world don't know who will win, yet some posters here have got it all figured out.

Pardon me if I laugh.

 

[p_xavier]

Purely anecdotal evidence, but my neighborhood mom and pop video rental has started carrying BluRay and HD-DVD. They only have a couple of HD-DVDs, but a lot of BluRays.

Actually, I was surprised by friends asking me about Blu-ray Disc, oh, it's like the transition from CD to DVD right? I actually thought that HD DVD would have ring more a bell to the J6P, but my non geeky friends asked, well why can't I play an HD DVD disc in my DVD player? The confusion from BD doesn't seem to be there, as they understand it's a distinct format.

 

[jjasper]

Some new titles have been announced over the past 2 weeks I haven't seen them anywhere:

-Officer and A Gentleman (also on HD DVD)
-Bell Witch (some new direct to Blu Ray/HD DVD release)
-Ghost (also on HD DVD)
-Waiting
-Flatliners
-Patriot
-Wild Things
-Music and Lyrics (also on HD DVD)
-Roving Mars

I'll probably hit up Waiting, Patriot, Wild Things (I don't think I need to say why), and Roving Mars

Edit: and maybe Bell Witch cause I know people from the area and have been to Robertson County before

 

[DarkJediKnight]

Spiderman 1 and 2 confirmed for 2007. Spiderman 3 as we know is Nov 3.

 

[Raistlin]

Spiderman 1 and 2 confirmed for 2007. Spiderman 3 as we know is Nov 3.

The question is, will they all be available seperately right of the bat ...

... or will Nov 3rd see the release of SpiderMan 3, as well as the Spiderman Triology Rape-Pack?

Spoiler

don't do it Sony

 

[mckmas8808]

Spiderman 1 and 2 confirmed for 2007. Spiderman 3 as we know is Nov 3.

Link or it didn't happen.

 

[DarkJediKnight]

Bill Hunt confirmed it. When he confirms titles (ask the HD DVD fans) it's pretty much a guarantee.

 

[ManaByte]

Got Planet Earth at BB, they only had 1 copy and disc one was loose but at least I got it.

Interesting in that they didn't use BD-50 for it. It's on 4 BD-25s according to the back of the box.

 

[djkimothy]

Got Planet Earth at BB, they only had 1 copy and disc one was loose but at least I got it.

Interesting in that they didn't use BD-50 for it. It's on 4 BD-25s according to the back of the box.

Yeah, the middle page has poor grip on the disc. It irritates me to no end! If they would have went to two dual layer 50 GB discs. They would only need the two discs, and we wouldn't need the middle page. Grrr....

 

[jjasper]

I finally got an e-mail from Warner today telling me that Planet Earth was backordered and mine should ship in 7-10 days. Took long enough

 

[distantmantra]

Got my (wife's) copy of Dreamgirls on Blu Ray today, yay.

 

[djkimothy]

Got my (wife's) copy of Dreamgirls on Blu Ray today, yay.

Sounds like you can barely contain your enthusiasm.

 

[distantmantra]

Sounds like you can barely contain your enthusiasm.

I never saw it, so I should give it a chance, seeing how I actually like musicals and a lot of the music from the Broadway original. I'm not sure why I didn't go see it with her in the theater (might have been that she went with all her college drama girlfriends). And hey, if it gets her interested in high definition, I'm all for it.

 

[distantmantra]

Let me eat some crow. Dreamgirls on Blu Ray is fantastic. Every single extra aside from a four minute music video on this two disc set is in 1080p. Dreamworks really raised the bar with this release.

 

[ManaByte]

Let me eat some crow. Dreamgirls on Blu Ray is fantastic. Every single extra aside from a four minute music video on this two disc set is in 1080p. Dreamworks really raised the bar with this release.

It's Paramount actually. They did the same with WTC. They kept it a two-disc set so the extras could be in 1080p.

 

[distantmantra]

It's Paramount actually. They did the same with WTC. They kept it a two-disc set so the extras could be in 1080p.

Oh yeah, Paramount owns the Dreamworks library, now, don't they?

Still, this is a great set. Hopefully Disney does the same for the Pirates films later this month.

 

[sonycowboy]

Sales update from last week. Sales go into a neck-and-neck tie.

w/e 4/22 HD-DVD 48%, Blu-Ray 52% (by far the closest month all year)
YTD 4/22 HD-DVD 32%, Blu-Ray 68%
LTD 4/22 HD-DVD 43%, Blu-Ray 57%

If anyone has the actual numbers like we've gotten some weeks...

 

[jjasper]

Sales update from last week. Sales go into a neck-and-neck tie.

w/e 4/22 HD-DVD 48%, Blu-Ray 52% (by far the closest month all year)
YTD 4/22 HD-DVD 32%, Blu-Ray 68%
LTD 4/22 HD-DVD 43%, Blu-Ray 57%

If anyone has the actual numbers like we've gotten some weeks...

So does that include the buy HD DVD day?

 

[djkimothy]

So does that include the buy HD DVD day?

Weren't those mostly pre-orders (of planet earth) which are not counted for these sort of things?

 

[Alcibiades]

amazon.com isn't counted anyway, so even if it fell on that week, it wouldn't be counted...

 

[Alcibiades]

It's Paramount actually. They did the same with WTC. They kept it a two-disc set so the extras could be in 1080p.

Dreamworks Home Entertainment released the title through their distributer and parent company, Paramount. But yeah, they are following the lead of their parent company and Paramount probably handled the release.

Sort of like how New Line and HBO will probably follow the lead of Warner, their parent company and distributer.

 

[JdFoX187]

Does Blockbuster Online rent Blu Ray? I just signed up with a free trial for Blockbuster Online and was curious.

 

[jjasper]

amazon.com isn't counted anyway, so even if it fell on that week, it wouldn't be counted...

Oh gotcha

 

[Alcibiades]

wait, nevermind, it looks like amazon.com IS counted, which is really weird since the numbers Sony gave a few weeks ago are so low (I assumed only major brick-and-mortar were counted, since one of the biggest independent retailers on AVS said he doesn't report his data to NPD or Nielson)...

That would explain some of the HD DVD bump... another thing is that a few weeks ago Best Buy and Circuit City were doing Buy Player get 4 free titles deal, so if it fell it that week, they were probably counted in sales...

 

[distantmantra]

There's a Dead Man's Chest Blu Ray trailer up on the Japanese Playstation Store. I'm currently downloading it.

 

[VanMardigan]

Does Blockbuster Online rent Blu Ray? I just signed up with a free trial for Blockbuster Online and was curious.

Yes, they do. You have to find the movie, go to the "all editions" tab, then select the Blu Ray version. I wish they had a separate page for Blu Ray/HD DVD, but oh well.

Also, Universal is admitting to screwing up some of the discs and is offering a replacement program. Some Universal movies for July: Dante's Peak, Wedding Date, Billy Madison, The War.

 

[DarkJediKnight]

Kung Fu - The Beatdown Continues.

High-definition disc sales for the week were 71% Blu-ray Disc and 29% HD DVD, with Blu-ray sales bolstered by the fact that "Museum" was available exclusively on that format.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070502/media_nm/dvd_dc_1

 

[Oni Jazar]

No surprise since Museum, Deja Vu and The Queen are all on Bluray (exclusively I believe).

 

[djkimothy]

Kung Fu - The Beatdown Continues.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070502/media_nm/dvd_dc_1

Odd, I didn't think it was that great of a movie. :/

 

[mckmas8808]

Kung Fu - The Beatdown Continues.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070502/media_nm/dvd_dc_1

The beat down continues.

Also....

The DVD business received a shot in the arm last week when "Night at the Museum" sold 6 million units during its first week in stores......Museum" also easily captured the No. 1 position on Home Media Magazine's rental chart, generating an estimated $11.6 million in rental revenue. The film earned more than $250 million in theaters.

Also new were "Deja Vu" and "The Queen," which were No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, on both charts. "Deja Vu" earned an estimated $8.6 million in rental revenue, while "Queen" generated $7.5 million.

I didn't know the DVD and DVD rental market brung in sooo much money. O_O

 

[Luckyman]

nvm

 

[Bebpo]

Ok, I've given up on HD movie rentals completely. Netflix is impossible at this point with every single Blu-ray, HD-DVD release that's a new release being on "long wait" and never changing from that status, so I'm quitting that. Meanwhile I checked the Blockbuster online and not only were two month old Blu-ray titles still on "long wait", but they didn't even carry any of the releases within the last two weeks in HD. So I quit that and left them a message that until they start carrying more HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles and carrying them from the release date on, they'll be losing out on a whole new set of customers.

So with that I've basically given up on the whole HD movie format in general. I'm not willing to buy anything at $20+ after shipping that I haven't already seen and think is GOOD. At $15 or under I'm willing to do impulse buys on stuff I didn't see in the theater, but not at current HD prices. And since there are only a handful of films each year I see that actually turnout GOOD, I can't see myself buying more than a few HD titles a year; so few that I basically feel like I should stop caring about the HD format.

Maybe in 2-3 years rental places will have their acts together and disc prices will be cheaper, or maybe it'll remain niche and rental places will always suck at carrying them and disc prices will remain high.

/sigh...

 

[DarkJediKnight]

What's surprising is that Night of the Museum blew the living crap out of Casino Royale for DVD sales. It just goes to show you that any movies that attract kids will demolish anything in its path.

 

[Ryu1999]

Ok, I've given up on HD movie rentals completely. Netflix is impossible at this point with every single Blu-ray, HD-DVD release that's a new release being on "long wait" and never changing from that status, so I'm quitting that. Meanwhile I checked the Blockbuster online and not only were two month old Blu-ray titles still on "long wait", but they didn't even carry any of the releases within the last two weeks in HD. So I quit that and left them a message that until they start carrying more HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles and carrying them from the release date on, they'll be losing out on a whole new set of customers.

So with that I've basically given up on the whole HD movie format in general. I'm not willing to buy anything at $20+ after shipping that I haven't already seen and think is GOOD. At $15 or under I'm willing to do impulse buys on stuff I didn't see in the theater, but not at current HD prices. And since there are only a handful of films each year I see that actually turnout GOOD, I can't see myself buying more than a few HD titles a year; so few that I basically feel like I should stop caring about the HD format.

Maybe in 2-3 years rental places will have their acts together and disc prices will be cheaper, or maybe it'll remain niche and rental places will always suck at carrying them and disc prices will remain high.

/sigh...

Wow, I was about to sign up for Netflix after my exams were over just so I could rent HD movies...thanks for the warning.

However, I tend to buy catalog releases on BR since I know Ill like the movie. I did splurge on Planet Earth though :\

 

[captive]

Odd, I didn't think it was that great of a movie. :/

Havnt you learned yet? The sales of movies on disc are almost directly porpotional to how much it made during its box office release. Of course this mostly only applies to new releases.
And what darkjedi said, it was rated PG i believe.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

What's surprising is that Night of the Museum blew the living crap out of Casino Royale for DVD sales. It just goes to show you that any movies that attract kids will demolish anything in its path.

Judging from the box office gross of Night, it shouldn't be too surprising. The surprising part already happen was that the move blew expectations away for it's theatrical gross. It had a good shot at doing well at the box office....but over $200 million well?!

 

[mckmas8808]

Ok, I've given up on HD movie rentals completely. Netflix is impossible at this point with every single Blu-ray, HD-DVD release that's a new release being on "long wait" and never changing from that status, so I'm quitting that. Meanwhile I checked the Blockbuster online and not only were two month old Blu-ray titles still on "long wait", but they didn't even carry any of the releases within the last two weeks in HD. So I quit that and left them a message that until they start carrying more HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles and carrying them from the release date on, they'll be losing out on a whole new set of customers.

So with that I've basically given up on the whole HD movie format in general. I'm not willing to buy anything at $20+ after shipping that I haven't already seen and think is GOOD. At $15 or under I'm willing to do impulse buys on stuff I didn't see in the theater, but not at current HD prices. And since there are only a handful of films each year I see that actually turnout GOOD, I can't see myself buying more than a few HD titles a year; so few that I basically feel like I should stop caring about the HD format.

Maybe in 2-3 years rental places will have their acts together and disc prices will be cheaper, or maybe it'll remain niche and rental places will always suck at carrying them and disc prices will remain high.

/sigh...

I was about to sign up for Netflix this weekend for Blu-ray movies too. Man....I just cancelled my Blockbuster rental thing because the Blu-ray movies were always on long wait.

 

[DarkJediKnight]

BTW, does anyone know what the record is for most DVD sales on its opening week? Museum got 6mil, which is insane. I'm guessing it has to be one of the animated flicks.

 

[Jim]

Ok, I've given up on HD movie rentals completely. Netflix is impossible at this point with every single Blu-ray, HD-DVD release that's a new release being on "long wait" and never changing from that status, so I'm quitting that. Meanwhile I checked the Blockbuster online and not only were two month old Blu-ray titles still on "long wait", but they didn't even carry any of the releases within the last two weeks in HD. So I quit that and left them a message that until they start carrying more HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles and carrying them from the release date on, they'll be losing out on a whole new set of customers.

Maybe it's just my area... but I've had no problem scoring much wanted BRD releases ASAP at Netflix. Had a "short wait" for Night at the Museum when I added it last Wednesday, and still got it by Friday. Same with Dreamgirls for this week so far.

Of course, I'm neither a huge renter and being in NY, we have several shipping centers.

 

[JB1981]

Ok, I've given up on HD movie rentals completely. Netflix is impossible at this point with every single Blu-ray, HD-DVD release that's a new release being on "long wait" and never changing from that status, so I'm quitting that. Meanwhile I checked the Blockbuster online and not only were two month old Blu-ray titles still on "long wait", but they didn't even carry any of the releases within the last two weeks in HD. So I quit that and left them a message that until they start carrying more HD-DVD and Blu-ray titles and carrying them from the release date on, they'll be losing out on a whole new set of customers.

So with that I've basically given up on the whole HD movie format in general. I'm not willing to buy anything at $20+ after shipping that I haven't already seen and think is GOOD. At $15 or under I'm willing to do impulse buys on stuff I didn't see in the theater, but not at current HD prices. And since there are only a handful of films each year I see that actually turnout GOOD, I can't see myself buying more than a few HD titles a year; so few that I basically feel like I should stop caring about the HD format.

Maybe in 2-3 years rental places will have their acts together and disc prices will be cheaper, or maybe it'll remain niche and rental places will always suck at carrying them and disc prices will remain high.

/sigh...

not here. every blu-ray movie it put in my que shows up a day later.

 

[distantmantra]

What's surprising is that Night of the Museum blew the living crap out of Casino Royale for DVD sales. It just goes to show you that any movies that attract kids will demolish anything in its path.

How is that surprising? DVDs are cheap babysitters for a lot of parents.