Return Rates: HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray

[Ruined]

Over at AVSFORUM, the largest Home Theater enthusiast site on the internet:

RETURN RATE IS BOLDED FOR EACH FORMAT

Did you decide to keep your HD-DVD player? (240 responses)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=696555
3% - No, I returned it
97% - I am very satisfied with the HD-A1/XA-1/HDV5000 and keeping it

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Did you decide to keep your Blu-Ray player? (225 responses)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=690621
77% - No, I returned it
23% - Yes I'm going to keep it

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Man, it looks like the manufacturers really picked the wrong horse to back for this race!

 

[Arwin]

How come there are equally many respondents for both polls? Especially with the BluRay system only just having been released compared to the HD-DVD system? This isn't exactly reliable info, now, is it?

Too early, people, way too early. It's like proclaiming the 360 has won the console war based on number of systems sold to date...

 

[Arty]

How come there are equally many respondents for both polls? Especially with the BluRay system only just having been released compared to the HD-DVD system? This isn't exactly reliable info, now, is it?

Equal respondents = unrealiable poll? Out of the many ways to discredit the poll you chose the weakest one. :|

 

[RobertR1]

How come there are equally many respondents for both polls? Especially with the BluRay system only just having been released compared to the HD-DVD system? This isn't exactly reliable info, now, is it?

Too early, people, way too early. It's like proclaiming the 360 has won the console war based on number of systems sold to date...

Nobody's declaring anything to be "over" just that HD DVD has won the opening round and we'll see how things go from here.

 

[Geo]

I dunno, early returns seem to be aimed more at the codec currently being used on BRD discs as unsatisfactory for the kind of enthusiast who'd toss down for these things at this point, particularly given the price of the BRD players.

But that won't last.

And, of course, BRD is going to get a major shot in the arm come PS3 release. Whether many people buy a PS3 just for BRD is certainly an open question. . .but I have to believe there isn't any question that some significant portion of those who buy a PS3 and get a BRD with it anyway are going to want to try some HD content to see what all the shouting is about. And, at this point in their respective life-cycles, I would expect that means BRD will shoot into the lead at least temporarily.

 

[Acert93]

While the overall numbers cannot be verified, the general theme seems accurate within context. Early adopters are very, very picky about quality and from the little I have read Toshiba and HD DVD are delivering a better experience right now.

I have thought for quite a long time that BluRay would be the eventual champ based on exclusive Hollywood support and the premise that it was technologically superior and would inturn give a better experience based on the constant hyping of the format. I didn't think HD DVD, even with the DVD name, could overcome those hurdles, so I am quite surprised at how BluRay came out of the gate--especially with the constant reminders that, "BluRay has been around for a long time in Japan". How and why these issues were able to creep into a product that is almost singularly focused on fidelity is surprising.

 

[Acert93]

And, of course, BRD is going to get a major shot in the arm come PS3 release. Whether many people buy a PS3 just for BRD is certainly an open question. . .but I have to believe there isn't any question that some significant portion of those who buy a PS3 and get a BRD with it anyway are going to want to try some HD content to see what all the shouting is about. And, at this point in their respective life-cycles, I would expect that means BRD will shoot into the lead at least temporarily.

True, especially considering you can get a PS3-20GB ($499) for the same price as an HD DVD player!

It makes you think a little: You have to be pretty serious to pick up a $1000 BluRay player knowing that you could get the basic core experience for $599 on a PS3 + a ton of extra stuff seeing as the PS3 plays games. Unless prices drop soon I would expect quanities of standalone BluRay players to remain in the minority until they can get better retail parity with the PS3 or can produce significant advantages in features (like recording). It would seem only the super hardcore need to apply at the $1,000 price tag--which would explain why some are turned off early if the quality of the media, due to codec and/or size issues is limiting quality.

$1,000 is a lot of money to most people, even rich ones. And if that amount is not relevant then you probably have a HD DVD player as well.

 

[Geo]

Well, just to pluck a few numbers out of the air. . . with an attempt to be in the ballpark, but still obviously guessing. . . if Sony sells 5M PS3 by early spring, and 10% of those are to people with HDTVs, that's going to be 500K BRD player owners who are almost certainly going to buy a few BRD movies just to check it out. And I would guess that's on the conservative side. Fingers crossed they get their codec issues worked out sooner rather than later so those folks aren't going "meh" on forums (tho they probably also won't be quite the afficianado/choosy types as are typically looking at BRD player output right now).

 

[Skrying]

Buy? No way, rent? Possibly.

 

[Geo]

Hmm, interesting idea. Dunno; we buy DVD's much more often than renting them. So far as I can tell, there isn't a big premium on BRD discs. Also, don't have a clue where Blockbuster et al are in providing these.

 

[Skrying]

Hmm, interesting idea. Dunno; we buy DVD's much more often than renting them. So far as I can tell, there isn't a big premium on BRD discs. Also, don't have a clue where Blockbuster et al are in providing these.

I've never bought a movie, I'll never watch them more than once and then if I ever see one again its on HBO or something.

Of course I'm not really a movie lover, in fact I generally hate 99% of movies I see. So I'm in the minority big time here.

 

[Geo]

A bit more on stand-alone BRD player availability. . . .

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20060710PB205.html