*ARTICLE* "Blu-ray struggles for acceptance"

[motion]

No, because this forum IS the format war. When it ended, and the name changed, it was like having two warring parties in the room and just saying "let's talk about something else kk guys??"

No one listened. Instead, this forum is now the attack/defend blu-ray forum. It's a thinly veiled continuation of a war that the market already decided the ending of.

Close this stale smackdown forum, usher the participants into other parts of the board developed for talking about films and players and gear, and the pseudo-format war here will end.

Paranoid conspiracy theories aside, I think it is time to stop that silly war. It's been over for half a year now. Let's start attacking the post/article and not the poster, like we're supposed to be doing.

[motion]

I did miss something. I had no idea it was called "High Definition Smackdown" now.

Yes it is. And since HD DVD lost it is no longer a High Definition format. I'm not goint to go into why it isn't, it just isn't, OK?

[goatmother]

Yes it is. And since HD DVD lost it is no longer a High Definition format. I'm not goint to go into why it isn't, it just isn't, OK?

Ah man, I wanted a good laugh. Any chance you'll reconsider

[Badger3920]

Paranoid conspiracy theories aside, I think it is time to stop that silly war. It's been over for half a year now. Let's start attacking the post/article and not the poster, like we're supposed to be doing.

I'm not really sure if you're agreeing with me, or telling me that I have conspiracy theories and am attacking someone lol

[Gargamel]

This report is spreading across the web like wildfire... it must be in at least a dozen places already. It seems like my Google alert is popping up every hour with another version of it!

The generally negative Blu-ray buzz that persists everywhere could put a damper on the BDA's Q4 plans. They better get out the checkbook and call some journalists (as well as Bill Hunt) right now to get some counterspin going in the press. They really need to try harder and be more forthcoming. What has been most pathetic is their attempt to blame poor standalone sales on lack of inventory, saying demand outstrips supply. I've never gone into any Circuit City or Best Buy and found it hard to find a BDP-S300, BD30, BDP-1400 or any other player available.

Perhaps we can look forward to another Wal-Mart firesale come November as the BDA attempts to save their format from extinction, or there could be some bad announcements come CES2009. It would be hilarious to see Blu-ray struggle for survival a year later, just like HD DVD did before going under! (I'd want them to pull through but it would be funny to watch, what goes around comes around.)

[Kosty]

Whats silly about this spin is that its taking actual bright spots in the report (ie. the PS3 is a big plus for Blu-ray adoption and that newer PS3 owners this year are buying more movies) and trying to turn it into bad news.

Of course, with the PS3 still the best value at $399 for a fast BD-Live player, and most available at stores, its the biggest Blu-ray driver at the moment.

Its good news PS3 owner Blu-ray buying habits are up, since other BD player options are still limited and expensive.

23% with intention to buy is actually a significantly good figure as it implies they know about the product and are open to purchase at appropriate pricing points.

Thats really a very positive top of mind awareness penetration number and would be a large potential pool of new owners open to Blu-ray hardware purchases if the price was right.

In the IW article, the facts are one thing and the editorializing is another. But the facts are strong enough to support a massive push from the CE manufacturers , retailers and studios this fall , and thats all that matters at this point.

[Kosty]

This research brief is derived from a consumer survey completed in April 2008

That partially explains some results. Standalone Blu-ray players were not even available this year for the most part until a couple months ago, and April is still close to the end of the format war and coincides with no media advertising or real promotional activity from Jan-April for Blu-ray hardware sales.

Only Blu-ray hardware promotional activity was related to the Wal-Mart Fathers Day $100 gift card promotion which mostly sold PS3s and was outside the time frame of this study.

Besides when is a 50% intent to purchase figure ever considered bad news?

[Gargamel]

Whats silly about this spin is that its taking actual bright spots in the report (ie. the PS3 is a big plus for Blu-ray adoption and that newer PS3 owners this year are buying more movies) and trying to turn it into bad news.

Good points as always, Kosty. Things may look a lot different for standalones now that the Magnavox and Insignia are under $300. I was joking about the Wal-Mart firesale, but it may not be a bad idea for them to do something like that to get the fires lit in Q4. It's pretty much been about price and once a BD player isn't THAT much more than an upconverting DVD player, Blu-ray will be a no-brainer.

With the Insignia at $279 now, $199 may indeed be attainable as early as Q4, let's hope!

[BillythePuppet07]

http://www.gametrailers.com/viewnews.php?id=6223

It is article's like this that make me wonder just how successful blu-ray will truly be. I'm sure it will have a home with the ps3 crowd and movie buff's who will only settle for the best and true hd. I'm not sure that is enough for blu-ray to bust out. Espacially with much cheaper upscaling dvd's out there that clean up the picture nicely. That is why I will only rent blu-ray's. Just because hd dvd died doesn't mean blu-ray won't also suffer the sam fate. It just seemed to me that hd dvd had a lot of momentium going until warner killed it off. I wonder how much better hd dvd would have done than blu-ray has.

[madhatter]

Good God. Where do some of these people come from?

This report is spreading across the web like wildfire... it must be in at least a dozen places already. It seems like my Google alert is popping up every hour with another version of it!

Probably Lee Stewart posting this nonsense in every forum (well, the one's he hasn't been banned from, that is).

[bluskiessmingatme]

I am soooooo tired of this study. It came out awhile ago but it has popped up in about a dozen web pieces since then and every time some online "journalist" writes about it, somebody here starts a new thread. I'm beginning to think the moderators should start a new rule: a study can only have two threads total and that is it; the third thread onwards to be closed. And if the same person creates more, they should get banned.

[Gargamel]

Probably Lee Stewart posting this nonsense in every forum (well, the one's he hasn't been banned from, that is).

Not quite. Here you go, I stopped at a dozen...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10005897-1.html

http://www.itworld.com/news/54045/wi...ily-acceptance

http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/ip-commun...-purchases.htm

http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=206333

http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/04...xcpet-for-ps3/

http://www.pcretailmag.com/news/3028...sees-low-sales

http://www.tvpredictions.com/blu080408.htm

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Blu-ray-...news-2191.html

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/19811/532/

http://www.wirelessdesignasia.com/ar...ases-Asia.html

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/stor...7%7D&dist=hppr

[Solstice X]

I would say that Blu-ray is gaining popularity versus going down-hill. The PS3 coupled with time for consumers to get new HD sets and BD price decreases are all things that I see in the format's future.

By the way, I don't know how many times I heard that DVD would never amount to anything. As a matter of fact, I would see articles similar to this. Coincidence? or is it just how adoption goes for any new format, slow at first and then when prices drop, everyones gotta have one.

[Gargamel]

It just seemed to me that hd dvd had a lot of momentium going until warner killed it off. I wonder how much better hd dvd would have done than blu-ray has.

I get the same feeling... more Blu-ray standalones were "sold" (many given away with HDTVs) but HD DVD could have done well, especially with combo discs to ease the transition from DVD to HDM.

Hey, Blu won and they had some great marketing to pull it off. I hope they are as effective at combatting consumer apathy as they were giving away players and software to stack the deck in the PR battle vs. HD DVD.

[Stryydr]

No, because this forum IS the format war. When it ended, and the name changed, it was like having two warring parties in the room and just saying "let's talk about something else kk guys??"

No one listened. Instead, this forum is now the attack/defend blu-ray forum. It's a thinly veiled continuation of a war that the market already decided the ending of.

Close this stale smackdown forum, usher the participants into other parts of the board developed for talking about films and players and gear, and the pseudo-format war here will end.

Amen. Thank You! I certainly second this motion.