Home Media Magazine - March 30 - April 5, 2008 - (Page 3)

MARCH 30–APRIL 5, 2008 >> ELECTRO N IC DELIVERY INSIDE iTunes Gives TV Credits Users who subscribed to TV shows affected by the writers strike are given video credits. Ads to Bolster Streaming Video and music streaming are projected to grow to $70 billion over the next six years. BRINGING DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TO YOU PAGE 14 >> HIGH-DEF Replicators Are Experiencing Growing Pains in Going Blu INSIDE >> Blu Year 30M BD-enabled homes by 2009. >> BD Ops in India Technicolor opens a new facility. PAGE 12 By Chris Tribbey mall and mid-sized disc replicators were rooting hard for HD DVD. A quick adjustment to existing DVD replication lines was all it took to pump out HD DVDs, while Blu-ray Disc requires all-new equipment. Now that Blu-ray has won, manu- S facturers are left with the daunting question of whether or not to invest in new production lines for Blu-ray right away. “We were all pulling for HD DVD to win, for obvious reasons,” said Steve Sheldon, president of replicator Rainbo Records. “It didn’t work out that way.” See REPLICATORS, Page 34 Blu-ray Disc Sales Spike Unit gains attributed to end of format war By Thomas K. Arnold Blu-ray Disc software NEWS ANALYSIS sales have seen a sharp spike in recent weeks, since the bruising format war against rival HD DVD came to an end in the middle of February. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s No Country for Old Men realized 9.8% of its total sales from Blu-ray Disc its first five days in stores, according to an analysis of Nielsen VideoScan First Alert numbers conducted by Home Media Research. Hitman, a 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment title also released March 11, fared even better, generat- Some Best Buys Drop HD DVD By Chris Tribbey RETAIL Best Buy is quietly removing HD DVDs from some of its stores and offering deep discounts for the format war loser in others. The electronics chain no formal plan for its stock of HD DVDs, according to Best Buy spokesman Brian Lucas, with some stores offering the discs for as much as 50% off, while others are making room for DVD and Blu-ray Discs only. “Right now they’re just being discounted, but some stores are pulling them off shelves, depending on their inventory,” Lucas said. “We’re keeping an eye on the customer. Some have an HD DVD player that they still want discs for, but at a certain point it doesn’t make sense to carry them.” Lucas said Best Buy was “undecided” as to what it would do with its unsold stock of HD DVDs. Best Buy this month said it will ship $10 million in gift cards to customers who bought HD DVD players from the retailer, and also is offering a trade-in program at www.bestbuytradein.com. Circuit City also announced this month it too will offer a trade-in option for HD DVD owners. ing 12.6% of its total unit sales from Blu-ray Disc. “That one hit the sweet spot,” said Steve Feldstein, SVP of marketing and corporate communications for Fox. “It’s a great action title that looks beautiful in high-def — and it’s right in the crosshairs of Blu-ray’s target demographic of young adult males.” By comparison, during the format war, unit sales of high-def discs, either Blu-ray or HD DVD, generally accounted for no more than 2% or 3% of a title’s total sales. See BLU-RAY, Page 36 No Country for Old Men TECH FIRM TOUTS BLU-RAY DISC HACKING SOFTWARE By Erik Gruenwedel MAR KET S HAR E Blu-ray vs. HD DVD Sales Comparison as of 3/23/08 Blu-ray vs. DVD Sales Comparison* Week Ended 3/23 12% Since Inception Week Ended 3/23 6% S lySoft Inc. last week released an updated version of its AnyDVD software, claiming it lets users copy Bluray Disc and DVD movies. The Irish technology company, which has an Antiguan mailing address, claims the software will copy discs regardless of regional coding, copy protection and digital rights management, including BD+. AnyDVD HD is available online bundled together with other SlySoft copying software for 155 euros ($239). See COPY, Page 36 33% 88% 67% 94% I Blu-ray I HD DVD I DVD Source: Nielsen VideoScan: First Alert data * Top 20 BD unit volume vs. Top 20 DVD unit volume NEWS Netflix shares hit an all-time high the same week its Web site experienced an 11-hour outage. NEWS Lionsgate secures distribution rights for HIT properties, such as “Barney,” as well as Xenon’s Latino and urban content. RESEARCH Enchanted proved magical for Disney, topping the DVD sales chart, while Warner’s I Am Legend was the No. 1 rental. Page 8 Page 8 Page 30 http://www.bestbuytradein.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - March 30 - April 5, 2008

Home Media Magazine - March 30-April 5, 2008 Contents News Commentary TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Top 20 DVD Sellers Research Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - March 30 - April 5, 2008

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