[opendtv] Re: Blockbuster move boosts Blu-ray camp
----- Original Message ----- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> 


I think it's only the fact that CEDs were carried by the big rental
chains that gave them any success at all. LD movies were sold in stores,
so there's no reason to think they were meant to be "niche." But never
showed up for rental. Why were CEDs rented? Were they cheaper? Maybe.
CED players cost 1/3 of what first generation LD players with helium lasers inside did.
There were many more CED players in homes than LD players, so there was a much larger potential rental market. Same with VHS vs. Betamax. VHS players were much cheaper, so there were more sold, so there were more movie titles available, until finally the Betamax movie list dried up completely at your local video store.
LDs hung in there for quite a while even after DVDs came out. You can still buy Pioneer Laserdisc/DVD combo players today as new old stock.
However, Bert, Laserdiscs were the pinnacle of videophile niche use. The players were never priced for the masses. 

John




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