Report Predicts Blu-ray, HD DVD to Co-Exist

A new report examining the evolution of the high-def market predicts both next-gen disc formats are here to stay, and that most studios are likely to end up supporting both formats.
Released today by UK-based media analysts Screen Digest, the report includes detailed forecasts of consumer sales and revenues in the US and Europe for both new video formats through 2011, with each predicted to establish a viable installed base.

[BIadestarX]

Than Sony already lost. It's important for Sony that blu-ray wins.

[ISay]

ive been saying this for some time now. sony has to win and microsoft will just keep trowing money at it so they going anywere

[eagle21]

Target has doubled the space for blu ray. Hd dvd is weak because toshiba is selling at a loss. Standalone blu ray players make profits. MS will lose in the longrun. Blu Ray has the most blockbusters this year and will win xmas. MS price cut was not enough, at all.

[Evil0Angel]

we will see studioes go dual-format.

[HaKeRsCanRotINHEL]

Stranger things have happened! ;)

[redsymphony]

somehow i think this is true but yet again we will see i have a ps3 and it hs my blu ray in there so im sold only reason i dont have a hd dvd is cuz it was not built in my xbox and i refuse to purchase it seperate so i guess blu ray wins for me

[xfrgtr]

Than toshiba has already lost it's important for toshiba that HDDVD wins,all the movies that are released on both format like 300 or The Departed have been selling more on Bluray since the hddvd installed base is miserable

[cuco33]

According to you, HD DVD is already dead. ;)

This Xmas07 season will show what's going to happen on whether or not dual formats will be the norm. To me, if they coexist (something I've mentioned a few times and was shunned since HD DVD is "dead") this is more of a loss to Sony since it's been estimated they paid quite a bit of money for studios to go exclusive/neutral, stores to promote, etc.

[power of Green]

This is only a possibility if both formats keep almost all their players on both sides around the same price.

[Bnet343]

that my mom transforms into chuck norris and dropkicks everyone in the face

[skynidas]

yeah right, blu ray will win

[Wozzer]

Hopefully Blu-ray will win - better specs, future-proofing etc

[drewdrakes]

Youre right...sporadic specs are the best kind of specs...

[power of Green]

You know nothing of the HD/players saying that I'm betting you're just trying to piss people off?...

[Wozzer]

I was just stating my opinion, I was told that Blu-ray has firmware abilities that will allow it to play multi layered discs (3 layers +) in the future, whereas HDDVD will require new hardware. Also Blu-ray has larger disc capacity to start off with....sorry if I offended you.

[miked808]

I agree with the article. Just like games see which version of whatever movie has the best features and buy that one.

[Rooftrellen]

If most studios go duel format, the one format that costs more will lose. Bluray costs more for the player and for the upgrades to make the movies, so it would likely die out.

The only way for both formats to coexist would be for some studios to stay exclusive to each, with enough movies on each side that they both matter.

Even if the player prices are the same at some point, and, therefore, we can predict that both will sell at an even rate, its more expensive for the upgrades to make bluray, so it will lose because of the people making the discs.

If we have almost all neutral studios, one will win. Only though exclusives can both survive.

[Snukadaman]

Unless HD players bottom out at 100 bucks no one is in a hurry too re-buy their extensive collection of dvds allready...

[xplosneer]

You wouldn't have to rebuy them, just buy the new movies coming out in the HD format.

[mccomber]

is that it isn't any good for anyone. Studios, consumers, electronics manufacturers... anyone who disagrees, please explain how having both formats around is more beneficial than having only one. And no, "competition=lower prices" isn't a viable response, the lack of a competing format certainly hasn't affected DVD prices as much as mass-manufacturning has.

[Frankenberg]

If there had only been blueray or HD-DVD for that matter, then the players would still be $1,000 and there would be no incentive to drop the price. We all win, the article even talks about the money the corporations will not earn. Why, because they are having to compete for the market. Goooo Capitalism!!!

[mccomber]

So, explain to me why DVD prices dropped so quickly, and deeply? It didn't have to compete with another disc-based movie format; what drove the decline in it's price?

[Frankenberg]

Not to be argumentative but the price drop was over about a 4 year time period due to the decreasing costs of manufactoring. There was also a significant reason to switch to DVD, not having to rewind tapes and better quality. There is not a huge compelling reason now. The movies still sell at about $25-35. The prices will come down either way, but with competition they will come down much faster.

Talk about a screw job.
I am waiting on the print cartridges to get to $10 instead of $30-40.

[Shaka2K6]

Sales-wise Blu-ray has destroyed h-dvd for the whole year weak after weak.
h-dvd is already a huge flop, blockbuster goes Blu,Target going Blu whats next? walmart? best buy? warner?

Blu-ray already won and h-dvd is the next betamax.

[Snukadaman]

nuff said....

[Fux4Bux]

Man this would be just terrible. This format war should've never existed. With PS3 on the Blu-ray side there's really no chance for HDDVD to dominate. Should've given in early and worked something out instead of all this BS.

[kennyfisterbotm]

Wow, their are allot of marketing executives in the gaming and DVD market now adays. If you read every article in this post, you would see that the only one of any count was

I predict my mom will transform into Chuck Norris and kick you all in the face.

The HD-DVD has a lot of potential business in the future, as a consumer i'm quite happy with my player. It's cheaper than blue ray, and i do believe it is here to stay. If i'm wrong i always have my ps3 to lay back on. Nuff said as some other ill-educated people want to say. Thanks!!!!!!!!!

[reaperxciv]

to have both formats co-exist, it is healthy competition

[P1MPDADDY]

Because this high definition movie format is years away, if ever from being decided. Those people who keep saying Blu-Ray is the winner HD-DVD is dead are obviously Sony PS3 Fanboys. I already own a PS3 and 1 Blu-Ray movie (300). In October I am getting an HD-DVD player for Transformers and Shrek 3. I got all the HD movies I need covered because I chose not to swear allegiance to a Corporation. When the rest of you Sheep pull your heads out of Sony's A$$, then maybe you too will enjoy all the HD movies and videogames on the market. Brand Loyalty is for idiots, get both formats and both consoles. Give yourself access to all things in HD. PS360 HD-DVD/Blu-Ray FTW!!!!!

[Shaka2K6]

Epic fail.

[LoydX-mas]

Anyone who continues to say that HD-DVD is dead obviously can't count very good.
Selling roughly 300,000 discs a month on BOTH formats means that high def discs have a loooooong way to go to even begin to claim any kind of victory.
--Take the movie 300 for example, it sold 160,000 Blu-ray discs and 80,000 HD-DVD discs in one week. This was by far the best single high-def movie to date.

--Now standard dvd sold more than 7 million in the same week! Hmmmmm,
250k vs. 7 million. Looks like you should give it a little more time before "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" can be said.

[fenderputty]

All studios, save one or two small ones, support BOTH formats. Either that or, dual players become commonplace and cheap.

[Rageaholic]

Plays the cards, right they will win

1) They still have The strong support from all the studios that grossed the most from dvd sales and box office sales

2)There are simply more electronic companys making players for blu-ray

3)From the looks of it they are marketing the product more than hd-dvd

....

all they need to do is maintain studio support and continue the marketing push of the product.

Japan has already turned blu, Most of europe is blue.

But north american Bluish Purple ( big market, but hd-dvd is putting up a last minute fight).

Bare in mind if you recall, vhs in the past maintained a high price while sony's betamax players were forced to lower the price below the competion. Yet sony did not have as much electronic companies support to create third part players vs vhs.

BDA should continue pushing your marketing and creating business deals with other electronic companies, the outcome will be positive.

[mikeslemonade]

$200 for HD-DVD player only is not low enough for the mainstream that's why it will have no penetration whatsoever. The magic price point is $100 for those stand alone players to really take off. For now the only way mainstream consumers are taking dive are things that do multiple things like game systems and computers. I don't know anybody who would buy a stand alone player specifically for either format and then pay $25 for movies. Now game system like PS3 and computers the buyer has the excuse because it can be used for different things like games for the kids and the computer is a natural upgrade for the buyer so why not buy the computer that includes the next-gen video player drive.