AfterDawn: News

Demand for DVD players slowing down?

The major semiconductor manufacturer ESS warned that their Q4 results would be below expectations. The company puts the blame on slowing demand of DVD and VCD players. Their announcement caused a 6 percent fall in their shares, and it was reflected to other chip makers' shares as well.

The warning came as little surprise to analysts. ESS had issued a similar pre-announcement before its third-quarter earnings release, in which it warned of a slowdown in demand for DVD players. See full story.

In the fourth quarter, growing inventories have combined with sharp price competition to hurt the company. Stanford Financial analyst Chris Chaney said MediaTek, a Taiwanese chipmaker, has been trying to take market share in the DVD player segment, which has resulted in lower prices.

Source: MarketWatch

Written by: Lasse Penttinen @ 30 Dec 2004 9:52

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• 9 comments

• progrockt

  Yea just like the RIAA & MPAA they'll probably try to blame the slow sales of DVD players due to "pirate downloading" them off the internet;-)

  30.12.2004 12:14 #1

• Pop_Smith

  DVD has been around for a long time, it no suprize to see sales starting to slow down.

  30.12.2004 14:18 #2

• MXGzX

  Hey...I bought a dvd player for my friend so he could play his pirated movies. ;)

  30.12.2004 14:29 #3

• daemonzx6

  The RIAA will probably say that since they're doing such a great job, nobody is downloading movies anymore, so the demand for new more capable players has slown down.
  
  damned RIAA...

  30.12.2004 15:41 #4

• A_Klingon

  Some short quotes from Ken C. Pohlmann's "Digital Horizons" column in the Jan/2005 issue of 'Sound & Vision' magazine:
  
  "Last but not least, industry analysts are predicting that in 2006, shipments of DVD players will start to decline. Even if all the other reasons aren't incentive enough [to begin looking at DVD-Hi-Definition] this one is definitive ..... Once you hit market saturation, it's all over."
  
  "There's nothing wrong with DVD. It's a wonderful format. We could enjoy it for years to come. But incredible market forces are pressing manufacturers and studios to introduce new formats ASAP. [Blu-Ray; HD-DVD ...] In short, DVD will soon be surpassed."
  
  I'm not quite the pessimist at this point. The writing may be faintly visible on the wall, but for now, Hollywood is making far, far too many $$$$$$$$$ for any of us to worry about the sudden demise of the most successful home entertainment format ever devised.

  1.1.2005 07:01 #5

• cuteperv

  i heard that the RIAA is trying to make dvd producers to make some kind of protection scheme that force ppl to watch the stupid commercialon on anydvd movie.

  1.1.2005 22:49 #6

• daemonzx6

  If that is true, then I better buy the best damn player I can while they are still without RIAA crap in them. I can't beleive they would make you watch the previews. That was one of DVDs best selling points when they first came out, not having previews.

  1.1.2005 23:00 #7

• strcruzer

  remember you do not own the content according to the RIAA & MPAA you lease it so they can force you watch those damn commercials and you have to pay for it to boot! They want to make it illegal to skip the commercials (DMCA) this is the real issue.
  
  I for one do not like them and use any means necessary to skip them and watch my movie I purchased. I an one that supports fair use and feel we should not be held captive by the MPAA or RIAA and forced to watch marketing crap.
  
  Starcruiser

  5.1.2005 04:05 #8

• cuteperv

  I read an article on PC Magazine saying that even though ppl saying that copying DVD is illegal under the DMCA. Those who comments that are only the lower courts whose decisions are the real issues, that is why we are at afterdawn still can talk about copying dvd. The real battle is between the supreme court and the RIAA.

  5.1.2005 18:29 #9