How many times have you heard someone who is not a tech fanatic even talk about Blu-Ray?

I consider myself a tech geek and even I don't care enough about Blu-Ray to spend money on it. Give me a decent online store where I can download movies with subtitles (even if only at 480p), and I'm set.

Cougarman said: Looks like it wasn't the HD DVD/Blu-ray battle that was keeping potential customers away from high-definition video players after all. The NPD Group released some of its retail sales tracking data Wednesday that showed sales of Blu-ray standalone players (not a PlayStation 3, combo player, or PC with Blu-ray drive) had mostly decreased since the beginning of the year. Standalone Blu-ray player unit sales in the U.S. decreased 40 percent from January to February and saw a very slight increase (2 percent) between February and March, according to NPD. HD DVD players fared even worse--player unit sales dropped 13 percent from January to February, and 65 percent from February to March--which was expected. Toshiba stopped production of HD DVD units in February, and the format's promotional group disbanded in March. So what does this mean for Blu-ray player vendors? Why haven't sales experienced any sort of substantial uptick without a competitor? Prices offer one clue. Blu-ray player prices were at their peak for the year in mid-March, around $400. During the holiday shopping season the average price had been closer to $300. But more likely is what NPD's high-def video analysts have been harping on for a while: that DVD is "good enough" for most consumers. And that the picture offered by a Blu-ray Disc and accompanying player doesn't appear so overwhelmingly better than a standard DVD and an upconverting player that many consumers can't justify the dramatically increased cost. To that point, sales of significantly less expensive upconverting DVD players have actually increased 5 percent over the first quarter of 2008, compared with the same quarter a year ago. Standard DVD player sales dropped 39 percent over the same period. Blu-ray player prices are going to have to drop dramatically, to around $200 probably, to make themselves more attractive to consumers outside of the early adopter/home theater enthusiast crowd. Sony, one of the largest producers of Blu-ray players, says $200 players aren't likely until next year at the earliest. source: http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9932311-7.html?tag=cnetfd.mt   standalone blue rays need to drop prices because ps3 is much better value right now

 DVD being "good enough" for most doesn't explain a downturn, though it may explain whatever adoption rate there is in general.  Standalone prices *rising* since HD-DVD was buried explain a downturn.

Also, I'm not sure the data cited indicates much of a downturn.  January included post-Christmas gift card sales and "shit I didn't get one for Christmas sales," so of course there's a decrease January to February.  Feb to March?  TINY downturn, and this with increasing standalone prices.  No, standalones are doing OK.

Salient point, however, is that PS3 sales are up, and part of those are bought because Blu-Ray killed HD-DVD, so players used to play Blu-Ray movies are increasing, not decreasing.

Upconverting DVD players up 5% percent year over year....Blu-Ray players (some PS3s must be included in this figure) up WAY more than that, year over year.

Blu-Ray sales increasing faster than DVD sales at same period in DVD's life cycle, confirmed.  It took like 7 years for DVD to surpass VHS after DVD came out.  Blu-Ray will be faster, and though there are downloads on the horizon, too, Blu-Ray will still be quite profitable to those involved. 

 Well hardly ever but what's your point ? Are you trying to deny that blu-ray is increasing in momentum or should I just dismiss that as an illogical fanboy statement ?.

 Wether you like to admit it or not Blu-Ray is increasing it's market share , HD content is becoming more relevant , like I said before once the price is right the consumer will adopt it like it was always there.

DVD sales dropped 39% over the same period.... meaning there are hardly any movies out, which leads to decreased sales. Don't see the big deal.

The PS3 is by far the best deal in HD players, and the bestselling in Blu-Ray player. Fans of other consoles point out all the time that people are buying the PS3 solely as a Blu-Ray player. Excluding it from the comparison makes the results meaningless.

The question should be:  How is Blu-ray media doing against DVD?

Seriously? WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AFTER ALL THAT IT STARTS TO FAIL! WTF?

 softwarwise the format isnt a failure, hardwarewise it has some cost issues. Just the drop to 299 versus the current 399 will have very promising effects.

When will the PS3 stop being the best value as a blu-ray play by itself?

I don't really care about Bluray and I think it's going to take much longer for it to supplant DVD than it took DVD to supplant VHS, but I suspect the drop in sales is simply due to the time of year and not any long term change in consumer interest.

I bet Bluray sales will see a big bump around Father's Day though.

anyone apart from me think that standalone sales are stagnating becuase

a) bad economy atm
b) most movie fanatics have a blu-ray player already
c) lost of PS3 owners out their know PS3 > standalones

... those 3 reason are why standalone player sales are down but movie sales are up ....