DVD Format War Has 18 Months to Go

Consumers haven't warmed to either contender, analyst says
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 25, 2007 3:11 PM CDT

Blu-ray and HD DVD’s battle to be the lone next-generation DVD format will rage on another 18 months, says a Forrester Research analyst. Consumers, wary of buying another Betamax, are waiting for the dust to settle and prices to fall. Forrester sides with Blu-ray but says the companies backing it must roll out a $250 player by Christmas or risk an “upset defeat.”

The Sony-created format had been a heavier favorite until a defection by Paramount weakened its stranglehold on top content. A new Blu-ray player now costs about $500, compared to HD DVD’s $400, but consumers typically won’t pay more than $200 for either, Forrester’s research shows. Once prices hit that range, sales should take off, a welcome development for Hollywood’s slowing DVD business. (Read more Blu ray stories.)

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