mntwister @ Jun 6th 2008 10:07AM

I was in our local Walmart store the other day (I hadn't been there in 7 weeks before that). We are in a smaller area with a total population of about 40,000 people in a 20 mile radius. The blu-ray movies used to be 5 rows across and about 4 movies going downward. The other day, they added another 10 rows, making it a huge blu-ray movie selection.

Also, 7 weeks ago they had (only one available-the demo) Sony 300 player. This time, they had a complete section of players that included the Panny BD-30, The Sony 300, the Samsung 1500, the new Magnavox and the PS3 all in the huge display with very large blu-ray signs that you could see from other departments around the area. The Samsung is $348 and the Magnavox is $298. This is a huge difference for this Walmart store and I assume it is the same in most of them. Plus the offer of a $100 gift card with any blu-ray player purchase (including the PS3), shows that Walmart is now very much behind blu-ray.

This is exactly what turned the tide for dvd. Very exciting. I was never an anti-hd-dvd person, but now that there is one format, I am all behind it so we can have available true 1080p content with lossless sound. I think the prices are even going to be lower for the holidays!

There was a report released yesterday (see Home Media Retailing or The Digital Bits) that said home video is expected to be one of the areas that will make money, as people are not traveling and spending alot of money outside of the home. I think the rest of the year, especially starting in the fall when the weather turns cooler, will be the start of some major blu-ray promotions and sales will be way up. The only problem I see now is prices of the movies. To release movies like Batman (1966 Adam West), Sand Pebbles, and other catalogs at $39.95 suggested retail is not going to help the format, in fact the opposite. I understand that the studios do not want blu-ray to end up in bargain bins and at loss prices like dvd did, but suggested retail of $39.95 for older titles, and some smaller newer titles, is out of line with what mainstream consumers are willing to pay when they can get the dvd for 15.00 less, especially on the older catalogs.