Sigh, trust this old HD-DVD fanboy to jump out of the woodworks as soon as there might be some news that hint at the success of BD. It really sad to have such a gripe about the winning format that you can not let go.
Thanks for telling the real side of the story. The fact that Blu-ray has a paltry 3% of the market after three years is pathetic. The only way a post-DVD physical HD format was going to catch on was if it was cheap and plentiful almost right from the beginning. HD-DVD had a chance, but Sony and the Blu-ray Disc Association bought all the studios out. Unfortunately, this was only done with the mindset that they would overcharge for the next 3-4 years, and make a lot of money, which is EXACTLY the set of events that would cause the next format to be a failure.
The market is done with physical discs. DVDs work fine for most people now, and as soon as Hollywood pulls its collective head out of its collective ass, and moves to a digital downloading/streaming system, people will be ready to move on. Blu-ray's snail-pace adoption rate is proof enough that all of the above is the truth.
Hexydes, it's clear that you're also an old disgruntled HD-DVD fanboy. Multi's spin being the real side of the story? Physical media being dead? What a load of bull!
1. Yes, MFM keeps ragging on BD, and sometimes he's over the top, but in this case the comment he made does actually add context to the original article, and even helps explain it. If Blu-ray really only has 3% of the market in the UK, then it's not surprising the last comment talks about downloads being more likely to take off over there.
2. I don't believe MFM was ever a fan of HD DVD either. My understanding was that he hated both formats, but is especially irritated by EHD's Blu-ray cheerleading which is frequently misleading and frequently over the top (like posting four articles attempting to debunk that stupid "HD DVD is doing better than BD" poll, which actually served to make EHD look more ridiculous than the poll!)
I do think EHD should have included the fact BD has a 3% share over there. The article actually physically makes no sense (well, the last part anyway) without that added bit of context.
I'm starting to see a pattern everywhere. Everyone who questions anything Blu-ray or puts a comment about is a disgruntled HD DVD fanboy.
What's actually sad is that it really doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want BD to fail just because they won (one way or the other).
Here's what I think. A growing disdain towards Blu-ray is the way BDA and all companies and press who are somehow either dependent on them or are actually paid by them are constantly spreading half-baked and cherry picked stats and future estimates that are nowhere near facts or real life.
I think there wouldn't be such an outbreak of dislike if they just kept their mouth shut and actually improved the technology and finally finished it to be up to some standard instead of making statements in some percentages that are only selected to create an illusion of amazing growth. Anyone with high-school education can see that increase of 200% out of something tiny sounds impressive but it still remains tiny. It's normal that the smaller the numbers the more impressive percentages will look with some growth, which takes us to the real life situation.
Is Blu-ray growing? Sure. Is it growing anywhere fast enough to fulfill the numbers estimated by paid shills of BDA? Nope and it's going to be nowhere close to replacing DVD in at least next 5 years and after that the DVD market will shrink so much that the spin on Blu-ray taking 50% of DVD market will take effect without actual logic that by that time DVD market share will nowhere look the same is it does today and the spin and misleading numbers will keep going.
In the end though, it will become evident to everyone. Optical media is dead and it's just a matter of time when it will be replaced. Maybe 5, maybe 10 years but it's happening and in the meantime we will only see DVD or Blu-ray or any other optical media sales number shrink and anything internet based (be it VOD, digital downloads, streaming subscription service and websites) will grow. They already say that by 2012 or so digital downloads/streaming/VOD will take 25% of the market and it will only go up more rapidly from there.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Multi-format-mayhem @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:53PM
S'funny you picked a version of this story to quote which left out the relative size of that Blu-ray share compared to the whole market.
I'll help you out, so everyone can see the full facts -
"The sole bright spot was 231 per cent increase in the volumes of Blu-ray discs being sold, although the absolute figure of 3.1 million remains modest compared with total DVD volumes of 99.6 million."
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article6620823.ece
3.1 million in a total market of 102.7 million = 3%.
3% is the Blu-ray share in the UK.
Yeah, it's going great, let's pump-up that 231% increase nonsense
(like as if increases starting from such a low base mean a thing).
benny boy @ Jul 3rd 2009 6:47PM
Why? Stop acting as if you are giving an unbiased view of events here.
Multi-format-mayhem @ Jul 3rd 2009 9:45PM
Benny
Go on then, you tell me how the additional info that I posted here was less truthful and complete than the original thread post?
We're 3 years in and in the UK at least we're able to see that for all the hype and PR it turns out that Blu-ray has 'grown' to 3% of the market.
You tell me why that isn't relevant or important or worth including in a discussion about when Blu-ray stands in the wider scheme of thing.
Why shouldn't people be given that info if it's out there, huh?
(this ought to be good)
Hey, maybe 'The Times' are what was it, oh yeah, "disgruntled HD DVD fanboys"?
LMAO
Happy BD Owner @ Jul 4th 2009 2:15AM
Sigh, trust this old HD-DVD fanboy to jump out of the woodworks as soon as there might be some news that hint at the success of BD. It really sad to have such a gripe about the winning format that you can not let go.
hexydes @ Jul 4th 2009 2:34AM
Thanks for telling the real side of the story. The fact that Blu-ray has a paltry 3% of the market after three years is pathetic. The only way a post-DVD physical HD format was going to catch on was if it was cheap and plentiful almost right from the beginning. HD-DVD had a chance, but Sony and the Blu-ray Disc Association bought all the studios out. Unfortunately, this was only done with the mindset that they would overcharge for the next 3-4 years, and make a lot of money, which is EXACTLY the set of events that would cause the next format to be a failure.
The market is done with physical discs. DVDs work fine for most people now, and as soon as Hollywood pulls its collective head out of its collective ass, and moves to a digital downloading/streaming system, people will be ready to move on. Blu-ray's snail-pace adoption rate is proof enough that all of the above is the truth.
Happy BD Owner @ Jul 4th 2009 8:52AM
Hexydes, it's clear that you're also an old disgruntled HD-DVD fanboy. Multi's spin being the real side of the story? Physical media being dead? What a load of bull!
squiggleslash @ Jul 4th 2009 10:16AM
BD Fanboy/Benny: Couple of points:
1. Yes, MFM keeps ragging on BD, and sometimes he's over the top, but in this case the comment he made does actually add context to the original article, and even helps explain it. If Blu-ray really only has 3% of the market in the UK, then it's not surprising the last comment talks about downloads being more likely to take off over there.
2. I don't believe MFM was ever a fan of HD DVD either. My understanding was that he hated both formats, but is especially irritated by EHD's Blu-ray cheerleading which is frequently misleading and frequently over the top (like posting four articles attempting to debunk that stupid "HD DVD is doing better than BD" poll, which actually served to make EHD look more ridiculous than the poll!)
I do think EHD should have included the fact BD has a 3% share over there. The article actually physically makes no sense (well, the last part anyway) without that added bit of context.
Bozster @ Jul 5th 2009 8:58AM
I'm starting to see a pattern everywhere. Everyone who questions anything Blu-ray or puts a comment about is a disgruntled HD DVD fanboy.
What's actually sad is that it really doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want BD to fail just because they won (one way or the other).
Here's what I think. A growing disdain towards Blu-ray is the way BDA and all companies and press who are somehow either dependent on them or are actually paid by them are constantly spreading half-baked and cherry picked stats and future estimates that are nowhere near facts or real life.
I think there wouldn't be such an outbreak of dislike if they just kept their mouth shut and actually improved the technology and finally finished it to be up to some standard instead of making statements in some percentages that are only selected to create an illusion of amazing growth. Anyone with high-school education can see that increase of 200% out of something tiny sounds impressive but it still remains tiny. It's normal that the smaller the numbers the more impressive percentages will look with some growth, which takes us to the real life situation.
Is Blu-ray growing? Sure. Is it growing anywhere fast enough to fulfill the numbers estimated by paid shills of BDA? Nope and it's going to be nowhere close to replacing DVD in at least next 5 years and after that the DVD market will shrink so much that the spin on Blu-ray taking 50% of DVD market will take effect without actual logic that by that time DVD market share will nowhere look the same is it does today and the spin and misleading numbers will keep going.
In the end though, it will become evident to everyone. Optical media is dead and it's just a matter of time when it will be replaced. Maybe 5, maybe 10 years but it's happening and in the meantime we will only see DVD or Blu-ray or any other optical media sales number shrink and anything internet based (be it VOD, digital downloads, streaming subscription service and websites) will grow. They already say that by 2012 or so digital downloads/streaming/VOD will take 25% of the market and it will only go up more rapidly from there.