http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/ Engadget HD Comments for Nielsen VideoScan High-Def market share for week ending January 27th, 2008 http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 2:48PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 2:49PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
My bet is that a few thousand disc sales spoils the impression.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:49PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/

huh?]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:49PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/know the war is over Blue Ray wins. But the way I see it is as
follows:
- It was a $120 with 7 good to great movies (no matter what, I will
get plenty of entertainment value)
- Warner movies will still be released in HD DVD until June
- Universal and Paramount are still HD DVD exclusive
- Even if and when Universal and Paramount go Blue the previously
released titles will take many, many months to be re-released on
Blueray (some even more)
- When the end is official I can pick up some killer deals on HD DVD
clearance discounts

For the record I also have every intention of getting a Blueray
player as soon as there are 2.0 players available (not counting PS3).

Anyways thats my thought process.

(NOTE: I posted these thoughts earlier in not so relevant topic)
]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:51PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 2:51PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 2:56PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 5:08PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Something tells me that those of us who were sitting on the fence and not investing in the movies as the war was at its height are now comfortable putting our money down on the BD format in larger numbers (and that helps support what's said above).]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:59PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
BTW, $48.99 at bestbuy.com....at the store it was $69.99. I bitched at customer service desk and they let me have the web price. Nice!

BLURAY FTW!!!]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:00PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Damn you Engadget I have work to do!]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:01PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:14PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Conspiracy nuts, commence discussion.]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:12PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:15PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
wreckedchevy@yahoo.com]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:19PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
wreckedchevy@yahoo.com]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:23PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:36PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 3:44PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Toshiba is a Consumer Electronics company not a Consumer Evangelist company. Soon (if they haven’t already) they will examine their losses and perform a risk analysis to determine the likelihood that they will ever make a profit. It’s obvious that they can pay BDA royalties the same as the other members to make Bluray players but they do have a strategic advantage: they can make these players combo units for little or no extra cost as the hardware is largely the same and they can include the HD DVD software royalty free. A $300 combo player that works (note to Samsung) would likely meet wide acceptance and offer an opportunity to make money rather than loosing in buckets. HD DVD devotees may be able to find some solace in the fact that players for their chosen format will still be available.

Long term Paramount and Universal are not going to be satisfied exclusively releasing their product in a market with such a constricted universe of players and a collapsing number of B&M retailers. Their support of BOGO’s moves product but doesn’t do much for the bottom line (don’t assume that Amazon offers these out of the goodness of their heart). As the tidal wave of Bluray owners washes over the landscape their realization of the potential profits awaiting their release of Bluray products to rabid buyers will loosen their exclusive HD resolve. They too are businesses and not some technology cult.

So what do you do? Continuing to buy HD DVD disks is only setting you up for disappointment. Why not rent them from Netflix and save your money? Enjoy all of the extras that most people ignore and bask in the self satisfaction that HD is the most feature rich format available. With a little luck next year Bluray players will match the price you paid for your player. The money you save from avoided media purchases will easily buy the new player and a bunch of disks sourced from all of the distribution houses for a change.

Retain your fond memories of times past but let’s move to a happier place.

Feel better now?

How about some hot chocolate?
]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:45PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:49PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/I mean, with those "TONS" of A3s and A30s being sold, you would move a significant load of discs, you'd think? be it Transformers, Bourne, but also tons of PE, Batman begins, Matrix, Blade Runner, etc.

Where are those discs sold? I mean .. not even TF or PE in the top 10? Come on man, -even- as delusional as Nfinity can be, you'd think he would agree this is the end?

But no...
Go ahead people, and read the letter of Mr Johnson, Video Store owner, on page 12 of HomeMedia.
-THAT- tells you where it's at.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hom020308/index.php]]>Feb 1st 2008 4:03PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 4:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 4:14PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 4:16PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Am I the only one that checks EngadgetHD 50 times on Fridays to get these numbers?

Damn you Engadget I have work to do!"



It's sad that you even care....get a life.]]>Feb 1st 2008 4:25PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
I expect the pressure is on from shareholders and outlets alike, not to mention the remaining studios. It's time to make some tough decisions for the good folks at Toshiba. ]]>Feb 1st 2008 4:39PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
It's like, no matter what they say, you can just point to the sales charts and the conversation is over.]]>Feb 1st 2008 4:50PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Point is, they need to team up and educate people on the advantages of gourmet pretzels over Mrs. Fields Cookies, etc...THEN, once they have secured a larger, more signifigant chunk of the market share, should they battle it out for the true, one and only winner of the Pretzel war...

You know what, I forgot where this analogy was going, nevermind...LOL]]>Feb 1st 2008 5:05PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/HD DVD players are going for dirt cheap now. You can get an HD-A3 for $149 retail and cheaper online. This is a worthwhile investment. Why?
1) It still functions as an upscale DVD player as well (which costs maybe $30 less?).
2) You can still enjoy HD movies from Paramount/Universal until who knows when.
3) You can still enjoy HD movies from Warner through May.
4) Eventually Blu-ray players will get cheaper and be the latest profiles. Maybe you can pick one up for $250 or less by that time? Rather than spending $400+ for one now.
5) If/when Blu-ray eventually wins, you needn't buy the Blu-ray versions to replace your HD DVD... in fact, it would be stupid to unless there are new features on the Blu-ray version, or your HD DVD player breaks, or you just don't want 2 players.

So, if the movies you watch are not Blu-ray exclusive, then there's really no money lost.

If you want Blu-ray now, well, spend the extra cash, and forget HD DVD. It all depends on your wants.

I personally like the interactivity features on HD DVD. I'm not a big movie person and I never much cared for the extras on DVDs, but the In Movie Experience stuff including PiP and maps and info that gets displayed during the movie, I thought pretty cool. It may just be gadgety and maybe eventually I'll probably get tired of it. When I watch a Blu-ray movie, it's like watching a DVD movie. I watch it, enjoy the video and sound and finished. When I watch an HD DVD movie with IME, I watch the movie and sound, but then I may rewatch it again with IME on. When done well, you get backstories, additional info, commentary with additional scenes on special effects, synchronized with the movie playing which for me makes the movie re-watchable.

For example, in the "Kingdom", you get to branch off and follow each character during a shootout real-time as well as watch the final edit. I thought that was cool.]]>Feb 1st 2008 5:11PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 5:19PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Unfortunately, it didnt kill his FUD.


]]>Feb 1st 2008 5:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
I'm very interested in what this superbowl ad might contain since I think it will join pets.com in the pantheon of ads that personify throwing good money after bad.]]>Feb 1st 2008 5:30PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/]]>Feb 1st 2008 5:33PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Wow, another civil post, goog job!
I wonder what the numbers are too.]]>Feb 1st 2008 5:38PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Thank God the comments system is back up.]]>Feb 1st 2008 6:18PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 6:20PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 6:29PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 7:24PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
Imation/TDK just dropped HDDVD support. They'll only make Blu-ray discs from now on.


This is a double whammy with Sonic dropping HD DVD authoring support last week. I don't think HD DVD can even survive in the recordable/archival market...
]]>Feb 1st 2008 7:45PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 9:24PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 1st 2008 10:53PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/
@ccweems:

"I’m here to help you but first you have to admit you have a problem. Maybe buying a $150 HD DVD player with the 5 free disks was a good buy but what does the future offer?"

A good upconverter for the price of a good upconverter, at least until a Blu-Ray player makes sense for me. The first review I read of an affordable Profile 2.0 player that sounds like a solid player will be the one I get. Maybe that will be this fall; maybe next year at some point. Of course, by then, there may be a new profile, and maybe it'll work with Profile 2.0 players, maybe it won't; if that happens, I'll wait some more. I waited for DVD until 2002. Seriously. And even then, the only reason I got it was because VHS was starting(!!!) to get scarce at the rental places, and even then the DVD selection wasn't overwhelming. I can wait.

"Assuming that Universal and Paramount stay red exclusively (an illogical assumption at best) the overwhelming number of new releases and back catalog issues are going to be Bluray. B&M retailers who at the beginning could only reluctantly follow the feud are now in a position to declare a victor."

From what I've seen locally, it's never even been a contest. It wasn't until recently that I saw anything other than BD. I just figured that HD DVD just withered and went away without a whimper. When I saw the players for cheap, I did some research and figured it was a safe-enough bet.

"Do you think Best Buy can sell more disks and players with 2 formats? Of course not, and they certainly don’t want to stock the same title in both formats."

Have manufacturers do what they did for writeable DVD, build players for both formats, let the studios decide what makes more sense for them. I'd be willing to bet that smaller shops (outfits that produce things like workout videos, for example) will only grudgingly go to Blu, and only when they have to.

'Be prepared for a Best Buy announcement that goes something like “In the best interest to provide the widest and best HD experience Best Buy has decided to exclusively stock Bluray players and disks in their stores. Of course HD DVD products will remain available online”. They no longer have to follow the market; they can make the market – and they will.'

My local Best Buy recently put in a very awesome HD DVD display.

"Toshiba is a Consumer Electronics company not a Consumer Evangelist company. Soon (if they haven’t already) they will examine their losses and perform a risk analysis to determine the likelihood that they will ever make a profit."

Agreed, they continue to get hatcheted by the press; not sure why, but they do. It could be that there really are a lot of tech-savvy people out there who just say "hey look, BD has more capacity RIGHT NOW and that means BETTER!"

I've not talked to one BR player owner that's all that happy with their player. Not one. I, on the other hand, have a player I'm very pleased with; my only complaint is startup time.

"It’s obvious that they can pay BDA royalties the same as the other members to make Bluray players but they do have a strategic advantage: they can make these players combo units for little or no extra cost as the hardware is largely the same and they can include the HD DVD software royalty free. A $300 combo player that works (note to Samsung) would likely meet wide acceptance and offer an opportunity to make money rather than loosing in buckets. HD DVD devotees may be able to find some solace in the fact that players for their chosen format will still be available."

Aye. That may be another requirement for me, if things continue to go south for Toshiba, and given their anemic attempts at promotion throughout the whole lifespan of HD DVD, it likely will.

I bet there are some hardware manufacturers who're more than a little pissed at WB, though. I mean, think about it, dual-format devices just started coming out right at the time of the announcement.

It may have been the best-timed announcement ever, though. The holiday sales were over, and it was just in time to emasculate all the HD DVD execs flying (literally flying, on their way) to CES. Couple this with the fact that while December is the busiest retail month, January is the slowest; HD DVD buyers will likely be people like me, low end of the middle class who've finally bought a TV and player, and the BD player buyers are likely to be more affluent, so they'll be more apt to not only buy a player but the software to go with it. I have no data to back it up, but I just know that this past month is traditionally a terrible time for middle-of-the-road consumer purchasing, while affluent purchases don't necessarily follow that yearly trend.

Despite the looming Warner deadline, it's still early. Beta vs. VHS went on literally for years before incompatibility effectively killed Beta. Hm...evolving specification...hm...no, I don't think it'll be a win for HD DVD, but it'll likely be a win for whatever comes next. BD will eat itself at some point, and it'll come sooner than we expect.

"Long term Paramount and Universal are not going to be satisfied exclusively releasing their product in a market with such a constricted universe of players and a collapsing number of B&M retailers. Their support of BOGO’s moves product but doesn’t do much for the bottom line (don’t assume that Amazon offers these out of the goodness of their heart)."

There've been BOGOs on both formats, and even giveaways of Profile 1.1 BD players. Point? Oh, right; High-def player and disc sales are horrible. If BD doesn't pick up, it'll die too, and then you'll see everyone going back to the table, and likely what you'll see is that we'll all be "idiots" for buying either formats.

"As the tidal wave of Bluray owners washes over the landscape their realization of the potential profits awaiting their release of Bluray products to rabid buyers will loosen their exclusive HD resolve. They too are businesses and not some technology cult."

Technology cult? OK, that one made me laugh. Part of the boosted sales of BD players were bundled obsolete players, and it still isn't that huge of a number. Tidal wave? PS3 owners figured in, perhaps? Consoles are traditionally short lived.

And what are the sales numbers based on? Does the DVD business follow the disingenuous practice the music industry uses, using shipped-to-store product numbers, or do they really count over-the-counter and online sales? Without knowing that important bit of data, any discussion of software sales is useless; from what I've seen, retailers don't even attempt to sell HD DVD (or Blu-Ray for that matter) so I really, really want to see detailed data before further comment is made.

"So what do you do? Continuing to buy HD DVD disks is only setting you up for disappointment."

This assumes no further reversal of official position by companies like Warner Brothers. Like the official position of continuing to support both formats just two weeks prior to CES.

"Why not rent them from Netflix and save your money?"

From what I've been reading, renting any sort of high-def content on Netflix is like hunting snipe.

"Enjoy all of the extras that most people ignore and bask in the self satisfaction that HD is the most feature rich format available."

But...but...I thought one of the superior features of BD is that they had more capacity for things like special features??? Now I'm confused. When it's good BD special features, it matters, but when we're talking about HD DVD or obsolete BD players, special features don't matter?

Either they matter or they don't.

"With a little luck next year Bluray players will match the price you paid for your player. The money you save from avoided media purchases will easily buy the new player and a bunch of disks sourced from all of the distribution houses for a change."

But...but...I thought HD DVD movies would be slashed in price real soon now because it was a dead format???

But...but...I thought now was the perfect time to get into BD by plunking down $400 on a PS3???

But...but...I thought that it'd be OK to buy an obsolete player because no one cares about the Profile 2.0 features??

I'll tell you the truth: Every time I come to a site like EngadgetHD, I see a story like this one that keeps hammering away that HD DVD is dead, HD DVD is dead, and because I get into that mindset, I just refrain from buying any movies because I know, I just KNOW, that since the format is dead, I'll be able to pick up Planet Earth for $10 someday, and when I have a dual-format player, I'll be able to play my $10 copy just as well as I can on this player.

"Retain your fond memories of times past but let’s move to a happier place."

It's just a piece of consumer hardware, chill. As I said above, this player is an effing awesome upconverter. :-> I can enjoy that while I wait. In the meantime, if I follow your advice, the studios don't get any money from people like me, because it'd be stupid to buy either HD DVD or DVDs, right? Because people like me weren't buying DVD because we don't want a pile of obsolete low-res garbage, right?

"Feel better now?'

Actually yes; yes, I do. :->

Now I'll go off and finish watching Order of the Phoenix, just purchased today.

"How about some hot chocolate?"

Just about to; it'll have some 100-proof Stoli in it, just because I can. ;-)]]>Feb 2nd 2008 12:29AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 2nd 2008 3:33AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 2nd 2008 3:34AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/01/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-january/Feb 2nd 2008 3:35AM