Why are HD DVDs not cheaper?

Almost forever companies have been preaching that if they could reduce
piracy then they could reduce their prices. These new high definition
formats are supposed to have much better copy protection so I have to
ask, why are they not cheaper than regular DVDs? If thay want to get
back into the format battle they could produce the DVD/HDDVD combo
discs and sell them at the same price that DVDs are selling now.

Al

Alfred Kaufmann

"Alfred Kaufmann" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Almost forever companies have been preaching that if they could reduce
> piracy then they could reduce their prices. These new high definition
> formats are supposed to have much better copy protection so I have to
> ask, why are they not cheaper than regular DVDs? If thay want to get
> back into the format battle they could produce the DVD/HDDVD combo
> discs and sell them at the same price that DVDs are selling now.
>
> Al

At present they'll be 'recouping the R&D costs'.
They'll be doing that whilst waiting for someone to figure out how to bypass
the copy protection.
Then it'll be back to 'if only we could reduce piracy....'

Mark W

Alfred Kaufmann wrote:
> Almost forever companies have been preaching that if they could reduce
> piracy then they could reduce their prices. These new high definition
> formats are supposed to have much better copy protection so I have to
> ask, why are they not cheaper than regular DVDs? If thay want to get
> back into the format battle they could produce the DVD/HDDVD combo
> discs and sell them at the same price that DVDs are selling now.
>
> Al

All I can say for certain is that the companies selling Blu-Ray movies
for $34.99 are totally and completely insane. I won't spend 1/2 that
for the vast majority of movies released these days, HD or not. IMHO
the pathetic sales volume of HD format movies has less to do with the
format war and more to do with the ludicrous pricing.

I remember the record companies touting how music albums would become
cheaper with the advent of the compact disc as they didn't have to deal
with the high cost of producing cassettes any longer. CD's have
practically doubled in price compared to what the average cassette used
to cost.

They overestimate the value of their products to a ridiculous degree.
Most of us can find plenty of other ways to use our spare time that
don't involve wallet rape.


(*>

Hawk

On Jan 10, 9:42 am, Alfred Kaufmann <al_kaufm...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Almost forever companies have been preaching that if they could reduce
> piracy then they could reduce their prices. These new high definition
> formats are supposed to have much better copy protection so I have to
> ask, why are they not cheaper than regular DVDs? If thay want to get
> back into the format battle they could produce the DVD/HDDVD combo
> discs and sell them at the same price that DVDs are selling now.
>
> Al

When DVD first appeared, sets were costly and media was costly. As it
became popular, prices fell.

Some new released DVD's (even today) initially price out in the high
20's or more. Until demand falls off or inventory becomes a
liability.

You can find the DVD bargain bin at many stores with titles at 4.99
(or less) for DVD's you wouldn't ordinarily buy. Blazing-Saddles at
$19.99? No.
At $4.99? Sure, I'll watch it at least a few times, so that's cheaper
than renting it.

Same will happen to Blu-Ray. HD-DVD inventories will wind down fast
and bargains will abound during that period.

Cheers,
Alan

alan.browne@gmail.com