Blockbuster decides to go with Blu-ray

[peat moss]

Blockbuster Inc. will rent high-definition DVDs only in the Blu-ray format in 1,450 stores when it expands its high-definition offerings next month, dealing a major blow to the rival HD DVD format.

The move, to be announced Monday, could be the first step in resolving a format war that has kept consumers from buying new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Blockbuster has been renting both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles in 250 stores since late last year and found that consumers were choosing Blu-ray titles more than 70 percent of the time.

Blockbuster will continue to rent HD DVD titles in the original 250 locations and online, it said.

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Come to think of it I still have a Sony Betamax for sale .

Source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busine..._bluray18.html

[asmithz]

Sounds like a dumb idea to me. But ah well I don't use either blu-ray or hddvd, or blockbuster for that matter :-p

[Busyman™]

Sounds like a dumb idea to me. But ah well I don't use either blu-ray or hddvd, or blockbuster for that matter :-p

Why is it a dumb idea?

[towerblocks]

Sounds like a dumb idea to me. But ah well I don't use either blu-ray or hddvd, or blockbuster for that matter :-p

Same here, I've only just got a LCD HD tv to play my 360 on, So no way am i in any rush to get a blueray or hddvd player for a couple of years yet.

[ulun64]

It's will be same thing with DVD, everyone waiting for so many years to adopt DVD.

[mbucari1]

It's will be same thing with DVD, everyone waiting for so many years to adopt DVD.

no, this is even worse than the DVD revolution. Granted, we still had to buy new drives and dvd players, but we got to keep everything else. Now, we have to buy the media player AND a new TV on which to play it. And the HD TVs are far more expensive than conventional TV's. For that reason, I think there will be even more hesitation to switch to HD.

[Delorean]

Well, they made their decision based on statistical model. If 70% of the Consumers were choosing Blu-rays then it has to be more profitable to go with Blu-ray. At least this is what their model showed.

[WHiKWiRE]

The Blu-Ray and HDDVD war is similar to the VHS vs. Betamax war. It's just with a different medium. And as mbucari1 said HD TV's are pricey which is why I'm in no rush to switch.