PS3 Pushes Blu-ray Into Nearly 20% of U.S. Homes

[Tom Goldman]

PS3 Pushes Blu-ray Into Nearly 20% of U.S. Homes

Consumers are starting to accept the virtues of the Blu-ray Disc format.

Microsoft might not be a fan [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103688-Microsoft-Bashes-Blu-Ray] of Blu-ray Discs, but U.S. consumers certainly are. A report by Home Media Magazine says that Blu-ray players such as the PlayStation 3 are in 17% of U.S. homes as of July 2010.

This is double the number of people that had accepted Blu-ray into their homes in 2008, but don't throw a party just yet, because for Blu-ray prices to truly come down the format will have to get closer to the 95% of market penetration that the DVD currently has. As a comparison, Netflix is in 15% of U.S. households, and Apple-based computers in 12% versus Windows-based PCs in 85%.

While two PlayStation 3's were once sold for every standalone Blu-ray player, those numbers are now starting to shift. In the past six months, the percentages of people watching Blu-ray movies on primarily a PlayStation 3 or a Blu-ray only console have changed to 47% and 45% respectively.

There was an indication that wealthier households with children prefer the Blu-ray format, which makes perfect sense considering wealthier people can afford the somewhat more expensive Blu-ray movies and HDTVs. Blu-ray households also notably showed an appreciation for digital downloads, with the percentage of people owning a Blu-ray player that downloaded a movie at 25% versus 15% of DVD owners, and 13% versus 6% for video-on-demand film viewing.

The PlayStation 3 is no doubt skewing these statistics a little, but the increase in sales of standalone Blu-ray players versus PS3s can't be faked. Blu-ray households even seem to still prefer DVDs over Blu-ray Discs overall according to the report, indicating that Blu-ray movies might need to come down in price if they are to be truly accepted by the mainstream.

Source: Home Media Magazine [http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu-ray-disc/blu-ray-household-penetration-tops-17-20731]

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[Eri]

I love blu ray. I play blu a lot more than I play games on my ps3. I'll agree prices need to come down in general but between amazon and best buy deals, I've accrued quite a collection.

 

[Chalksoup]

I like the blu-Ray format better than DVD. I'd own more if it wasn't for the fact that a lot of the stuff I'd buy on blu-Ray I already have on DVD. That and netflix. Don't see much reason to buy many movies when I can watch pretty much as many as I want for the price of just one each month.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

Hurray for 50 Gb disks instead of 25 !!! + free online + nice dvds !

 

[DustyDrB]

I still buy DVDs, and an upgrade is nowhere in sight. My xbox is my DVD player and my Netflix player. I'm not exactly a video quality freak, though. I watch a lot of movies online that have admittedly poor (as in I see many squares) quality. Hell, VHS still looks good to me. It's just the menus and skipping around that made that switch so great back then.

Also, whats up with the random Apple and Windows demographic breakdown?

 

[DragonChi]

I buy movies quite often..and EVERY new movie release has been 30 bucks for either the DVD or Blu-Ray version. Blu-Ray is actually WORTH paying 30 bucks. So DVD's should be going down in price. Also, Most Blu-Ray movies come with it, the DVD version AND a digital download, thats 3 copies of the same movie (in HD) for a third the price.So..they are giving you ALOT for your money, they could be asking for 50, but they don't. So anyone who owns a blu-ray player really has no good reason to complain about Blu-ray pricing...At All. $30 bucks a pop for all that is a Steal.

 

[duchaked]

eh whatever
maybe someday when HD tvs are cheaper and Bluray discs don't cost $10 more on average

 

[Lightslei]

eh whatever
maybe someday when HD tvs are cheaper and Bluray discs don't cost $10 more on average

Pretty much this, it's not cost effective for most people at the moment.

 

[Jumplion]

I like the blu-ray format as most of my games are in it I don't buy many blu-ray movies though, but when I do watch them they are preeeety. It's nice to see a good format get a stronger foothold.

 

[shadowstriker86]

ya 30$ for die hard is BS, that thing needs to drop down fast

 

[icyneesan]

Still waiting for Blu-ray disc writers to become cheap and the ability to buy 100 Blu-ray-RWs for $10...

Man all the porn I could store on just the ONE blu-ray disc

 

[Something Amyss]

I still buy DVDs, and an upgrade is nowhere in sight. My xbox is my DVD player and my Netflix player. I'm not exactly a video quality freak, though. I watch a lot of movies online that have admittedly poor (as in I see many squares) quality. Hell, VHS still looks good to me. It's just the menus and skipping around that made that switch so great back then.

Also, whats up with the random Apple and Windows demographic breakdown?

To illustrate the market share in context?

 

[Jared]

I am sure its a rising format, and if you have PS4, why not have Blu Ray...but, for most, when you see an offer, and its with DVDs well...I know which one I want to go for

 

[WittyInfidel]

What makes people think I have cash to go out and buy a new TV and player just so I can watch movies I already own on DVD (that play just fine on my TV and DVD player I already own)?

Seriously, the economy is in shambles. Why would I have all that spare loot? For something that is little more than a few bells and whistles? That I can't use on stuff I already own?

 

[MentalBakura]

I love watching Blu-ray films, but I agree that prices need to come down if more people are to adopt the format. There are some great boxset deals to be seen at times though.

 

[Ghengis John]

I like how the story breaks down a little more the more you read it. "More people coming to appreciate the virtues of blu-ray!" (guy who wrote the headline sounds like he must be a hard-core fan considering the rest) reading on, that nearly 20% is now 17% and those people prefer dvd's. Okay so, non-story. Awesome.

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

Quality aside, I'm surprised instant streaming hasn't taken over yet. It's just so damned convenient. And if MP3s taught us anything, its that people prefer convenience over quality.

But yay for Blu-ray I guess. I have a PS3 and don't own anything on Blu-ray.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Blu-ray would be attractive if new releases weren't 29.99, when the same DVD is 9.99-14.99. Then there's always the attractive free option... You would think the Blu-ray would be a bit higher in popularity since hd-dvd is dead and HDTVs are as common as indoor plumbing.