HD DVD's?

[cmcg55]

Originally Posted by Xstyle

It WILL be very popular. Just look at the nutters on this site alone ... gotta have the best PQ and the best audio!
Its proven when the dvd co's release special editions with extra DTS tracks etc... people still buy them!!
The same will happen with HD-DVD's ... better picture, people will buy.
I've done that with the Superbit titles I like.

"the nutters on this site alone", the nutters on every other site, everyone who buys special editions even though they have a normal edition all add up to... what?

Oh, around 1% of the market.

It'll take general public to accept it for it to be a success - that means the kind of people who don't see a problem with buying a 50 quid player from Dixons, whose HT setup probably comprises a sub-400 quid "HT-in-one-box" speakers/amp set (also from Dixons), and who wouldn't buy a second version of a movie under any circumstances. In fact, they probably own a very small number of DVDs at all - 20-30 at most. In other words, the other 99% of the market.

Right now, HD-DVD/BluRay have got as much chance as being the next DVD-A/SACD formats (lost and forgotten) as they have of being the next big thing. Anyone who tells you it's a sure-thing either is selling something or doesn't understand what the HT market in the UK is actually comprised of.

[Xstyle]

Good answer...

[Dave H]

I think with a lot of people buying HD ready screens and the new PS3 having a Blue ray drive, there might be more people than you think wanting to buy HD movies.

Dave.

[Kilian Collins]

I think HD-DVD/Blu Ray will take off must faster in the States because a larger per centage there will have big screen HDTV's, easier/cheaper access to HD TV output, and the benefits of the new formats will be literally more visible to them. The big issue there I'm guessing will be the format war. Until one format wins and/or dual players are available at a reasonable price (compared to DVD players), Joe six-pack won't be buying two machines, or even one expensive machine.

"About 16 million US households will have an HDTV set by year's end, up from 10 million last year, according to Forrester Research." (source avsforum.com)

I think appeal in the UK will initially be limited due to fewer HDTV's, pricy Sky HD, and smaller average screen size than the US. Hopefully though, we will be able to get movie software from the US providing there aren't regional coding issues.

I'm guessing that HDTV will be a slow burner in the UK (with the exception of forum members). In time people may be unknowingly buying HD discs that will also have dvd compatible versions of movies.(I assume that's possible) As they then upgrade their TV's, they will also upgrade their players to whchever HD version is standard. (by that time the cost of TV's and machines will have come down to a point where people will buy in large numbers. The reduction in the cost of machines will have already been driven by the high demand in the US and Japan)

If HD/Blu Ray becomes mainstream in the next 3-5 years in the US, I'm guessing we'll be another 3 years behind.

I look forward to seeing just how far off the mark my guesses are !!