You hit the nail right on the head. The people own the high def televisions, players are priced at decent prices now, and will be lower for the holidays. But for studios to expect people to pay 22-30.00 (I would say that's the average at Best Buy and Target and Walmart except for sale discs) is not realistic. Not everyone wants to replace their libraries at those prices, and won't. Not when they see a DVD next to it for 9.95 (many of the catalogs)....Studios like Disney, charging 39.95 suggested retail for their 3-disc sets with digital copy and DVD should make available a single disc movie Blu-ray for 10-15.00 less. Notice that many of Disney's titles are not often in the top 20 for long. Then there is Warner Brothers alienating classic fans without a huge wallet by releasing Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind in sets only available at 89.95 suggested retail.
The sooner the studios stop this "premium" pricing and get realistic, the format will take off quickly (my opinion of course). I understand that it takes money to make an axcellent high def master for a Blu-ray disc, but certainly in cases like Wizard of Oz, there are many people who are NOT going to buy this set simply because they cannot afford it, and might end up with the 19.95 DVD edition. Big mistake.
It is the studios that need to wake up. And how much is going for the format when there are hundreds of movies as bad as "Disaster Movie" and that sort of crap yet you cannot by the original Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Sound of Music, Ten Commandments, and thousands of other films that are actually good.
I think the hardware supporters of the format have been doing a great job lately, it's the software side that is failing the format.
Blu-Ray would be doing better if: 1- Studios got rid of the HD tax. Instead of offering content at near the same price as DVD, they have taken to charging alot more than the same title on DVD. BD discs should be no more than $5 more on BD list price higher than DVD. 2- More sale pricing, get stores to offer more movies on sale at comparable rates when they are released, ie buy DVD or BD for $19.99
Consumers would buy more BD discs if they didn't feel they are getting squeezed by the studios each time they want to enjoy their movies. Sorry but the days of premium pricing for HD content need to END!! Now that the digital switchover is done, HD is the way. People need to be able to enjoy HD content without paying extra than NTSC content.
When cable, satellite and Home Video companies realize this... consumers will react and treat them well. until then, your going to get alot of people who are mad about paying 20-50% more to enjoy the same content in HD.
IN ORDER TO STOP EARNING LESS MONEY, studios need to properly position BD as a DVD replacement, instead of pricing it like Laserdisc was, a premium product at the time.
@NorthCranky RENT? well not if you are looking to watch a season of something... that'll set you back $30...
Blu-Ray rentals should not cost any more than DVD rentals. The whole Movie rental business is out of wack with realty... Drop the prices back down to $3-$4 you'll see me in the every week.
It's been months since i was last in one to rent something.
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Lower disc costs to customers, and you will see an insane jump in Blu Ray sales.
Media companies don't understand logic. Maybe next decade.
Its called renting? There's some lower disc cost for you.
You hit the nail right on the head. The people own the high def televisions, players are priced at decent prices now, and will be lower for the holidays. But for studios to expect people to pay 22-30.00 (I would say that's the average at Best Buy and Target and Walmart except for sale discs) is not realistic. Not everyone wants to replace their libraries at those prices, and won't. Not when they see a DVD next to it for 9.95 (many of the catalogs)....Studios like Disney, charging 39.95 suggested retail for their 3-disc sets with digital copy and DVD should make available a single disc movie Blu-ray for 10-15.00 less. Notice that many of Disney's titles are not often in the top 20 for long. Then there is Warner Brothers alienating classic fans without a huge wallet by releasing Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind in sets only available at 89.95 suggested retail.
The sooner the studios stop this "premium" pricing and get realistic, the format will take off quickly (my opinion of course). I understand that it takes money to make an axcellent high def master for a Blu-ray disc, but certainly in cases like Wizard of Oz, there are many people who are NOT going to buy this set simply because they cannot afford it, and might end up with the 19.95 DVD edition. Big mistake.
It is the studios that need to wake up. And how much is going for the format when there are hundreds of movies as bad as "Disaster Movie" and that sort of crap yet you cannot by the original Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Sound of Music, Ten Commandments, and thousands of other films that are actually good.
I think the hardware supporters of the format have been doing a great job lately, it's the software side that is failing the format.
Blu-Ray would be doing better if:
1- Studios got rid of the HD tax. Instead of offering content at near the same price as DVD, they have taken to charging alot more than the same title on DVD. BD discs should be no more than $5 more on BD list price higher than DVD.
2- More sale pricing, get stores to offer more movies on sale at comparable rates when they are released, ie buy DVD or BD for $19.99
Consumers would buy more BD discs if they didn't feel they are getting squeezed by the studios each time they want to enjoy their movies. Sorry but the days of premium pricing for HD content need to END!! Now that the digital switchover is done, HD is the way. People need to be able to enjoy HD content without paying extra than NTSC content.
When cable, satellite and Home Video companies realize this... consumers will react and treat them well. until then, your going to get alot of people who are mad about paying 20-50% more to enjoy the same content in HD.
IN ORDER TO STOP EARNING LESS MONEY, studios need to properly position BD as a DVD replacement, instead of pricing it like Laserdisc was, a premium product at the time.
@NorthCranky
RENT? well not if you are looking to watch a season of something... that'll set you back $30...
Blu-Ray rentals should not cost any more than DVD rentals. The whole Movie rental business is out of wack with realty... Drop the prices back down to $3-$4 you'll see me in the every week.
It's been months since i was last in one to rent something.
Not a very good return rate if you ask me.