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Blu-ray player sales are falling
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The following comments relate to this news article:
article published on 30 April, 2008
Despite Blu-ray's victory over rival format HD DVD, it seems Blu-ray player sales are falling or seeing little to no growth in various markets.
The latest figures, according to the NPD Group, show that Blu-ray standalone players sales (excluding the PlayStation 3 and Blu-ray PC drives) have mostly decreased since the beginning of 2008, or seen no growth. Sales dropped 40 percent in the ... [ read the full article ]
Please read the original article before posting your comments.
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domie
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30. April 2008 @ 18:57 |
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ermm I think it's called a recession - sales of everything are falling - houses aren't exactly flying off the shelves either - particularly in the USA ( unless you count flying back into the banks' asset books as repossessions and foreclosures ) LOL
just as well that those of us who bought HD-DVD playrs and PS3/Blu Ray players can use them as standard dvd upscalers as well then for the time being.
very few now re going to join the bandwagon with hardware still so highly priced and blu-ray discs selling for over $ 20 in the USA and over $ 30 in the UK and Europe.
i expect in three years time we will be posting comments like " do you remember all the bitching and fighting about HD-DVD and Blu Ray and how we thought one of them was going to win through and be popular" ?
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Junior Member
1 product review
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30. April 2008 @ 19:00 |
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This could be proving that Blue-Ray is truly a "nitch" market and will never reach the masses.
This could mean that the "recession" is truly shrinking everyone's pocket size and thus, money is tight.
... Or this could just be another pile of pointless statistics that show sales numbers that appear to show one thing, yet may have nothing to do with anything the future holds for the format or for any of us in general.
(just wanted to sum up what the next 20+ posts would bicker over until the next HD news article appears)
LOL
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domie
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30. April 2008 @ 19:08 |
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let's start the bickering now - I think you mean "niche" market - not "nitch" ;)
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Staff Member
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30. April 2008 @ 19:18 |
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Originally posted by domie:
ermm I think it's called a recession - sales of everything are falling - houses aren't exactly flying off the shelves either - particularly in the USA
To continue the bickering, how could you possibly compare houses that cost $200,000 USD+ to a $400 USD media player? lol :-D
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A_Klingon
Moderator
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30. April 2008 @ 19:23 |
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The US recession may be a small-ish factor, but overall, I chalk Blu-Ray's pathetic market progress on still WAY too-high-prices for the standalone players; the discs themselves, and FAR too little selection of either.
I have yet to see a blu-ray disc title in the stores for anything less than FULL (inflated) retail price, and I have yet to see even ONE blu-ray player at, (say) Walmart. (I have no intention of ordering one by mail).
If Sony & all the other blu-related companies want to inch past niche status, then they need to get up off their as*** and start *acting* mainstream. Otherwise, I see blu-ray as just another (failed) Laser-Disc-Like (12") format.
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def&blind
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30. April 2008 @ 20:47 |
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This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 22. May 2020 @ 08:36
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error5
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30. April 2008 @ 21:03 |
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Originally posted by A_Klingon:
If Sony & all the other blu-related companies want to inch past niche status, then they need to get up off their as*** and start *acting* mainstream.
Sorry A_Klingon but BluRay cannot be a mainstream product at this point in time. It cannot become a mainstream product until HDTV market penetration reaches at least 50% to 75% of households. You won't see this until the prices of 40 inch or larger HDTV's reach $500 or less.
This is the point that people seem to forget: You need a fairly good sized HDTV to appreciate the advantage of BluRay.
This is why BluRay player prices are fine where they are now and manufacturers prefer to be profitable. They don't have to "act mainstream" until HDTV's become mainstream.
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erjl
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30. April 2008 @ 21:50 |
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Why spend any money on something when you don't have an HDTV to watch it on and besides you can buy an upscaling DVD player for $50 as compared to a Blu-ray player for $380. Everything is over priced the HD flat screens, the BD players, the movies and the blank media. (blu-ray media $15-$25. DVD blank media $0.30-$0.50) duh!
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tripplite
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30. April 2008 @ 22:18 |
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i think this is expected, with the great quality people get with a up converting dvd player they dont see the reason to spend $320$ on nothing they need, most titles are still avail be in dvd and so no need to change format.....when the player falls to $200$ and titles are only released in in blu ray then you'll see people buying them like crazy!
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Junior Member
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30. April 2008 @ 22:35 |
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Originally posted by domie:
let's start the bickering now - I think you mean "niche" market - not "nitch" ;)
... were supposed to be arguing about the article, not spelling and grammar. Even if the article was about spelling and grammar, you failed to notice that I spelled it ?Blue-Ray? which is also wrong. I mean, if you are going to grade all my posts before the end of the semester (professor domie) you will be disappointed to find out how poor your proof-reading skills are for someone who knows the english language well enough to make it a point to correct forum posts.
JUST KIDDING! ..... I forgot how French the word NICHE was. MY BAD
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varnull
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30. April 2008 @ 22:44 |
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Like we are supposed to be f-in surprised.
As above.. all the pricks who have money to burn have already got, and the rest of us are boycotting the sony drm bollocks.. (my spellchecker must talk yankee.. it doesn't like the word bollocks)
Get a life already.. HD is a fiasco.. we don't want it.. quite happy with our 720i (actually 640i) from broadcasts on our 20 year old 22" crt tv's thanks. Try capturing an analog tv stream hd fanboys... 100 gigs an hour in raw .dv format?? GTF blu-ray.. shoddy crap. Even the forced digital switchover is shite.. the quality is poor and interference causes much more objectionable disturbance... I fail to see the improvement except in the bank balances of the content providers.....
edit.. 10 cans of fosters later ans the fingers are going in the wrong directions... zippy would be proud... lmfao.. I spend my money on fun not showing off to tyhe neighbours. I suspect my friend hughjars would agree.. oh hugh, where art thou.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 30. April 2008 @ 22:47
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tripplite
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30. April 2008 @ 23:08 |
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Quote:
.. HD is a fiasco.. we don't want it..
DE-GASP!!!!!!!!
speak for yourself i dont mind huge ass backups i have to make anything for 1080p :P
its going to take a while for people to settle with blu ray, personally i dont like the forced change but alas i always go with he flow!
-tripplite
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sgriesch
Junior Member
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30. April 2008 @ 23:28 |
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Originally posted by A_Klingon:
The US recession may be a small-ish factor, but overall, I chalk Blu-Ray's pathetic market progress on still WAY too-high-prices for the standalone players; the discs themselves, and FAR too little selection of either.
Yep, that'll do it. I have seen "buy 2 get one free" offers at Best Buy and CC, but $60 still seems like a lot for 3 movies. And as for selection, the article about Paramount's relases just backs that up. (Face/Off, Bee Movie, and Next) Not real dazzlers IMHO to start their BR campaign.
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Junior Member
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30. April 2008 @ 23:55 |
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Why buy a Blu Ray player when you can get a PS3 for the same price? Sony needs to use their brains just a little bit.
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Junior Member
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30. April 2008 @ 23:55 |
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Why buy a Blu Ray player when you can get a PS3 for the same price? Sony needs to use their brains just a little bit.
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Junior Member
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30. April 2008 @ 23:55 |
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Sorry, didn't mean to post this twice
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 30. April 2008 @ 23:57
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Member
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1. May 2008 @ 00:27 |
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Quote:
Originally posted by domie:
ermm I think it's called a recession - sales of everything are falling - houses aren't exactly flying off the shelves either - particularly in the USA
To continue the bickering, how could you possibly compare houses that cost $200,000 USD+ to a $400 USD media player? lol :-D
Yeah the houses cost about the same now, don't they?! ;)
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Junior Member
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1. May 2008 @ 00:42 |
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There is no real need for blu-ray. You could just buy a ps3 if you wanted hd capabilities. You could also use your ps3 as an upscaler too.
Blu ray discs are cheap enough though. I don;t think players will be flying off the shelves till a few more years.
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nobrainer
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1. May 2008 @ 02:21 |
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As i keep stating Blu-Ray offers very little over up-scaling dvd's to the average consumer other than more anti-consumer DRM and lockins, global price fixing DRM region coding that if it is disabled or bypassed on the Blu-Ray player the player automatically shuts down,and the chance for media studios to sell you the same content you already own on dvd all over again at 2x the price.
what is DRM used for exactly, combating piracy or price fixing and the ability to continually sell you the same media by actively blocking format shifting of content we own by DRM and constantly lobbying tougher IP laws.
Blu-Ray = pointless, anti-consumer format.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1. May 2008 @ 02:26
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M1ckran
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1. May 2008 @ 05:47 |
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I think SD is "good enough" for most people in the UK.
A DVD player is almost a must-have in most homes and, with players available for around £25 in supermarkets, the market must be near saturation point. I've not noticed any drive to replace these cheap players with HD players costing ten times more and offering no perceived advantage.
I know several people (myself included) who have recently bought SD TV's instead of HD sets. The reasons being that SD is cheaper and HD sets look inferior when watching SD content. It's almost as if the manufacturers are deliberately sabotaging SD performance to enhance the HD impression. Since most people watch in SD (either broadcast or DVD) their is little to tempt them to go HD.
People I speak to are less impressed with the technical aspects of HD than with the ergonomics of the system. They are irritated that a DVD player can take two minutes before a disc plays, and will not consider paying higher prices for HD players that make them wait even longer and might not even play the disc they've bought.
It's obvious that HD will increase its market share in time, but how long did it take DVD to oust VHS, and become the accepted domestic standard? There is arguably less difference between SD and HD than there is between SD and VHS.
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nobrainer
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1. May 2008 @ 07:02 |
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Originally posted by M1ckran:
I think SD is "good enough" for most people in the UK.
A DVD player is almost a must-have in most homes and, with players available for around £25 in supermarkets, the market must be near saturation point. I've not noticed any drive to replace these cheap players with HD players costing ten times more and offering no perceived advantage.
I know several people (myself included) who have recently bought SD TV's instead of HD sets. The reasons being that SD is cheaper and HD sets look inferior when watching SD content. It's almost as if the manufacturers are deliberately sabotaging SD performance to enhance the HD impression. Since most people watch in SD (either broadcast or DVD) their is little to tempt them to go HD.
People I speak to are less impressed with the technical aspects of HD than with the ergonomics of the system. They are irritated that a DVD player can take two minutes before a disc plays, and will not consider paying higher prices for HD players that make them wait even longer and might not even play the disc they've bought.
It's obvious that HD will increase its market share in time, but how long did it take DVD to oust VHS, and become the accepted domestic standard? There is arguably less difference between SD and HD than there is between SD and VHS.
tesco does not stock blu-ray hardware films or even the ps3 hardware or games due to lackluster sales, they do however stock, PS2, Wii, 360, ds, psp and DVD,s, so if the uk's leading retailer doesn't bother stocking these items in store, it kinda tells the story.
the reason for the delay in the HD hardware is all the DRM checking you have a regional disc as you are not allowed to play films from another country as this is piracy (price fixing), and a none pirated copy.
HD is better than SD as pc owners for the last 15+ years (Hi-Res is nothing NEW.) can tell you, but does it justify changing ALL your equipment?
if you want to go HD you need a new HDCP DRM HDMI compliant, screen and home cinema amp because the MPAA are blocking all current equipment in a hope to combat piracy, personally i think its just putting ppl off purchasing new equipment but hey i'm anti DRM.
And seems that ofcom has just stated that there will be NO HD freeview channels until 2012 and then only 4 will be mpeg4 with other channels arguing over the rest of the bandwidth using lesser codecs does not bode well for the consumer or encouraging ppl to switch to a HD screen to watch SD material.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1. May 2008 @ 07:04
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Junior Member
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1. May 2008 @ 08:04 |
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Between the economy and the cost....I can't see people running out and buying $400 stand-alone players.
The price is going to have to come down.
Besides, the PS3 is a better value for your entertainment dollar as a Blu-Ray player
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AfterDawn Addict
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1. May 2008 @ 08:05 |
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Cost+economy theres yer reason,lets wait till prices drop and the economy gets alil better and see if sales pick up or not.
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juankerr
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1. May 2008 @ 08:17 |
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Originally posted by PantherM:
Besides, the PS3 is a better value for your entertainment dollar as a Blu-Ray player
Therein lies the flaw of this report.
Although we may never know how many of those who bought the PS3 did so instead of a standalone, the software numbers don't lie:
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/13771.cfm
Also consider the fact that at the 2008 CES in January several new standalone models were unveiled including the first 2.0 players from the major companies that are coming out later this year. Judging from the buzz at avs and other forums these upcoming 2.0 models are some of the most anticipated CE products for this year - especially the Panasonic BD50. I would wait for the NPD numbers after these are released.
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Vr0cK
Newbie
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1. May 2008 @ 08:25 |
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Well this article excludes PS3, so maybe everybody is realizing that the PS3 is simply the better deal and decides to purchase it so why by a stand alone for the same or more money. Until there's an article saying that PS3 console sales are going down then there's a problem lol =P
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