VHS Loses The Format War

[Pirate]

Blu-ray, HD DVD Overtake VHS in Sales

High-def has notched up another milestone, with combined Blu-ray and HD DVD disc sales overtaking VHS during the first half of 2007.

That's according to a new research report from Video Business, which found that during the first six months of the year, consumers bought more Blu-ray and HD DVD discs than half inch videotapes for the first time in history.

Ironically, the good news for high-def comes amid a bit of a sales slump for home entertainment -- specifically DVD -- with a weak Q1 and Q2 slate of both new releases and catalog titles resulting in a slump of over 5 percent versus the same period last year.

Granted, with VHS sales all but non-existent these days, high-def's triumph over the videotape is not exactly leaving DVD quaking in its boots. Whether it is in a slump or not, the standard-def disc format is still far and away the dominant home video format of choice for consumers, and it will likely remain so for the foreseeable future

However, more important for the next-gen formats is that with DVD sales dipping and VHS now all but dead, retailers will be more likely to free limited shelf space for Blu-ray and HD DVD titles. Studios, too, are seeing the flattening standard-def market as an incentive to further develop the high-def market in the upcoming fourth quarter.

"What is likely to happen as the business starts to flatten or trend downward, is it becomes less exciting for retail and they dedicate less space to it,” Sony Pictures Home Entertainment worldwide president David Bishop told Video Business.

This news of Blu-ray and HD DVD overtaking VHS follows Warner's announcement just yesterday that its dual-format bow of '300' set a new next-gen sales record, moving a combined 250,000 copies on high-def in only one week.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...S_in_Sales/845

[ganthc]

So Sony did eventually triumph over VHS! Good for them!!

[Taxi]

Originally Posted by the article that PirateHat linked to

Ironically, the good news for high-def comes amid a bit of a sales slump for home entertainment -- specifically DVD -- with a weak Q1 and Q2 slate of both new releases and catalog titles resulting in a slump of over 5 percent versus the same period last year.

Seems to me that people are buying fewer SD DVDs because they're waiting to see who wins the HD war. I know I've stopped buying SD DVDs for the most part, because I don't want to double (or triple) dip these titles again in HD. I'd rather wait.

[nyxboxnyboy]

That great news VHS dead and suck. I hopeful next standard DVD slow and dying. HD are better than them. Time move to next high definition.

[Sehnzeleid]

Best thread title ever.

I still own a few VHS tapes actually.

[BoSoxMole]

I haven't bought a VHS in about 8 years. And when I was getting movies on VHS, I always got the WS ones which were hard to find sometimes.

[dugpa]

I never bought movies on VHS. I was a laserdisc person before DVD. I say good riddance to VHS. I didn't even know they were still making them. The only pre-recorded VHS tapes I own are of David Lynch films for collector's sake.

[Monrozombi]

I hardly ever bought movies on vhs, I taped them but never felt the need to spend 20 bucks for a new movie on vhs. I still buy blank vhs tapes for taping certain races or tv programs I want to keep and eventually xfer to dvd

[Derb]

I never thought there would be a day when Hi-Def took over a format that died late 2005.

[bloodstainedwings]

I still buy SD DVD actually its all I buy. I have nothing HD yet. Prolly not for a while when there is a slandered HD Format. I think a lot of people are waiting for this. Also wanted to let you guys knows I have 179 SD DVD's & an unknown number of burnted DVD's

[umainebearman]

I still buy sd dvds too. I have been buying fewer lately only because there have been far more crappy releases than good ones.

[Iguana Man]

I bought SVHS tapes not long ago to record movies (pre Tivo). They at the time were awesome to me on a 84" 4x3 screen.

However, VHS is no good and suck. No one use it more. HD teh way now. Me speak and me be heard.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

I bought SVHS tapes not long ago to record movies (pre Tivo). They at the time were awesome to me on a 84" 4x3 screen.

However, VHS is no good and suck. No one use it more. HD teh way now. Me speak and me be heard.

Okay, xboxIguanaBoinyxx

[plissken99]

The only VHS tapes I still have are adult in nature, fond memories of adolescence.

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

I bought SVHS tapes not long ago to record movies (pre Tivo). They at the time were awesome to me on a 84" 4x3 screen.

However, VHS is no good and suck. No one use it more. HD teh way now. Me speak and me be heard.

Originally Posted by ganthc

Okay, xboxIguanaBoinyxx

You guys are terrible.

[Iguana Man]

I'm gonna get in trouble now. Thanks alot fellas.

[Jeff003]

I still buy SD Dvd as I don't have an hd player.