so NPD is a good, impartial baseline for comparing sales.
For comparing, yes, but for using their numbers as total sales, no.
so NPD is a good, impartial baseline for comparing sales.
I guess you're talking about Dave Baumann. In which case, I have to ask you what Wavey has to do with this topic of discussion.
OK here is an utterly random thought I just had. Sortof related to launch numbers...
I was just thinking...
I wonder how many HD-DVD drives are microsoft shipping right now? I'm guessing it's actually rather large number? Quite possibly larger than the number of PS3s being sold?
Then why does it keep selling out everywhere before I can get to the store? Futureshop had a pile in on Friday according to the sales guy but he was surprised to discover they'd all gone when I went in, they had more in over the weekend but were all out again when I went in today. Someone else at work who'd been hunting for one said HMV had some but they were gone by the time I got there. I think it's actually selling better than anyone really expected. And I still can't find oneMost importantly, I just don't see that many XBox360 fans picking it up, when it can't contribute anything to game playing, and when they could get a component HD-DVD player for only a few hundred more.
Then why does it keep selling out everywhere before I can get to the store? Futureshop had a pile in on Friday according to the sales guy but he was surprised to discover they'd all gone when I went in, they had more in over the weekend but were all out again when I went in today. Someone else at work who'd been hunting for one said HMV had some but they were gone by the time I got there. I think it's actually selling better than anyone really expected. And I still can't find one
Then why does it keep selling out everywhere before I can get to the store? Futureshop had a pile in on Friday according to the sales guy but he was surprised to discover they'd all gone when I went in, they had more in over the weekend but were all out again when I went in today. Someone else at work who'd been hunting for one said HMV had some but they were gone by the time I got there. I think it's actually selling better than anyone really expected. And I still can't find one
So apparently XB fans do want next gen format.
I think Microsoft would do well to sell 100,000 external HD-DVD drives by the end of this year, actually. Toshiba hasn't sold that many HD-DVD players in the US yet, and the blue diode issue would only be worse for Toshiba with Sony having pre-empted so much of the production (the opposite of your suggestion).
Most importantly, I just don't see that many XBox360 fans picking it up, when it can't contribute anything to game playing, and when they could get a component HD-DVD player for only a few hundred more.
There's only two companies making these diodes AFAIK, and they're cooperating companies, and the limits one has in production also affects the other, because they're using the same tech. I would say the diode problem doesn't affect Toshiba and MS so much, because demand for their systems is far less. sony needs a million diodes a month or so. MS and Toshiba could get away with a few tens of thousands probably. Compare your figure for 70,000 HD-A1's in 6 months versus PS3's 250k in a week, and that's supply bound!Toshiba sold their entire run of HD-A1(xa1's) of about 70,000. The 360 HD DVD add-on is selling quite well also. Sony's diode problem does not affect MS and Toshiba in any way. They have their own supplier.
He goes even further and has several times claimed here that NDP only reports 70% of actual sales. So maybe you shouldn't concentrate on me first
Laa-Yosh is right IMO. Taking NDP x 1.25 is reasonably accurate.
The multiplication factor is just a guess - why have one just for the sake of it? If their data collection is consistent for all systems, it should provide a rough comparison between the consoles (but not accurate info on absolute sales of each system).
What I find amazing is that people think in NDP numbers trump MS numbers. NDP numbers are useful when MS numbers are absent (MS doesn't release monthly numbers), but I've never seen anyone quote or produce documents that states NPD thinks their numbers are more accurate.
There's only two companies making these diodes AFAIK, and they're cooperating companies, and the limits one has in production also affects the other, because they're using the same tech. I would say the diode problem doesn't affect Toshiba and MS so much, because demand for their systems is far less. sony needs a million diodes a month or so. MS and Toshiba could get away with a few tens of thousands probably. Compare your figure for 70,000 HD-A1's in 6 months versus PS3's 250k in a week, and that's supply bound!
No it's based on a comparison of Sony's official shipped numbers, and the NPD reported numbers.
If you are doing comparisons of sales trends NPD is fine, if you want to look at TOTAL sales, then NPD x 1.25 is a very good bet.
What about that the specs or the HD-DVD is easier to hit? Meaning while you might be having issue making the blue laser for Bluerays specs, then the fall out of those may be good enough for HD-DVD?