Blu Ray vs HD-DVD Options

[impala454]

I know we've had this question before, but it's been quite a while. Just curious what you guys think. There's a lot of stuff to consider, from cost to manufactur to cost of the players, etc.

[pebkac]

I'd go with blu-ray.

The players are more expensive. But if you've got the money to waste on a $3000 TV, I don't know what there is to complain about.

[zetec]

Honestly, i think the formats will coexist for a while. We have SD and Compactflash, and even fucking Memsticks, right? Hell, you can still even find miniDiscs if you know where to look. (Radio stations love'em.) Why not video disc formats?. The point will eventually become moot when dual format players become ubiquitous and cheap.

Only problem is that the slow rollout of HDTVs is even furthering the rollout/pricedrops of HDDVD/BVDs.

[Divergent Realit...]

give it a couple years.

[Inferia]

Isn't the porn industry supporting HD-DVD, which I've been told means that HD-DVD will win.

[Divergent Realit...]

Isn't the porn industry supporting HD-DVD, which I've been told means that HD-DVD will win.

they have been supporting such things.

we will have to see how this pans out.

[impala454]

that's what happened in the beta vs VHS war... the blu ray peeps shunned the pr0n industry at first but I think they've since rectified the issues and there's plenty of BD porn out there. i peruse AVSForum all day and it would seem that way more HD DVD stand alone players have been sold than blu ray. I honestly just don't see people going out and buying a PS3 just to watch blu ray movies. It's kinda akin to how it's taken so long for the HDTV craze to take hold, people don't realize how awesome it is until they see it for themselves. retailers like wal mart will be the determining factor, and right now they have a $500 BD player and a $300 HDDVD player.

[impala454]

just went and got 300 at lunch time, they have a SD/HD DVD combo disc for $34. kinda handy I think.

[pebkac]

that's what happened in the beta vs VHS war... the blu ray peeps shunned the pr0n industry at first but I think they've since rectified the issues and there's plenty of BD porn out there. i peruse AVSForum all day and it would seem that way more HD DVD stand alone players have been sold than blu ray. I honestly just don't see people going out and buying a PS3 just to watch blu ray movies. It's kinda akin to how it's taken so long for the HDTV craze to take hold, people don't realize how awesome it is until they see it for themselves. retailers like wal mart will be the determining factor, and right now they have a $500 BD player and a $300 HDDVD player.

You'd be surprised what the markup is on an HD Television or really any piece of HD equipment is. Price isn't necessarily the biggest selling point for people who buy HD equipment.

[impala454]

the markup isn't much. i worked in an electronics store before. they make all their money by selling you cables and speakers and car audio stuff. best buy's markup on large electronics like TVs, computers, etc is 5%. their markup on the 8' monster HDMI cable they insist you need with that TV is about 3000%.

but i'm not really sure how markup fits into this... what matters is the price to the consumer. the bottom line is that people will not pay 20% more for a BD player.

[pebkac]

the markup isn't much. i worked in an electronics store before. they make all their money by selling you cables and speakers and car audio stuff. best buy's markup on large electronics like TVs, computers, etc is 5%. their markup on the 8' monster HDMI cable they insist you need with that TV is about 3000%.

but i'm not really sure how markup fits into this... what matters is the price to the consumer. the bottom line is that people will not pay 20% more for a BD player.

The markup on an HD television is over 30% at CompUSA. And from what I'm told by people that have worked at Best Buy and Circuit City, it's pretty much the same at both of those places. We have one HD television at CompUSA that has a $100 spiff. And the HE department at Circuit City is the only department that still gets commission. HD televisions are very lucrative and that's why a lot of the major retailers focus on them so much.

(Yes, you are right though. Computers do have a very small markup as do digital cameras. Upgrades have decent markup and networking equipment is the highest markup there is other than cables and televisions)

EDIT: Here's the same TV at CompUSA and Best Buy. Same price. And I can guarantee you that the markup on this TV is about $900 at CompUSA.

This post has been edited by pebkac: Aug 15 2007, 09:55 PM

[impala454]

well it must have drastically changed since i worked at a best buy (admittedly a long time ago). when i was there it was like: TVs, computers, appliances, basically any large items, were only about 5% markup. av components maybe about 10%, speakers, car stereo stuff, about 20-25%, and any kind of cabling/accessories literally, not joking, around 2000-3000% (i would bring $600 worth of cable to the register and pay about $30), and i'm sure it's gotten even worse with these friggin $150 HDMI cables. btw if anyone is looking for good prices on cables go to www.monoprice.com, awesome site.

[impala454]

Paramount and Dreamworks dump Blu Ray and go exclusively HD-DVD

[impala454]

here's another article
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9762761-7.html

Paramount and DreamWorks Animation citied lower manufacturing costs of the HD DVD discs and lower prices for its players as reasons why deciding to go with the format.

[impala454]

pretty funny lil pic someone posted on this news: