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I recently received a message from Warner Bros. urging me to further promote Blu-ray Disc™ education. Their term was “Blu-ray 101.” According to Warner Bros., despite two years of availability and an end to the “format war,” consumers still express a fundamental lack of understanding of the benefits of Blu-ray Disc––even as the holidays approach and BD hardware and software are expected to be big sellers. It’s hard to believe that our readers aren’t among the most knowledgeable about Blu-ray. Nevertheless, I am passing on to you the message that I received. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group recently conducted a survey of DVD owners who have not yet adopted BD, and the results revealed a persistent lack of knowledge about even the most basic functionality and features offered by Blu-ray. Here are just a few of the common pervasive misconceptions about Blu-ray: • Perception: “I’d have to re-build my movie library from scratch because Blu-ray can’t play standard DVDs.” • Truth: The switch from VHS to DVD made huge libraries of content obsolete. That’s not the case with Blu-ray. Blu-ray players and PlayStation® 3s can play ordinary DVDs! And not only can they play them, but the “upconversion” process makes them look even better! • Perception: “There aren’t very many titles on Blu-ray.” • Truth: The format war is over. HD DVD (the competing format) will not be coming back. All the movie studios are now backing one format—Blu-ray. Therefore, all the movies you love will be coming out on Blu-ray soon, and all major theatrical releases since 2006 are available on Blu-ray already. • Perception: “High-definition players are too expensive, and I'm not ready to invest in new equipment.” • Truth: There are Blu-ray players in the market for as low as $279, and this is expected to drop to $249 by Christmas. Also, PlayStation 3s are great value, because for only $399 you get a Blu-ray player and a game console. Plus, hardware and software companies are joining together to offer consumers great package deals on Blu-ray players and PS3s with Blu-ray software. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group has the world’s largest film library and is releasing more than 30 new and classic Blu-ray titles in Q4, some of which will include amazing new features like 3D and BD Live. The demand for these titles will be driving consumer interest in the Blu-ray format, and, as the WBHEG survey shows, customers still have a lot to learn. Well—with the exception of long-term Widescreen Review readers—that is. Noting the comment on expected Blu-ray growth, according to a new report from Parks Associates, unit sales of Blu-ray Disc players globally––excluding Sony’s PlayStation 3 video games console––are projected to top 40 million by 2012. The report says that sales of standalone Blu-ray players will reach five million units this year, compared to 800,000 units in 2007. Speaking to the Consumer Electronics Association, Victor Matsuda, Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association, said sales of Blu-ray Discs are four times as high compared to this time last year, thanks to the demise of HD DVD. He also said that Blu-ray is doing better than even the “most optimistic sales forecasts and market analyst reports.” “We have good reason to predict that this Q4 sales period will see the Blu-ray Disc revolution take hold in U.S. mainstream markets, and we will witness strong sales performance in every other geographical region,” Matsuda said. “It’s about consumer awareness, the abundance of choice in players, and the awesome lineup of movie titles that Blu-ray offers mainstream home entertainment fans.” Another factor in the demand for and growth of Blu-ray is the appeal of large, flat panel 720p and 1080p HDTVs. HD display households are expected to grow at a 21 percent growth rate over the next five years. This in turn will create demand for Blu-ray players and Blu-ray content, as well as for HD cable, DBS, and telco delivery providers to expand their offerings. Gary Reber Editor-In-Chief & Publisher Widescreen Review
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