Blu-Ray group disputes HD DVD sales claims
updated 04:35 pm EDT, Mon July 16, 2007
Blu-Ray sales v. HD DVD
Representatives of the Blu-Ray industry are challenging claims that HD DVD is the dominant HD format in Europe. Promoters of the latter have suggested that in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, there are nearly three times more HD DVD players than Blu-Ray models. These figures have admittedly excluded the Sony PlayStation 3 however, which can play Blu-Ray movies, but is foremost a game console. The HD DVD committee only tracks devices which are primarily movie players.
Sales of the PlayStation 3 could tilt statistics substantially, since 800,000 units had already been sold in the continent by April. Furthermore, spokesmen for the Blu-Ray European Promotions Committee note that PC drives haven't been accounted for, which they argue could help put Blu-Ray at 95 percent of the European market. The HD DVD Promotion Group has not responded to this counter-claim. [via The Register]
fudge factors
07/16, 04:59pm reply
Well, yeah 800k PS3s were sold, but how many people use them to view movies? (and last time I tried to watch a movie with my since-given-away PS2, the interface was pretty unpleasant, a dedicated player is basically transparent and just goes with d-pad/menu/ok for menu interface)
100% of HDDVD player owners use it to watch HDDVDs. They probably buy more than 2-3 of them. What's the percentage of PS3 owners watching movies, and how many movies do they buy?
OtisWild
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
...XBOX 360
07/16, 05:52pm reply
I wonder if the numbers include the number of users who bought an HD-DVD player for thier XBox 360 console.. This could bolster the argument that the PS3s should be included.
SubPop
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006
PS3 Blu-ray
07/16, 06:25pm reply
Most of the people who own a PS3 and have an HDTV do in fact watch and buy Blu-ray movies. The inteface is incredible, the video quality is top-notch, and the dedicated remote works very well (an IR adapter can be hooked up as well with an old PS2 remotes IR module). And at $500 it is still one of the most affordable Blu-ray players.
PS3's should be included in the total because most of the people who buy their consoles solely for playing games are buying XBox 360s.
aaronmarks
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2005