http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=2386 Sony's Blu-ray 'leads US hi-def DVD sales' Sony's Blu-ray next-generation DVD format reportedly accounted for 70% of high-definition disc sales in the US in the first three months of 2007. That left the rival Toshiba-backed HD-DVD standard with just 30% of sales, according to Home Media Magazine's market research arm. The magazine said Blu-ray took the lead in February, and by March accounted for nearly three out of every four high-definition discs sold. When given a choice of formats for the same movie, consumers are going with Blu-ray, said the magazine, citing the example of Warner Home Video's The Departed which launched in February in both formats. By the end of March consumers had bought 53,640 copies of the movie on Blu-ray discs, and 31,590 on HD-DVD discs, according to Home Media Magazine's market research, which is based on studio estimates and point-of-sale data. "All this data points to the irrefutable facts that the consumers are voting with their dollars and adopting the revolutionary technology of the Blu-ray Disc," Bob Chapek, president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment, told Home Media Magazine. Earlier this month an analysis by the Financial Times suggested the HD-DVD standard was gaining the upper hand in Europe as 35 European movies were now available in the format, compared with fewer than 10 for Blu-ray. Lovelace Consulting 24.04.2007 ---------------------------------------------- http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=2359 Toshiba's next-gen DVD format 'leads Europe' The Toshiba-backed HD-DVD standard for next-generation DVDs appears to be gaining the upper hand over the rival Sony-backed Blu-ray format in Europe, according to an analysis by the Financial Times. The FT said that while Blu-ray discs are outselling HD-DVDs in the US by as much as two to one, in Europe HD-DVD is taking the lead as 35 European movies are now available in the format, compared with less than 10 for Blu-ray. According to the FT, larger European studios such as Studio Canal and Pathé in France, Filmax and DeAPlaneta in Spain, and Imagion and Nixbu in Germany have all announced plans to use the HD-DVD technology. Rodolphe Buet, head of business and marketing at Studio Canal, told the FT: "I have met much more commitment from partners involved with HD-DVD than Blu-Ray. I met Sony in mid-2006 but the support was far below what was offered by the HD-DVD partners." Toshiba and Sony attempted to collaborate in 2005 on a unified standard, but talks broke down when each party insisted that their format was the only reasonable way forward. Industry analysts suggest that the popularity of next-generation DVDs will not take off until the issue of a standard format is resolved, ending confusion among consumers similar to that caused by the VHS/Betamax war of the 1980s. Lovelace Consulting 11.04.2007 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways: - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at FreeLists.org - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.