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“Consumers don’t want Blu-Ray”

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“Consumers don’t want Blu-Ray”

ABI survey says that there’s no appetite for new platform, though PS3 success continues to drive format sales

A new survey from US research firm ABI has suggested that consumers are not that interested in Bu-Ray technology, with only 23 per cent of the 1000 respondents claiming they were thinking of investing in the technology sometime in the next year.

TechTree
reports that over half of those questioned claimed that they will not be buying in to the technology owing to ‘other priorities’ or lack of interest.

“Consumers were happy to embrace standard DVD when that format arrived because the improvement in quality over VHS videotapes was dramatic,” ABI principal analyst Steve Wilson stated.

“Standard DVD didn't require the purchase of a new TV either. In contrast, while half of the respondents to our survey rated Blu-Ray's quality as 'much better' than standard DVD, another 40 per cent termed it only 'somewhat better,' and most are very satisfied with the performance of their current DVD players.”

However, it was also pointed out that thanks to the inclusion of the technology in PS3, adoption rates are still high and are currently outpacing those of DVD. Wilson added: “PS3 console shipments will go a long way to help bring down manufacturing costs and drive down Blu-Ray player prices.”

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Blu-Ray

posted by Dweller Aug 11, 2008 at 6:16 pm
1
Dweller

Is this the US market?. I read on the GameWorldnetwork that over 70% of PS3 owners connect their PS3's to HDTV equipment. Which in turn means the Sony figure of 87% of PS3 owners playing Blu-ray is believable. So maybe its just the US that doesn't want it?

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Re: Blu-Ray

posted by SvenOf9 Aug 11, 2008 at 6:28 pm
2

The American market is very different to the UK one - we didn't jump on lcd and plasma screens until HD ready ones hit, whereas in the USA huge numbers of large screen LCD and plasma normal def TV s were sold (many of which weren't even available here). As a result our market is mush more open to the high def content on disc. However Sony and the other Blu-ray publishers have to do a lot more to get people to recognise the huge difference between blu-ray and DVD (which on a correctly set up system there is) and that will require a lot of 1080p Bravias and equivalents being installed in retailers to show the difference... and vouchers for free eye tests so that the consumer can appreciate it.

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Re: Re: Blu-Ray

posted by hollywooda Aug 12, 2008 at 10:11 am
3
hollywooda

I think Blu-ray & HD films will be a nieche thing, if you have a good upscaler & a HD screen under 60 inch you'll be just fine with that, there's no real need to re buy you film collection. And if the price doesnt come down, a lot!! & quick! (30 pound for Die Hard 4.0 in HMV!!!!) then i can see Blu-ray going the same way as HD-DVD.

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Re: Re: Re: Blu-Ray

posted by Guru Larry Sep 02, 2008 at 4:02 pm
4
Guru Larry

Gotta admit of all the Hi Def formats at the moment, i'm actually buying HD-DVD movies the most!

My collection has sprung from 5 movies to almost 30, just because the price is much more reasonable now, Like Batman Begins, £2.50 on HD-DVD, frickin' £27 on Blu-Ray!!!

If you want to win people over on a format, LOWER THE PRICES LOWER THAN THE COMPETITION!!! Why would someone want to play twice the price for the exact same film?

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