Blu-Ray Disc Pricing

[bapenguin]

Good news Blu-Ray fans. Sony released (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060208/tc_nm/bluray_dc) the wholesale prices on their Blu-Ray discs today and it sounds reasonable.

Catalog Blu-ray disc titles will wholesale for $17.95, about the same as DVDs when that format hit the market in 1997. New-release Blu-ray discs will wholesale for $23.45, a premium of 15%-20% over what suppliers were charging for new theatrical DVDs.
The only thing is question is does this include packaging and everything. If wholesale prices are $23.50, consumer prices should be $25 or $26. Though, I'm guessing MSRP is going to end up being $29.99 which is what DVD came out at.

Another interesting move from the article is the UMD combo pack concept at an MSRP of $28.95 per pack.

Starting March 28, consumers can buy DVD-UMD combo packs of "The Grudge," "Resident Evil," "Underworld," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and MGM's "The Terminator" for just pennies more than Sony typically charges for a new DVD.

[overdrivechao]

All right, finally a reason to get UMD's. I was checking out the local UMD video fare at a local retailer and they were charging $30 for two episodes of Tengo something or other anime i'll never watch. Wow. And I thought DVD 4-ep discs were hideously overpriced.

[BleedTheFreak]

So, it's going to be 2 or 3 regular DVD's (or 4 or 5 if you don't mind Previously Viewed) for the price of a single Blu-Ray DVD? I hope the flashy more powerful menus that can run while the movie is playing (though who would want the movie to keep playing while messing with the menu escapes me) are worth that buying ratio.

[ChamberX]

That DVD/UMD combo is a great idea! Quick, somebody tell me how this is good for Microsoft!

[Serapth]

That DVD/UMD combo is a great idea! Quick, somebody tell me how this is good for Microsoft!

Quick, somebody tell me how this is bad for Microsoft!

Really, MS doesnt give a shit about UMD's and frankly already supports DVD. Now, if it was a BluRay/UMD bundle, MS might care... a very very tiny amount.

[Nite_Moogle]

Another interesting move from the article is the UMD combo pack concept at an MSRP of $28.95 per pack.
Maybe if you had been doing this for the LAST YEAR OR SO people might have hopped on the UMD train a little more quickly.

[Kelegacy]

Maybe if you had been doing this for the LAST YEAR OR SO people might have hopped on the UMD train a little more quickly.
I think UMD's are doing just fine, but of course you have to be a PSP owner to use them. For now.

[dotbomb]

Maybe if you had been doing this for the LAST YEAR OR SO people might have hopped on the UMD train a little more quickly.

Yeah seems like a smart move all along but they were probably waiting for a certain saturation level of the PSP before doing it.

[Reanimated]

30 bucks for a movie?

No thanks... my upscaling DVD player will suit me just fine.

[Roc Ingersol]

That DVD/UMD combo is a great idea! Quick, somebody tell me how this is good for Microsoft!
Microsoft gets royalties from content producers and drive manufacturers from the video codec. Blu-Ray is just as good for Microsoft as HD-DVD.

[Kelegacy]

30 bucks for a movie?

No thanks... my upscaling DVD player will suit me just fine.
All new things come at a premium. And some people feast on HD stuff. Look at the people that bought 360's and HDTVs, just to play videogames.

[Paranoia]

Blu-ray movies for $30? Don't see myself buying one especially when a Blu-ray player will costs around $1000.

[Nite_Moogle]

I think UMD's are doing just fine, but of course you have to be a PSP owner to use them. For now.
How many more UMDs would have been sold if they'd had a bundle pack like this for all their new releases in the past year? I don't know very many people that would buy two boxes for $40 but I know a lot that would buy one copy of a movie in two formats for $30.

[Schnoogs]

30 bucks for a movie?

No thanks... my upscaling DVD player will suit me just fine.

Well upscalers aren't sufficient for thos of us with HD displays. I have a BenQ 8700+ DLP projector that creates a 120" image and upscaling, although better than nothing, pales in comparison to native HD content.

I will be jumping on the BluRay/HDDVD bandwagon day one...my projector demands this of me! ;)

[MosBen]

Now, I'm certainly no expert in this area so feel free to correct me. From what I've read it seems like holographic discs are in a reletively late stage of developement, that is, the discs and players will be ready for consumer use in less than five years. Again, if I'm wrong on that, feel free to correct me. I'm certainly not going to upgrade to either BR or HD-DVD if something better will come along that quickly. By the time Blu Ray comes out I will have been using DVDs for close to a decade and I don't think many people, including myself, will be willing to switch over to something if it's not going to last at least close to that long.

While I don't have an HD display yet, I know plenty of people who do, and DVDs look good enough on there for me to skip this gen.

[johnperkins21]

I think the pricing seems a little high, but am sure that eventually it will come down. I remember paying $30/DVD for the Columbia Tri-Star DVDs when they first came out. New Line and Warner were cheaper, but they had that crappy cardboard case. And aren't FOX and Disney DVDs priced that high right now? No biggie.

The biggest thing I got from the article was this tid-bit:
"With the launch of Blu-ray, we're going to try to introduce the managed-copy concept, where if you buy Blu-ray you'll be able to get additional versions (of the same title) to use in your home," Feingold said. "Ultimately, we might even get to the point where we'll offer consumers the ability to have different versions of the same movie on different devices in the home -- that's something we're working on."

So I buy a Blu-ray disc, and get the DVD, UMD, and a version for my IPOD all for one low price? Fuckin' Awesome!

[Reanimated]

Well upscalers aren't sufficient for thos of us with HD displays.




That sentence doesn't even make sense. Someone WITHOUT an HD display wouldn't be using an upscaler, genius.

To respond to Ke: I bought my HDTV and Xbox 360 at the same time, so yeah, 360 was the tipping point for my entry into HD. HOWEVER, my OPPO 1080i DVD player is more than sufficient for me to watch movies in HD with. I'm certainly not going to drop the 1800 dollars on a could-be-worthless-in-a-year Blu Ray player and 30 bucks a movie just to see a bump in native res for SOME movies.

[Schnoogs]

That sentence doesn't even make sense. Someone WITHOUT an HD display wouldn't be using an upscaler, genius.

To respond to Ke: I bought my HDTV and Xbox 360 at the same time, so yeah, 360 was the tipping point for my entry into HD. HOWEVER, my OPPO 1080i DVD player is more than sufficient for me to watch movies in HD with. I'm certainly not going to drop the 1800 dollars on a could-be-worthless-in-a-year Blu Ray player and 30 bucks a movie just to see a bump in native res for SOME movies.

People with smaller HDTVs see little benefit because of the seating distance to screen size ratio. DVDs looked fine on my older HDTV where as on the new projector you see the limits and my PCs attempts at upscaling dont help much.

Plus a PC would have to upscale for 800x600 or 1024x768 and that IS NOT HD.

BTW..dont get smart with me you condescending prick. Show some respect to people who know shit that you dont....now whos the GENIUS dumbass?!?!?

[fitbabits]

BTW..dont get fucking smart with me you condescending prick.
Holy crap, I believe I uttered those very same words to my little brother on more than one occasion. When I was 15 and he was 12. :rolleyes:

[Schnoogs]

Holy crap, I believe I uttered those very same words to my little brother on more than one occasion. When I was 15 and he was 12. :rolleyes:

I edited my post already...its just annoying when you have to deal with fools here who don't take the time to try and clearly understand your post and then they respond with arrogance...I can't help but bite them back.

BTW...Reanimated you're now on my ignore list so talk away I'm free of your ignorance.

[Nite_Moogle]

So I buy a Blu-ray disc, and get the DVD, UMD, and a version for my IPOD all for one low price? Fuckin' Awesome!
I will believe this when I see it and not an instant before.

[Reanimated]

People with smaller HDTVs see little benefit because of the seating distance to screen size ratio. DVDs looked fine on my older HDTV where as on the new projector you see the limits and my PCs attempts at upscaling dont help much.

Plus a PC would have to upscale for 800x600 or 1024x768 and that IS NOT HD.

BTW..dont get smart with me you condescending prick. Show some respect to people who know shit that you dont....now whos the GENIUS dumbass?!?!?




Maybe instead of acting like a fucking moron, you could try being a little more clear in your posts? I'm sorry you're so upset that you had to start backpedaling, but that's not exactly my fault, genius.

[Schnoogs]

Holy crap, I believe I uttered those very same words to my little brother on more than one occasion. When I was 15 and he was 12. :rolleyes:

I can assume this means that after the age of 12 your brother no longer acted like Reanimate does (and hes probably in his 20s).

You're never too old to tell someone off if they deserve it! ;)

[Schnoogs]

I will clarify what I was trying to say...

Upscalers definitly work and they help for the most part but after I switched to my new projector my HTPC's attempts at upscaling left a lot to be desired. I've watched HD broadcasts aty 720p, played PC games at 1280x720, watched HD documentaries (using Microsofts HD Codec) and all of those experiences spoiled me rotten and now when I watch DVDs it just doesnt cut it.

The upscaler sufficed for a while but once you've tasted real HD content theres no going back. I once did a comparison of the T2 HD version with the regular DVD and its stunning to say the least.

With that being said I'm very excited to adopt BluRay and HDDVD so I can take full advantage of my projector.

[Roc Ingersol]

Now, I'm certainly no expert in this area so feel free to correct me. From what I've read it seems like holographic discs are in a reletively late stage of developement, that is, the discs and players will be ready for consumer use in less than five years.
It seems like holographic storage has been just 5 years away for about 20 years now.

[drakkarim]

that's all nice, now they have to come up with a good reason for me to care, and/or why i should even want to switch from dvd to bray.

i'm guessing that unless you're sporting a 1080i/p capable tv there's absolutely no reason to even give a fart, and last time i checked they're not exactly the 'norm' quite yet.

[askheaves]

UMD = dead end technology.

If there was enough capacity on those discs for a full length movie (by today's standards) in HD, then I would be all over them. They look all futuristic, protected, handy from a form-factor standpoint. But the only place they'll ever be appropriate is on a screen less than 4 inches wide. Sometimes I like a bigger screen.

[Dr Quincy]

UMDs sell quite well though don't they.

[Schnoogs]

that's all nice, now they have to come up with a good reason for me to care, and/or why i should even want to switch from dvd to bray.

i'm guessing that unless you're sporting a 1080i/p capable tv there's absolutely no reason to even give a fart, and last time i checked they're not exactly the 'norm' quite yet.

Numbers are still low..so you are correct. These new formats are probably mostly of interest to people who have home theaters with front or rear HD projectors or a plasma screen.

[johnperkins21]

UMD = dead end technology.

If there was enough capacity on those discs for a full length movie (by today's standards) in HD, then I would be all over them. They look all futuristic, protected, handy from a form-factor standpoint. But the only place they'll ever be appropriate is on a screen less than 4 inches wide. Sometimes I like a bigger screen.

I would agree with you except that I own a PSP. I would never spend $15 or more on a movie for the thing when I could buy the DVD and burn it to my memory stick, but if for $2-$3 more I can get it packaged with the DVD or Blu-Ray version, I'm all over it. I could not see it working as my main video format for home theater, but they do look very nice when you're on a 3 hour plane ride, or holed-up in some crappy hotel without HBO.

[drakkarim]

i hope that someday in the not so distant future some rouge company will finally develop a technology that will let us finally trash all this media shit, no more floppies, cd's, dvd's, bray, hdray, blah blah blah, its all crap.

what >I'll< pay a pretty penny for is a device that is the size of a usb key, stores terabytes of data, and is smart enough to plug into any device and be recognized by it as a media source.

i suppose that'll never happen as then all the media companies wouldn't have anything new to overcharge for.

[Speed_D]

Blu-ray movies for $30? Don't see myself buying one especially when a Blu-ray player will costs around $1000.
I wouldn't mind paying a lot, except:

- the companies making hardware change the default format every couple years
- the blu-ray / hd-dvd fight isn't over yet and I'm not going to sink my money into one until it is

I think a lot of people will stick with regular DVDs for awhile, simply because of reason #2.

[Kelegacy]

Blu-ray movies for $30? Don't see myself buying one especially when a Blu-ray player will costs around $1000.

No, it will cost you 350-450 dollars. It's called a PS3.

[Schnoogs]

No, it will cost you 350-450 dollars. It's called a PS3.

$599 if the rumors are true ;)

[Kelegacy]

$599 if the rumors are true ;)
If rumors were true, I'd have a ten inch cock. But I don't.

It's twelve.

[fitbabits]

If rumors were true, I'd have a ten inch cock. But I don't.

It's twelve.
HA! I can confirm the rumors in this case.

[Serapth]

If rumors were true, I'd have a ten inch cock. But I don't.

It's twelve.

[[[I love the internet, because I can get away with responses like this...]]]

Only twelve? Peewee!

[fitbabits]

[[[I love the internet, because I can get away with responses like this...]]]

Only twelve? Peewee!
Dammit, it's 10! Kelegacy had me fooled too until I turned on the light.

[baz]

Dammit, it's 10! Kelegacy had me fooled too until I turned on the light.

It's the girth that makes it seem bigger.

[fitbabits]

It's the girth that makes it seem bigger.
That and the freakishly long shadow it casts. :)

[Serapth]

That and the freakishly long shadow it casts. :)

Well, if you didnt have the flashlight clenched in your teeth, the shadow wouldnt be that way...

[Schnoogs]

Well, if you didnt have the flashlight clenched in your teeth, the shadow wouldnt be that way...

I think for obvious reasons it was a head light...at least thats what I used...ummm I mean...ummm....gotta go!!!

[Kelegacy]

You guys are all sick bastards.

[Xerxes]

$30 a movie is fine and dandy but what's up on the games... If xbox is getting away with $60 on normal dvd and dual layers what's ps3 price going to be like? $70-$80. Are the people finally ready for neo geo prices?