HD DVD and Blu-ray releases on March 13th, 2007
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Mar 12th 2007 1:31PM
posted Mar 12th 2007 1:31PM
This is the first of two weeks where Blu-ray gets the win by default from HD DVD, following last weeks disappointment when no movies were released for either format. On top of the 5-0 title count Blu-ray has one of the arguably best titles released to date; Casino Royale, or as some like to call it; a 144 minute Sony commercial. Fox releases its only title for March on Blu-ray; Mr & Mrs. Smith and for the catalog title of the week MGM brings us Hoosiers. While the format was is far from over, HD DVD fans would feel much better if Universal would start setting dates for all those movies they promised this year. HD DVD 163 vs Blu-ray 184.
Blu-ray
- Casino Royale (Sony)
- The Holiday (2006) (Sony)
- Hoosiers (MGM)
- Layer Cake (Sony)
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Fox)
- Nada
HD DVD was outsold 2:1 (250,000 Blu-ray movies--just movies--versus 125,000)in February
The Departed BD has outsold the HD DVD by 7000-8000 in it's first week
At an attach rate of 22% for the PS3, the formats are at equal hardware sales but software sales are stillin favor of Blu-ray
During the week of March 4th, 3 titles were sold on both formats, and 1 was Blu-ray only, yet Blu-ray still sold 2:1.
i'm starting to think you work for the BRD camp!
#2: Unless Sony has started investing in physical security and enterprise architecture, I doubt it.
Blu-Ray will see another huge jump after March 23 as that is when the PS3 is launched in Europe.
I keep seeing various blogs say that the format war is not over yet I don't see any way HD-DVD can get any momentum back.
As more and more Blu-Ray machines are sold that 2:1 ratio will quickly turn into 3:1, 4:1 and beyond.
Well, considering that HDDVD still leads in all overseas countries, the PS3 has not launched anywhere else yet, relatively few people have HDTV's, and no one has a $200 player......... I hate to break it but this war is still in the opening salvos.
And I'm left in a crappy position. I really want Casino Royale, but I guess I'll be buying it on DVD. My xbox plays back DVD's great, and I really don't want to spend 430 just for Casino Royale (ps3 + brd) when I can spend just 20 and have a relatively nice picture on a 50" plasma.
andy: Is Japan not overseas?
BTW, I'll say this again. If Sony really wanted to end this war, they'd release all of their killer titles (like casino Royale) on BRD 6mos before they release on DVD.
That would force fence sitters like me to pick up the PS3.
"That would force fence sitters like me to pick up the PS3."
And if would force people like me to get on bittorrent.
So ... Sony's not releasing any of their movies to HD-DVD ... how would a 6 month delay help? Wouldn't this be even more of a reason to jump ship and buy a BD player?
I don't understand this comment - I know that these discs have been hacked and some copies have shown up on bittorrent - but my understanding was that they were divx or other files that have been encoded from the original and therefore not true 1080p resolution. In my mind the biggest selling point of these discs (both Blueray and HD DVD) is that they are true 1080p. Are there lossless copies out there on bittorrent?
@sam
what does your theiving nature have to do with encouraging format adoption?
You're going to steal it anyway apparently, so what difference could it possibly make what format you stole it from?
@David
Or Australia. I think andy's using the numbers that show HD DVD has sold less than 3500 players total in Europe, although it's more than Blu-ray.
I will get the Format the Gets "300" first!
Andy:
The HD discs market in Japan is 96% dominated by Blu-ray, and that wasn't thanks to PS3; since Blu-ray was showed before it was released, it was percieved as the superior format in japan (Japan rarely makes a bad decision on technology to support, unlike america). When it came out against HD-DVD, it was the clear victor in the format war, even when PS3 hadn't come out. Now it's virtually dead over there.
If Sony wants to end the war, they can release Spiderman 3 on BD... BEFORE the theatrical release.
Children of Men, March 27th HD DvD exclusive!
Great move, I loved every minute of it, and it was by far my favorite movie of 2006. (Yes it was released in 2006 on Christmas day, most people try and tell me it was released in 2007)
Anyways it was a great action/dystopia movie for those who havent seen it, and the cinematography was stunning. Amazon has it for pre-order now at $27.99. Enjoy.
http://www.amazon.com/Children-Men-Combo-DVD-Standard/dp/B000N6TX22/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6/103-7259580-6441440?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1173738119&sr=8-6
Oh and congrats to Blu Ray for another high impact week. I didn't mean to sound all HD DvD fanboy-ish, but the thought of Children of Men in HD is exciting. :)
I can only picture people at Toshiba's door begging them to bring back HD DVD (in case Blu-ray wins) people don't know Sony will control EVERYTHING. They own studios, the hardware the software the disc EVERYTHING so they will decide what you can and CAN'T watch. Just look at high def porn Sony does not want it cuz Disney doesn't want it. They only made Bluray with the studio in mind not the consumer.
Now that the DRM is cracked for both formats, I really think HD-DVD has a slight edge with hardware adoption as you can get in the game now for sub $200. The MS subsidized, XBox 360 HD-DVD is commonly available for less than $200 (sometimes less than $175 and plugs right into any PC or MAC via the included USB cable WITHOUT the need for an XBOX. No HDCP on your 'puter? No problem! ANYDVD HD to the rescue.
Ed:
The porn on Blu-ray issue turned out to be false, just some fud by people confusing betamax with blu-ray. Yes, Sony owns a ton of movie studios, but last I checked, they have less control over the blu-ray format than Toshiba does over HD-DVD.
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith", the sole movie left from Fox's BD line-up for March, has been officially delayed.
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Fox/Disc_Announcements/Fox_Confirms_Mr._&_Mrs._Smith_Delay/516
Blu-Delay
I hope Blu-ray wins because i want quality and availability. I hate the hd dvd crap which Toshiba pushed against us. Its outdated and costs more per GB than Blu-ray... Why hd dvd?
News flash: Mr. and Mrs. Smith was not released. So the only movies that were released were from SONY OWNED studios!
I got both format, and I'm from UK is anyone from london can tell me where I could find more blu-ray discs region 2 because HMV and virgin got only between 9 and 11 titles. I can buy HD DVD disc from anywhere in the world as they region free and usually they always got a english dubbed track. I have both format and high end system and I have to say HD DVD picture quality is better than BD (not all discs, but the majority)
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Forecasts/Hardware/DisplaySearch_Expo/Blu-ray,_HD_DVD_Hardware_Sales_Continue_to_Rise,_But_No_Winner_Likely_in_2007/512
Sony created the PS3 with the consumers in mind, and it's not doing so hot.
Microsoft created the 360 with the developers in mind, it's doing great.
Sony created Blu-ray with studios in mind, it's going to do great
Toshiba created HD DVD with the consumers in mind, it's probably going to fail.
The point is (at least in my opinion) who ever creates something with the content in mind will win. It's not really about us, it's more so about the people putting stuff on the format or system or whatever. If I were a company what ever was easiest and cheapest would get my support.
I currently on HD DVD and I love the fact it has standards unlike blu-ray. I love the fact it has better audio and as for video, I can't tell the diff. I do know HD DVD is going to lose, but I feel if Microsoft would have originally put the HD DVD in the 360 and kept it's price point or if they released the HD DVD add-on at launch of the 360 the war would have been a whole lot different.
I also feel HD DVD is losing because they have powerful supporters and all of them are lazy except Universal. Microsofts a supporter, but honestly what are they doing? Windows Vista doesn't support the HD DVD drive video playback out of box. They made the HD DVD drive which is good, but they haven't really done anything else except they support HD DVD because it's superior to blu-ray.