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HD DVD fights back in the US

But not for long?

HD DVD managed to cut itself a rather larger slice of US hi-def player sales in the third week of January, according to one analyst group's figures. But a rival market watcher still believes that HD DVD will be dead before 2009.

US Standalone HD Player Sales

BD vs HD DVD

Source: NPD

According to the NPD Group, HD DVD increased its overall sales percentage against rival Blu-ray from 7.4 per cent in the week ended 12 January to 34.3 per cent during the seven days ended 19 January. While this sounds promising for the Toshiba-backed format, the percentage figures still only translate into 8639 HD DVD units and 16,496 Blu-ray units, during the week ended 19 January, according to NPD numbers cited by website The Digital Bits

It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what caused HD DVD’s sudden sales increase, but analyst house Gartner believes that Toshiba’s recent HD DVD player price-cut may have had an impact.

“Toshiba's price-cutting may prolong HD DVD's life a little, but the limited line-up of film titles will inflict fatal damage on the format," a Gartner analyst recently forecast. "Gartner expects that, by the end of 2008, Blu-ray will be the winning format in the consumer market, and the war will be over”.

Toshiba’s not going without a fight though. It’s spent $2.7m on a 30 second Super Bowl advert to advertise its new HD DVD player prices.

This week, UK retail store chain Woolworths declared Blu-ray the HD winner, by announcing that it'll end its HD DVD sales in March.

Latest Comments

Big Deal

So Blu and HD sell 24000 combined - wuhp-de-whoo!!! clearly everything is now decided! Compared to a weekly sales figure of 300,000 - 500,000 for regular dvd players, you now have all the proof that the market has decided and there is no more hope for HD DVD. You guys all need to step out of your tiny little, perfectionist world and realise the vast number of have made no choice, and to be honest, couldn't care. If a High Def disc is going to cost twice as much as the SD version, 90% of potential buyers will opt for the SD version, end of discussion. Quality is not a deciding factor for the VAST majority, convenience and price is. Why else would you have MP3, Wii, movie players on Ipods & phones etc. People chose DVD over VHS, not for the quality, but the convenience. The same will happen to HD.

Whoever sells their Blu or HD player and media at a price that is comparable to SD and that is truely plug and play (no patches etc required) will convince the masses that the improved quality is an added bonus. That will be the winning format. End of discussion.

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@Don

Rubbish mate - no idea what you are on about. I have an XBOX and a PS3. Xbox is loud and thrashy, BUT(!!) the PS3 is considerably quieter. I'm in no way saying that it's as quiet as a mouse, but it is definetly considerably quieter.

Now, watching a film at normal volume, you can hear the Xbox whirring away. PS3? You would be hard pushed to hear it - and this is a 60Gb which has the 'old fans style' in it. The 40gbs that i have witnessed are again quieter than the 60Gb..

@ All

One fact that seems to be illuding most people here is it's not down to hardware sold, it's discs sold. The more discs, the more advantage over the competition.

Another one is this: Sony is NOT (repeating for the thick!) NOT the sole 'maker' of Blue Ray. in fact, are they actually making ANY units?? Unlikely as they purely developed the laser and licenced it out to other makers.

Third and FINAL fact: Anyone that says that Sony is crap at making things is just... er.. well; I'm going to be decent and say they must like Alba, or (oh Lord..) Matsui.. I have used sony ever since I had my first Radio. yes they are expensive. yes they are a large company that brings out the commie twats with rants and raves. BUT they are good quality. You don't just pay for the name, you pay for their R&D which is virtually second to none IMHO. It's like blaming Shell in the Uk for petrol prices.. it's the friggin' Gov!!

So nerrr :op

See You Next Tuesday

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PS3 & 360 Factor

Both these units are so ungodly loud that it is unbearable to watch movies while they are both operating. After the RROD fix (x2) my 360 is noticeably quieter but still way too loud for comfortable, cozy movie watching with the kids. The PS3 falls in the same boat.

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@Mark

You're not very good at understanding this under dog business are you :-P

I'm voting for an under dog icon

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Fanbois to the left of me, fanbois to the right, here i am

Ok, i made a comment that the PS3 is a games console and therefor cannot be counted. Somehow that makes me a HD-DVD loving commie and i should be thrown to the wolves? I do own an XBOX360, do i own an add-on HD-DVD player? No, because it's rubbish. I love toshiba, i think they make great products, but this war has been won by BluR. Shame really, because Sony make lousy products. Will i buy a PS3? Yes, as a games console. That's what it is, a games console. As soon as more decent games come out for the games console, i will buy it. As a games console.

So there you go, i merely stated the PS3 was a gmaes console. I did not say "It's a games console, so HD-DVD is winning!". Stop trying to twist other people's words to fit your wishes.

Here i am, stuck in the middle with P.H. Far more charming than any fanbois.

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