AfterDawn: News

Blu-ray and HD DVD now outselling VHS

In the not-so-slow death of VHS, HD seems to be putting the final nail in the coffin.

According to a research report by Video Business, combined sales of Blu-ray and HD DVD have overtaken sales of VHS for the first half of 2007. The news however, comes on the heels of a 5 percent decline in standard DVD sales for the first half of the year versus the first half of 2006.



Although the news is hardly huge, it is still interesting to note the death of VHS in under 10 years and the small but notable decline in DVD sales. Studios, noticing the aforementioned facts, have decided to develop the HD market more in the second half of the year.

"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,” said Sony Pictures Home Entertainment worldwide president David Bishop.

Source:
HD Digest

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 8 Aug 2007 15:39

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• 29 comments

• Pop_Smith

  This, my aD friends, shows you really how little of an audience the HD market has (that is HD DVD and Blu-Ray) if it just barely passed up VHS. However with a very slight, but noted, decline in DVD sales the HD market may actually be starting to get on its feet.
  
  I could consider this "HD" disks "First Step", they started out small and although they still are like a little kid they passed a "hurtle" of sorts by finally passing VHS is sales.
  
  Although the HD disk market is still small its growing, although I still personally would say neither HD format will ever win only time will tell.
  
  Personally I believe something else will come out that is better then either format and overtake the market while Blu-Ray and HD DVD fight under the table for scraps.
  
  Peace

  8.8.2007 16:07 #1

• BIGnewb

  wow cant wait to see if a moderator will do something about that ^^^^

  8.8.2007 16:31 #2

• Jlhfit

  THis is "new" news?? With the amount of HD tvs and PS3's, new blueray players.. Why wouldnt it beat out VHS... Im in the satellite buisiness, every home I go to that has a VCR, always ask me to leave it out the loop.. They all either have dvd players or game consoles... I have had probably 10 customers in the last 2 years, ask me to connect their VCR.. So.. to me this is noooo surprise...

  8.8.2007 16:31 #3

• mspurloc

  Really?
  How are they doing against Laserdisc, 8-track and 78 RPM records?

  8.8.2007 16:32 #4

• Jlhfit

  Originally posted by mspurloc: Really?
  How are they doing against Laserdisc, 8-track and 78 RPM records?lol.. I hope your joking.. Actually I have seen several laserdisc players, but the customers where collecting them.. or shall I say the players where collectng dust in their attics...

  8.8.2007 16:37 #5

• albino92

  Does this include old movies on VHS because they 99% sure new movies don't come out on vhs. only dvd,umd,bluray, and hddvd and soon to come the new combo format

  8.8.2007 16:37 #6

• Dela

  Quote:Wow, thats the statement of the century. Is the standard of news by afterdawn staff really that low, or is the pull for just generating money that big? I want a job at afterdawn if I can post swill like this and get paid. Where do I sign up?Wow, that's the most unnecessary post I have read all day. Is the standard of AfterDawn newbie's really that low, or do people really get off on being needlessly critical? I want to join in the discussion so I can directly try to offend somebody who has done nothing wrong to me so I look cool amongst my peers, where do I sign up?
  
  Seriously man, grow up! Nobody asked you to read anything. AfterDawn should never be considered an official news source by anyone. Instead, we provide content that caters to the niche we cover and provide the real source behind it on all of our articles, unlike some not-to-be-named spin-offs that regularly try to take jealous stabs at the success of what we do.
  
  You know, as a team, we try to do as much as we can and even though you thought you'd be clever by bringing up money, AfterDawn's staff lacks rich people. Oh the site makes a nice amount of money, no doubt about that, but instead of anyone milking it, there's 17 employees and always... ALWAYS something to do for everyone.
  
  Just because you wanted to think you were a critic who has some right to bash the covering of a Video Business report just because you didn't like the subject matter does not mean that you reflect the average interests of AfterDawn users. In fact, your needlessly offending "News Comment" shows that you don't, as 95% of our feedback is positive and most of our users do in fact find the performance and evolution of HD... in even its small details... interesting.
  
  I shouldn't even be giving you what you want here (I don't doubt you seeked a reply from an Admin or Staff Member so you could IM all your buddies about how wrong we are) but there seems to be a small uprising of people who love to post unneeded comments like yours. Why don't you send some feedback like that to support@afterdawn.com or heck, if you are so offended, it says right at the top who wrote it... go write a PM.
  
  I SHOULD have PM'ed you with my opinion of why you felt that necessary, but I think its important that every now and again a reply like this is posted publicly... usually the mods just roll in and ban people for misuse of News Comments. (thanks guys, we appreciate it more than you know!)

  8.8.2007 16:38 #7

• Jlhfit

  Originally posted by albino92: Does this include old movies on VHS because they 99% sure new movies don't come out on vhs. only dvd,umd,bluray, and hddvd and soon to come the new combo format
  Most major movie production company have stopped producing to vhs completely.. DVD only.. No offense to anyone with VHS, but VHS is gone.... In my opinion it looks like crap on an HDtv and my experince with VHS growing up is, the more they are played the worse the quality would get..Most people I see with VCR, where usually elderly and have them b/c the dont want to change.. They love their "ole tape machine"..... Anyway....

  8.8.2007 16:43 #8

• Jlhfit

  Quote:Quote:Although the news is hardly hugeWow, thats the statement of the century. Is the standard of news by afterdawn staff really that low, or is the pull for just generating money that big? I want a job at afterdawn if I can post swill like this and get paid. Where do I sign up?
  Obviously it got your attention.. You came here and replied.. Just dont even reply or making any statements if all you are going to do is come in hear and put down those that do like discussing the "lowest of news"...
  

  
  
  

  8.8.2007 16:48 #9

• Iguana775

  who still uses VHS? It's going to be as common as Betamax pretty soon.

  8.8.2007 17:09 #10

• Pop_Smith

  Originally posted by BIGnewb: wow cant wait to see if a moderator will do something about that ^^^^Ah, you had me scared for minute! That is until I saw Dela's post. BIGnewb must have been referencing this:
  Quote:Wow, thats the statement of the century. Is the standard of news by afterdawn staff really that low, or is the pull for just generating money that big? I want a job at afterdawn if I can post swill like this and get paid. Where do I sign up?.
  
  Scared me at first as I thought "I don't see anything wrong with my original post and if there is please PM me about it"!! :-P
  
  Peace

  8.8.2007 17:21 #11

• Jlhfit

  Originally posted by Iguana775: who still uses VHS? It's going to be as common as Betamax pretty soon.
  The people I actually know that still use VHS are old men watching their old 60's and 70's porn or old ladies watching their Benny Hill or HEE HAW ...lol

  8.8.2007 17:24 #12

• DVDBack23

  Quote:Originally posted by BIGnewb: wow cant wait to see if a moderator will do something about that ^^^^Ah, you had me scared for minute! That is until I saw Dela's post. BIGnewb must have been referencing this:
  Quote:Wow, thats the statement of the century. Is the standard of news by afterdawn staff really that low, or is the pull for just generating money that big? I want a job at afterdawn if I can post swill like this and get paid. Where do I sign up?.
  
  Scared me at first as I thought "I don't see anything wrong with my original post and if there is please PM me about it"!! :-P
  
  PeaceDont worry Pop_Smith, your posts are always welcomed and appreciated.
  As for Pinkachoo, lets see if he has a response to Dela's post before I say what must be said.

  8.8.2007 17:24 #13

• error5

  Just to put things in perspective:
  
  DVD was introduced in 1997 in the US.
  
  DVD supplanted Laserdisc as the optical medium of choice in 2000 when the last US LD titles were released.
  
  The week of 15 June 2003 marked the first time the DVD format became more popular than VHS in the USA.
  
  (From Wiki)

  8.8.2007 17:39 #14

• limelight

  Originally posted by mspurloc: Really?
  How are they doing against Laserdisc, 8-track and 78 RPM records?yea really. dont forget the reel-to-reels too.

  8.8.2007 18:19 #15

• c.trigger

  Quote:Originally posted by mspurloc: Really?
  How are they doing against Laserdisc, 8-track and 78 RPM records?yea really. dont forget the reel-to-reels too.
  Damn that new stuff just give me my movies on punch cards.

  8.8.2007 18:56 #16

• Moomoo2

  And the computer is outselling the abacus. ;)
  
  Funny statistic. I still watch my old VHS tapes. During the past few years I just bought VHS versions of movies at Blockbuster for a price cheaper than renting it on DVD. Now I have a collection of sub-par recent Hollywood hits, (Phonebooth, anyone?)
  
  --Moomoo2

  8.8.2007 19:25 #17

• mspurloc

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by mspurloc: Really?
  How are they doing against Laserdisc, 8-track and 78 RPM records?yea really. dont forget the reel-to-reels too.Damn that new stuff just give me my movies on punch cards.Amen.
  Storage is a bit of an issue, though.
  "Doctor Zhivago" takes up all the trunk space in my Edsel.

  8.8.2007 20:17 #18

• c1c

  Is it true that some versions of movies on laser disc are collector's items since they haven't released a dvd version? any benefits of laser disc?

  8.8.2007 20:20 #19

• duckNrun

  Originally posted by c1c: ..... any benefits of laser disc?yeah they make great platters to put your chips and dip on when all your buddies come by to watch movies on your HDTV. If you center on top of a betamax tape you can even spin it around like a lazy susan..
  
  lol
  
  :-P
  
  And I second or third Dela here... too many rude people making obnoxious posts (though that might sometimes includes me too after a night at the pub or too many pain pills lol)
  
  :-)

  8.8.2007 22:06 #20

• bomber991

  Seems like they'd only have to sell 1 bluray and 1 hddvd movie to outsell vhs.

  9.8.2007 05:20 #21

• hughjars

  Originally posted by bomber991: Seems like they'd only have to sell 1 bluray and 1 hddvd movie to outsell vhs. - That's the whole point, people's perceptions are waaaaaaaaay off of the reality in this.
  
  Yes indeed it really has taken them long enough to do this.
  
  IIRC both High Def disc formats (together) are still being handsomely outsold by the dead UMD format too.
  
  That'll be the next milestone (sometime in 2009/10 maybe)

  9.8.2007 07:18 #22

• salsa36

  I still use VHS in the security system (4 cameras).
  
  Quote:Really?
  How are they doing against Laserdisc, 8-track and 78 RPM records?
  Funny
  
  You would surprised how many people really don't care about HD....

  9.8.2007 17:36 #23

• Tashammer

  Interesting isn't it, that the rate between technological change seems to accelerating to the point where music and video retail cannot keep up so all the betamax/vhs/cd/dvd/laserdisk/etc etc are pouring out then drying up and choices become less and less for the consumer because the producer doesn't want to risk the money involved - this is one time where the producers action demonstrate sense of sorts. Perhaps if they reduced their prices that might help a little or are they firmly wedded to "the get it whilst the goings good" principle. Computer books are the same - publish in a frenzy and charge a lot for the book/cd has only the shelf life of a mayfly over a trout stream, before the books contents are superceded.
  
  Perhaps there needs to be some sort of production planning between hardware producers, software producers, media producers to ensure a reasonable product life before introducing the next "BIG THING": at least this way we, the consumers, might actually get to choose something that we want rather than what they want to sell us. Plus such phased and integrated production might allow the makers the chance to iron out bugs (including mine is better than yours is type bugs).
  
  There was something in the dim, dark past about how all this choice would open a wonderland for the consumer. Well, that seems to have been a load of flannel don't you think?
  
  We end up with less and less choice.
  
  Between the time that you walk into the store, select the item that you want for example, "He Played His Ukulele When the Ship Went Down" by Decca Records 78 rpm. You buy the product but by the time you get home 78 rpm speeds become extinct. Then the material they were made from becomes extinct. Your wireless becomes a radio becomes a radiogram becomes a tapedeck, becomes an 8-track, becomes a cassette, a fork happens and tv comes along etc etc etc.
  
  All YOU wished to do was listen to a little pleasant music. Instead you and your family and friends have become an archaeological dig for superceded technologies and YOU still haven't got to listen to the music due to certain licensing problems and the need for a $10million anechoic chamber to play the music in (to stop the neighbour from unlicensed listening).
  
  Before we go any further, please, please, would someone tell me all about rational man and the insane because it seems more and more like i would like a holiday at the nuthatchery.

  9.8.2007 22:13 #24

• hughjars

  Lucid & accurate Tashammer, very nice.
  
  Still, when we choose to become a society where in large part we define ourselves by how good (or not) a blind and repeatedly suckered/shafted little 'consumtion unit' we are what else but lunacy can we expect?

  10.8.2007 04:37 #25

• Tashammer

  Quote:Hughjars: Still, when we choose to become a society where in large part we define ourselves by how good (or not) a blind and repeatedly suckered/shafted little 'consumtion unit' we are what else but lunacy can we expect? That is sooo right.
  
  Perhaps because we are no different than any other creature on the planet who is swarming away and denuding the landscape (mice, rabbits, locusts,us). Consumption implies expansion (quite erroneously).

  10.8.2007 13:44 #26

• bratcher

  Sure I've got DVD's & I've also bought Blue Ray plus HD-DVD versions on movies I have on DVD just for the better picture quality.
  
  VHS? Yep got that too. Bought several players so if one dies I can still play my old tapes....

  10.8.2007 15:49 #27

• borhan9

  This is nothing that is majorly huge due to the fact that DVD is become what the average consumer uses these days.

  17.8.2007 17:33 #28

• rrmk37

  I still use my VHS to tape my shows.I liked it wayyyyyy back then and I still do to this day.I know you can buy an DVD recorder and try that but I like how I just put in a tape set it in a min or two and off I go for the day.Just remember something new isnt always great,besides if it works for you stick with it.I do remember all the old recording devices that came out funny how its taking awhile to kill off VHS.I saw all the others come one night and go about the next.

  17.8.2007 23:19 #29