Video Asylum

Posted by David Aiken (A) on December 05, 2007 at 20:49:51

In Reply to: RE: Blu Ray take 95% of Australian market posted by Ole Lund Christensen on December 05, 2007 at 13:37:46

I've made several posts on BD vs HD DVD in Australia so I'll repeat things in point form:

- BD released here in November 06, a week or 2 later than in the US. HD DVD released here in January 07, more than 6 months after their US release and 2 months after BD. They let BD get the drop on them and get in first.

- Toshiba players here have been expensive since their release, with the cheapest only fractionally cheaper than the PS3 for most of the time. I wonder whether the PS3 is actually cheaper than the cheapest Toshiba since the last PS3 price reduction.

- BD players and discs have been on display everywhere. In recent months I've finally started to see HD DVD discs around but I have still to see a HD DD player on display anywhere.

In other words, HD DVD started last, is basically no cheaper, and has virtually no visibility whatsoever here while BD got in first and has had high visibility since its release, and there are players available at similar prices to the Toshiba.

HD DVD blew every advantage they had in the US when it came to Australia. Everything they did right in the US, they did the exact opposite here. BD basically released at the same time as in the US, have comparable prices to the US rather than significantly higher, and have gone out of their way to be noticed. No wonder they've got a bigger share of the market.



David Aiken