Netflix switching queued HD DVDs to DVDs?

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 26th 2008 at 2:01PM

Granted, Netflix did warn us that renting HD DVDs from it would become a lesson in futility in due time, but we're receiving multiple reports that the company has already began switching queued HD DVD titles to vanilla DVDs. If this is going on en masse, that's a pretty quick changeover, to say the least. So, dear readers, have any of your HD DVDs mysteriously morphed into regular DVDs overnight? Sound off below!

[Thanks, Chris and Aaron]

Filed under: Industry, HD DVD, Other formats

Tags: format war, FormatWar, hd dvd, hd rentals, HdDvd, HdRentals, netflix, rental, renting, support, switch

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Highly Ranked

brownkc @ Feb 26th 2008 2:08PM

I have about 20+ in queue and none have changed to DVD.

Neutral

troy @ Feb 26th 2008 2:08PM

noticed this today...

Highly Ranked

Large @ Feb 26th 2008 2:15PM

Same here...looks like I'll be getting Beowulf in SD

Highly Ranked

Blake @ Feb 26th 2008 3:12PM

I'm getting Beowulf on DVD instead of HD DVD. I might have to wait for xbox to get in HD and take it off my queue.

Neutral

DrXym @ Feb 26th 2008 3:54PM

I thought they weren't buying any more disks so its no surprise if Beowulf was no on HD DVD.

Neutral

shawnmos @ Feb 26th 2008 4:34PM

Same here. I'm pretty pissed. If it said DVD when I added it to my queue, that would be one thing. But it said HD DVD, and now it said that it has shipped out and it's a DVD!

Neutral

andy @ Feb 26th 2008 2:20PM

They're getting to be a pain in my ass. So now you have to figure out which ones were HDDVD and manually re-request hddvd? gay.

Highest Ranked

Michael @ Feb 26th 2008 2:23PM

Uh... no. You just don't get them on HD DVD. Period. They are going to stop offering HD DVD.

Neutral

andy @ Feb 26th 2008 2:29PM

I thought they were going to stop buying, but circulate until the current stock was depleted. That's what my email said anyway.

If it's a sale instead, I'm in.

Neutral

worldbfree4me @ Feb 26th 2008 3:54PM

I think this is a missed opportunity for Netflix to deliver good value to its share holders by hood winking Hd Dvd owners/renters. Blockbuster Video can now sit back and watch its online membership grow by at least 100 to 200k within 90 days once word gets out that they are the only act in town offering Hd Dvds for rent. Couple this fact with the eventual flood of inexpensive Hd Dvd players into the sales channel and you a perfect storm of sorts. The cost of entry into the Hd realm is the key for mass acceptance and a $50 Hd player, along with cheap online rentals via Blockbuster or Netflix once they wake up and smell the ro$e$ @4.99-19.99/monthly and you have a nice revenue stream for now and the foreseeable future. Heck, even if one buys a $50 player and rents exclusively for a year, they still would spend less than the outright purchase of a comparable Blu Disk Player. This could be the Battle cry Toshiba needs to pick some back door royalty dollars and as a result wake up the sleeping giant Walmart into back channelling those Millions of Hd movies it has warehoused to Blockbuster with Warner Bros being the sole supplier of its replenishment. Here we go again, Go Hd, Go!!

Neutral

TVGenius @ Feb 27th 2008 10:01AM

It might be an issue of them not replacing lost or broken discs, meaning that certain titles may not be available on HD DVD sooner than others.

Highly Ranked

John B @ Feb 26th 2008 2:24PM

So ... what are they going to start SELLING those HD DVDs? I'll take a few at $5.99 each. :)

Neutral

DEEZNUTZ @ Feb 26th 2008 2:59PM

You must love constant freezing then... those discs are always scratched to shit.

Highest Ranked

John B @ Feb 26th 2008 3:03PM

For all you know I'm just looking for expensive Amaray cases. :P

Neutral

DrXym @ Feb 26th 2008 3:57PM

Scratching might be one reason they were quite happy to dump HD DVD for Blu Ray. The longer they can send the same disk out the more profitable it is. Blu Ray is supposed to be very resilient to scratching so it may be it was a no-brainer for Netflix to pick which format to support.

Highest Ranked

kcmurphy88 @ Feb 26th 2008 5:31PM

How would you know DEENUTZ? Have you ever seen a Netflix HD DVD?

When I was renting HDDVDs from Netflix I sometimes got a dirty one, but I never got one that wouldn't play after a mild cleaning.

Highly Ranked

shawnmos @ Feb 26th 2008 7:15PM

I have only had one HD DVD that froze on me, and I have rented at least 30 of them.

Highly Ranked

Michael @ Feb 26th 2008 9:45PM

@DEEZNUTS: I have yet to receive ONE HD-DVD rental that has been "scratched to shit" you ignorant ass.

I would still be renting HD titles from Netflix if they had not changed their policy. As such, I've deleted all HD titles from my Queue and am getting them from Blockbuster. The only reason I still keep anything at all in the line at Netflix is because they have a warehouse here in Austin and I can usually rent, view, return and reload twice a week if I work the system just right. I haven't rented enough yet from BB to establish that quick a turnaround yet. They've lost all my business except for obscure stuff I either can't find locally or don't want to drop the bucks on (multi-disc box sets, etc).

Neutral

eugene @ Feb 26th 2008 2:25PM

yeah, they wouldn't give me zodiac or beowulf in HD DVD... just lame.

Highly Ranked

Wryker @ Feb 26th 2008 2:30PM

Yup - they bent me over without paying for dinner so my HDDVDs are disappearing...bastards.

Neutral

RobM @ Feb 26th 2008 2:31PM

Screw Netflix. I cancelled and starting getting my HD content via Xbox live... And I actually wondered why I didn't switch months ago.

Highest Ranked

Chuckles McGee @ Feb 26th 2008 3:54PM

Because you don't have to pay per movie to use Netflix,can keep a title as long as you remain a Netflix member, and have a selection many times greater than the Xbox 360's, and can watch 1080p content?

Neutral

mntwister @ Feb 27th 2008 12:43AM

Well, it's your decision, but I hope you enjoy your xbox live movies in compressed hd quality (they are not even 1080i) and VERY compressed sound (Average loss of sound on a download is 60% over a true lossless track, see chart on avrev.com. For me, I will enjoy my blu-rays at 1080p and lossless sound, which is available on EVERY title from Disney, Fox, MGM and Sony/Columbia....hehe.

Neutral

anon @ Feb 26th 2008 2:32PM

My one HD DVD movie is still HD. I bought all the other ones I wanted, that's why they aren't on Netflix.

Neutral

AlbanyHDTV @ Feb 26th 2008 2:34PM

They changed my "Michael Clayton" from HDDVD to DVD, but left 300 as HDDVD.

Highly Ranked

muddyh2o @ Feb 26th 2008 3:28PM

i think there is an infinite supply of 300 on HDDVD. about as valuable as confederate currency

Neutral

Kingpcgeek @ Feb 26th 2008 2:37PM

A couple were switched over, but American Gangster was not.

Neutral

DeadPlasmaCell @ Feb 26th 2008 2:40PM

"Michael Clayton" is still in HD-DVD.. A few others have gone to normal DVD or Blu-Ray like "I am Legend" & "Sweeney Todd"

I still think it's lame that they're doing this. I could understand them doing it if movies weren't being release on HD-DVD at all, but they still are and Netflix still has HD-DVD inventory, why not just keep renting out the stuff they have?

Neutral

David S @ Feb 26th 2008 2:41PM

That's why I left Netflix. GO BLOCKBUSTER!!!!!

Highly Ranked

Michael @ Feb 26th 2008 3:08PM

Well, if you really like getting the edited versions of movies and having a horribly limited selection, then yeah, go Blockbuster.

Highly Ranked

David S @ Feb 26th 2008 3:20PM

@Michael

Considering that they have every HD DVD and no one is putting out edited HD DVD discs, I fail to see what you are talking about.

Neutral

kcmurphy88 @ Feb 26th 2008 5:34PM

I am always amazed at the direction FUD will take.

Neutral

The Aggie CEO @ Feb 26th 2008 9:28PM

you DO realize that Blockbuster will more than likely follow suit when their HD-DVDs are all useless in a few years due to scratches & non returns, right??

Neutral

Michael @ Feb 27th 2008 6:39AM

@David S

Ok Ok, I concede to the High Def selection most likely being of equal value.

But I'm sure most people aren't going to JUST use their Netflix or Blockbuster Online accounts to rent high def.

Especially when you want to grab an older movie, Netflix blows Blockbuster out of the water.

Neutral

David S @ Feb 27th 2008 8:06AM

On the regular DVDs, I totally agree with you on Netflix's superior selection, and even their shipping speed. That's what makes the Netflix decision hurt, because they were so good in other aspects. O well.

Once I rent all the HD DVDs I'm looking forward to renting, I'll probably switch back to Netflix.

Highly Ranked

Nina @ Feb 26th 2008 2:42PM

Yep, I noticed this today. Yesterday it was HD DVD and ready to ship... today is DVD and won't be ready for a week. Those bastards.

Neutral

Jon @ Feb 26th 2008 2:45PM

Blockbuster online still sending me HD-DVDs , 2 sent today

Neutral

BMZ @ Feb 26th 2008 2:46PM

Why is anyone staying with Netflix? Do you tolerate crap like that? Switch to Blockbuster--you can get HD DVDs and keep your pride too.

Highest Ranked

scaught @ Feb 26th 2008 2:52PM

Who the fuck would leave NetFlix because of their lack of HD-DVD? Seriously, the problem ain't gonna get better anywhere else. In a few months time there won't be any new ones anywhere.

I have both Blu Ray and HD-DVD. Any movies that were listed as HD-DVD in my queue and were changed to DVD, I just bumped down to the bottom of my queue. They will all be released on Blu Ray soon enough.

Neutral

Leonardo DiCrapio @ Feb 26th 2008 3:50PM

"Who the fuck would leave NetFlix because of their lack of HD-DVD?"

I cancelled Netflix and joined Blockbuster Total Access. I tried Total Access last year and found it was a comparable service to Netflix. Blockbuster shipped the Beowulf HD DVD to me yesterday.

Netflix told me that their not spending any more money on HD DVD's was providing me with "better selection." Now Blockbuster Total Access has "better selection" of new release HD DVD's.

"Seriously, the problem ain't gonna get better anywhere else. In a few months time there won't be any new ones anywhere."

So I should fork money over blindly to Netflix when Blockbuster Total Access provides "better selection" now? My HD DVD player still works, and new releases are still coming out exclusively on HD DVD. So what if there won't be new releases in a few months?

Netflix is a rental service in the present for me -- I don't give a crap what their long-term objectives are. Netflix doesn't have limited shelf space. A new release HD DVD probably has more interest than many other DVD's Netflix buys on a weekly basis.

"I have both Blu Ray and HD-DVD."

I don't have a Blu-Ray player yet. My RCA HD DVD player occupies the analog 5.1 audio inputs of my Yamaha receiver. I don't want to spend over $300 on a Blu-Ray player. I do not want to spend over $600 on a Combo player.

Netflix will have partnerships with more Blu-Ray player manufacturers in the future, and some Profile 2.0 Blu-Ray Players may be able to access Netflix's Watch Instantly Service in the future. I do not want a Playstation 3.

"Any movies that were listed as HD-DVD in my queue and were changed to DVD, I just bumped down to the bottom of my queue. They will all be released on Blu Ray soon enough."

I could be watching Beowulf in High-Definition as early as tonight, and I didn't buy it. That should be Blu-Ray's new slogan -- "They will all be released on Blu Ray soon enough" -- Buy a Blu-Ray player now!

Netflix felt they could alienate some of their HD DVD customers. But were they counting on people buying sub-$80 HD DVD players and sub-$50 XBox HD DVD drives that may choose Blockbuster Total Access now because Netflix won't rent the Beowulf HD DVD?

Neutral

Jonny @ Feb 26th 2008 5:36PM

@ Leo

I see what you did there..

Neutral

Ryan @ Feb 26th 2008 2:56PM

I had Beowulf in my queue and as of yesterday it was HD DVD with a long wait. As of this afternoon it was DVD with a wait.

So they seem to have gotten the HD DVD of this movie in, but are no longer going to offer it now.

Neutral

scaught @ Feb 26th 2008 3:00PM

I think it was a glitch that Beowulf had a long wait. Only because it was listed as having a long wait in my queue last Thursday. It clearly wasn't out yet. Many other HD-DVDs that weren't out were listed as having a long wait as well. When I switched them to DVD, the drop down box dissapeared and then the option to choose HD-DVD went away as well.

Highly Ranked

steedums @ Feb 26th 2008 3:00PM

they dropped my hddvds like they were hot

Neutral

LJKelley @ Feb 26th 2008 3:05PM

And this is why I called the day after the email and cancelled my account. I told them exactly why. Its not that a format is winning or loosing, its that they choose to push a format and I'm tired of corporations deciding what is best. They should have issued a statement saying they would only buy HD DVD as the demand existed. Obviously when an HD DVD is about to be shipped than converted to DVD it has all to do with Netflix pushing their ideas down your throat. They obviously had the HD DVD...

Highly Ranked

Michael @ Feb 26th 2008 3:10PM

Dude... HD DVD was dead before they made their announcement. They were just acting before anyone else did.

Neutral

scaught @ Feb 26th 2008 3:16PM

I agree with Michael. HD-DVD was dying. NetFlix is in a position where they have limited shelf space. These new formats already have to share shelf space with regular DVDs. NetFlix made a buisness decision. Trust me, it was nothing personal.

I am a huge HD-DVD fan as well. So I was bummed. But I saw it coming and continue to support NetFlix.

Highly Ranked

h0mi @ Feb 26th 2008 6:20PM

@scaught

Netflix doesn't have shelf space to be limited. Those HD-DVDs would likely be rented far more times than most of the marginal DVDs in their collection. And the issues netflix was trying to "resolve" would've been resolved by the market- fewer HD-DVD titles to buy, stock and offer for rental. Fewer copies of titles that are released.

Neutral

Justin @ Feb 26th 2008 3:21PM

sold my hd player last week and removed the profile from my account. funny to see them doing it automatically now. must be a slow news day if this makes headlines.

Neutral

Zach Hardt @ Feb 26th 2008 3:22PM

Netflix is shipping me an HD-DVD today.

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