Edited to stress local "Brick and Mortar" Blockbusters - this does not apply to the Online store.

This survey is primarily directed to HD DVD owners, since you would more likely notice.

If your local BB was one of the 250 stores with HD, Can you consistently find the latest HD DVD releases, such as The Matrix, etc, in the store - or just the latest BD releases? Or both? Or neither? This does not apply to online.

There has been some feedback in some threads that LOCAL BlockBuster stores did not always carry the latest HD DVD releases in the 250 LOCAL Brick and Mortar locations used for their HD/BD sales trial.

Personally, I can attest that I always saw new releases to Bluray on their shelves (such as Deja Vu, POC, etc), but almost never saw anything new on the HD DVD shelf (such as The Matrix, Children of Men, Lost in Translation, Planet Earth, etc, etc).

Instead, all that seemd to be on the HD DVD side were the same old movies they had stocked long before, such as Training Day, etc. There may be the odd one or two of these new titles in some stores that you may have seen, but I have found that most new releases (whether catalog or not) don't end up on the HD DVD shelf, but do end up on the BD shelf.

Indeed, even when some new Warner titles were released, one could see the Bluray version hit the shelves, but often not the HD DVD version.

If this were a nationwide trend, not just in my area, this would most certainly have affected the rental sales numbers for the two formats. As HD DVD owners would have very little to rent, unless they had just purchased a player and had not seen the older releases.

So the question is: If your local BB was one of the 250 stores with HD, Can you consistently find the latest HD DVD releases, such as The Matrix, etc, in the store - or just the latest BD releases? Or both? Or neither? This does not apply to online.

my blockbuster doesnt stock either format.

The Blockbuster near me rents both Blu-ray and HD DVD. They seem to stock most new releases in both formats. Let me clarify what I mean by new releases... I'm not talking about catalog releases. I'm talking about movies that are appearing for the first time on home video.

I have not seen the Matrix or Lost in Translation (both catalog titles) but I have seen all of the big new release titles like The Departed, Children of Men, etc.

As far as catalog titles go it seems very inconsistent although they have added a few for each format. The majority are movies released very early in the lives of HD media that were part of the stock they had when Blockbuster began renting HD.

I think what you are seeing is that in the past few months BD has had more new releases than HD DVD and new releases are what Blockbuster seems most interested in. When my store first started carrying HD media the number of titles were about equal. They now have far more BDs which I believe is because BD has had more new releases.

I've seen some new HD DVD releases at my local Blockbusters. I didn't check Blu-ray, but would guess that they have some new BD releases as well.

I have yet to see any newer HD DVD releases at the Blockbusters I use in Miami.

Typically, the BD releases are there immediately, but the HD DVD titles are the same ones all the time.

Anyone ever see the Matrix, Planet Earth, Children of Men, Breach, Bruce Almighty, Liar liar, Trading Places, Lost in Translation, Midnight Run, Dragonheart, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, etc at BB??

However, I can tell you I have seen Casino Royale, Pirates, Deja Vu, Happily Never After, and a host of BD exclusive, and even Warner titles in the BD section as soon as they came out.

I have not seen the Matrix or Lost in Translation (both catalog titles) but I have seen all of the big new release titles like The Departed, Children of Men, etc.
Yes, I have seen the Departed, but that's been out for ages now.

Catalog titles do show up on the BD side when they are newly introduced, but I do not see the same thing consistently on the HD DVD side.

This survey is primarily directed to HD DVD owners, since you would more likely notice.

There has been some feedback in some threads that BlockBuster video did not always carry the latest HD DVD releases in the 250 Brick and Mortar locations used for their HD/BD sales trial.

Personally, I can attest that I always saw new releases to Bluray on their shelves (such as Deja Vu, POC, etc), but almost never saw anything new on the HD DVD shelf (such as The Matrix, Children of Men, Lost in Translation, Planet Earth, etc, etc).

Instead, all that seemd to be on the HD DVD side were the same old movies they had stocked long before, such as Training Day, etc.

Indeed, when many Warner titles were released, one could see the Bluray version hit the shelves, but often not the HD DVD version.

If this were a nationwide trend, not just in my area, this would most certainly have affected the rental sales numbers for the two formats. As HD DVD owners would have very little to rent, unless they had just purchased a player and had not seen the older releases.

So the question is: Did your local Blockbuster stock the latest HD DVD releases, such as The Matrix, etc - or just the latest BD releases? Or both? Or neither?

rdjam, are you basing this poll on the 137 AVE and 88st Kendal stores in Miami's HD-DVD selection? If you are, they do have a very good HD-DVD selection since I was there yesterday and HD-DVD hasn't been removed from the shelves yet...

There are 5000+ Blockbuster stores, only 250 of them carry any HD media.

Your poll is obviosly slanted to prove your ridiculous hypothesis that some underling at Blockbuster is responsible for HD DVD consumers only making up 30% of their HDM rental.

Funny thing is, you as a rabid HD DVD supporter are one of the many HD DVD consumers that was not renting HD DVDs from blockbuster, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA!

I have yet to see any newer HD DVD releases at the Blockbusters I use in Miami.

Typically, the BD releases are there immediately, but the HD DVD titles are the same ones all the time.

Anyone ever see the Matrix, Planet Earth, Children of Men, Breach, Bruce Almighty, Liar liar, Trading Places, Lost in Translation, Midnight Run, Dragonheart, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, etc at BB??

However, I can tell you I have seen Casino Royale, Pirates, Deja Vu, Happily Never After, and a host of BD exclusive, and even Warner titles in the BD section as soon as they came out.

So maybe you should get a BD player then? ;)

Any info. on what impact this will have on BlockBuster in Canada? Only a handful of BlockBuster stores here in Canada carry both HD DVD and Blu-ray (none in the Ottawa area). It will be interesting to see what BlockBuster Canada does; also interesting to see what my local (non BlockBuster) video retailer is also going to do -- he told me a few weeks ago he was favouring Blu-ray but hadn't decided yet. I wonder if this BlockBuster news will influence him and others like him in the mom and pop outlets???

How about adding an option for those that only purchase? I have yet to rent any HD content and I have also stopped renting SD content from Blockbuster. I only rent video games now.

IAnyone ever see the Matrix, Planet Earth, Children of Men, Breach, Bruce Almighty, Liar liar, Trading Places, Lost in Translation, Midnight Run, Dragonheart, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, etc at BB??
It wouldn't shock me if none of the Blockbuster stores got or get Breach. From the wording I've seen it isn't clear whether BB will continue getting new HD DVDs at the 250 original stores or if they will just continue renting the ones they have. I saw something that explicitly said that online would get new HD DVD releases as they come out, but didn't see similar wording for the 250 original stores. And even though Blockbuster just announced this, they may have known for a little while and slowed down or stopped new HD DVD releases at those stores. I don't know, but if they used to get new HD DVD releases and haven't just recently, that would seem to be a sign.

BTW: I know Blockbuster got Breach online because I got if from them.

--Darin

Your poll is obviosly slanted to prove your ridiculous hypothesis that some underling at Blockbuster is responsible for HD DVD consumers only making up 30% of their HDM rental.The poll is to determine what others have observed around the country. I don't think that anyone could pre-determine what the poll will show, least of all you and I.

[/quote]Funny thing is, you as a rabid HD DVD supporter are one of the many HD DVD consumers that was not renting HD DVDs from blockbuster, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA![/QUOTE]Perhaps that is because i am BUYING the HD DVDs? :) Not to say I didn't rent some also, sadly, I have also rented the occasional BD.

But for other folks who do not buy most of their HD DVDs, a lack on new HD DVD releases would certainly "disincentivize" them from frequenting Blockbuster.

MY BB has never heard of BR or HD DVD

Yes, I have seen the Departed, but that's been out for ages now.

Catalog titles do show up on the BD side when they are newly introduced, but I do not see the same thing consistently on the HD DVD side.

My experience has definatly not been the same. I have for a fact seen Children of Men and 40 Year Old Virgin.

On the BD side the last catalog title I've seen them get is Big Fish. They don't even have the POTC movies.

The catalog titles they do get seem to have alot to do with the studio. They are much more likely to get a Sony catalog title than a Disney catalog title.

New releases show up on both sides however BD has been releasing more of late. BTW they don't have Planet Earth on either format. Catalog releases are sparse on both sides.

The poll is to determine what others have observed around the country. I don't think that anyone could pre-determine what the poll will show, least of all you and I.

Funny thing is, you as a rabid HD DVD supporter are one of the many HD DVD consumers that was not renting HD DVDs from blockbuster, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA!

Perhaps that is because i am BUYING the HD DVDs? :) Not to say I didn't rent some also, sadly, I have also rented the occasional BD.

But for other folks who do not buy most of their HD DVDs, a lack on new HD DVD releases would certainly "disincentivize" them from frequenting Blockbuster.

Only 5% of Blockbusters were carrying high def media, yet My Blockbuster does not carry high def media was not one of your choices, why?

Was it because you wanted people who don't get high def media at their blockbuster (hmm, 95% of us) to vote that our blockbuster didn't carry new releases?

The 2 closest Blockbuster's do not have any HD-DVD or Blu-ray discs available. The closest Blockbuster that carry them is 10 miles away. Maybe add an option stating that "Local Blockbuster(s) do not carry either high definition format."

alinski...

I'd say BD and HD DVD were treated about the same at my local BB (Omaha). Most the new release got their in reasonable time.

-Square

There are 5000+ Blockbuster stores, only 250 of them carry any HD media.

Your poll is obviosly slanted to prove your ridiculous hypothesis that some underling at Blockbuster is responsible for HD DVD consumers only making up 30% of their HDM rental.

Funny thing is, you as a rabid HD DVD supporter are one of the many HD DVD consumers that was not renting HD DVDs from blockbuster, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA!

I'm glad you caught that point from this poll... lol...

MY BB has never heard of BR or HD DVD
ditto

my blockbuster doesnt stock either format.

same, but I'm hoping the press release means that they will stock blu-ray sooner than later. Right now Hollywood video is my only option. They have both but far more titles on blu-ray (still not that many though) than HD-DVD.

same, but I'm hoping the press release means that they will stock blu-ray sooner than later. Right now Hollywood video is my only option. They have both but far more titles on blu-ray (still not that many though) than HD-DVD.

The more you keep asking the Manager, the more they take notice and ask for it...

Who goes to Blockbuster anymore since Netflix has started? I haven't been to any BB store for years now...

Who goes to Blockbuster anymore since Netflix has started? I haven't been to any BB store for years now...

The reason I go is to return movies from Blockbuster Total Access to get free rentals for my kids.

If my store gets blu-ray I think I will be there more often.

Actually I've checked my local Blockbuster several times for months now and the workers were pretty much clueless about HD DVD and kinda knew about blu-ray due to the PS3.

No availability, so I just buy everything I want to see. Maybe I'll buy less BD now since renting will be convenient ;)

btw a BB Manager did tell me months ago they would probably be getting blu-ray but not hd dvd, so I seriously doubt anyone waited till all the 'numbers were in' so to speak.

Who goes to Blockbuster anymore since Netflix has started? I haven't been to any BB store for years now...I get 5 at a time from Netflix. And still belong to Blockbuster for 1 at a time and up to 2 per month because sometimes I can get things from them that I can't get from Netflix and when I use the coupon for a free game rental it is worth more than I pay each month for the whole thing (something like $6 plus tax).

--Darin

I see the new releases from both.
Dreamgirls was on the shelves at the same time.

I had asked the manager of the BB by my house and he stated that he had no idea when they would get HD content. Everyone is panicking about the announcement of BR exclusivity, but exactly how long is it going to take for BB to stock the stores with BR content? I trully believe that all of this will most likely change sometime in the near future (BB stocking both formats in the stores that is). Regardless, I will still purchase the titles that I want because of issues I had with getting new releases on SD a while back. How does everyone think the availability of BR releases is going to happen? I'm sure there will not be an abundance of movies available for each title.

I had asked the manager of the BB by my house and he stated that he had no idea when they would get HD content. Everyone is panicking about the announcement of BR exclusivity, but exactly how long is it going to take for BB to stock the stores with BR content? I trully believe that all of this will most likely change sometime in the near future (BB stocking both formats in the stores that is). Regardless, I will still purchase the titles that I want because of issues I had with getting new releases on SD a while back. How does everyone think the availability of BR releases is going to happen? I'm sure there will not be an abundance of movies available for each title.

The new stores are supposed to be up and going sometime in July according to the press release, each with over 170 titles.

If there was one disc for each store, that's an extra quarter of a million discs.

The two near don't ever have new titles of either format.

The two near don't ever have new titles of either format.

Same here.

BTW, didn't even BB online have very few HD DVD movies until recently ?

theres no, i havent been to blockbuster in years choice. i live in new york area they used to be everywhere now they are closing down allover

My blockbuster stocks both formats, but appears to favor Blu-ray in its title selection. The last time I was there was about three weeks ago. Interestingly enough, the only reason I even went into Blockbuster was because they had Blu-rays for rent. I hadn't been there for several years easily, because I am a loyal Netflix customer. Sometimes instant gratification is good though ;)

A friend mentioned a title I hadn't seen (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) and I was surprised that they actually had it. Prior to that I had rented Tears of the Sun and Stranger Than Fiction.

My local BB doesn't carry either format. I am hoping they will soon carry BluRay.

If this really is what was happening at the Blockbuster stores you frequent, why did you wait until after BB made a choice to bring this question up, since you seem so quick to find BR bias in so many other places?

Edit: Also do you know whether your BB is corporate or independantly owned. That would make a big difference as to whether they were participating in the 250 store trial or the owners were just getting what they wanted to stock.

Tonight I went to a Blockbuster in Redmond that is a couple of miles from Microsoft and has carried quite a few from each side for a while. I figured about 70 for the Blu-ray side and the HD DVD side might have had 60-70 or so. The latest one it looked like HD DVD had was Norbit, but it was out so I was going by the placeholder for it. I didn't see that one on Blu-ray and the latest I noticed for that side was Apocalypto. I didn't see places for either of the Pirates movies. The people working there didn't seem to know anything useful.

--Darin

There are other places to rent, you know. Hardly everyone uses Blockbuster anymore... it's not the same as it was 10 years ago.

I have not been to Blockbuster in over 5+ years. I always go to Hollywood video if I rent anything.

I have not been to Blockbuster in over 5+ years. I always go to Hollywood video if I rent anything.I talked to somebody at a local Hollywood Video today who I've decided in the past seems to be very with it as far as happenings in the store (much swifty than most people working at these places). I mentioned the Blockbuster thing and he hadn't heard it but said that it made sense based on what they've seen. He said rentals between the 2 formats have started to sway quite a bit toward Blu-ray. I mentioned that they used to have about equal amounts of both, but now have about 1/3rd HD DVD and 2/3rd Blu-ray. He said that rentals have been even more skewed than that with maybe 75% or more being Blu-ray.

I should note that I rent things from there sometimes and have rented from both formats (just got The Matrix from there not long ago), but I'm guessing that my rentals have skewed toward Blu-ray overall. I belong to Blockbuster online and Netflix and also rent from a different Hollywood Video, so I haven't rented a lot of things from this one though.

--Darin

Edited to stress local "Brick and Mortar" Blockbusters - this does not apply to the Online store.

Personally, I can attest that I always saw new releases to Bluray on their shelves (such as Deja Vu, POC, etc), but almost never saw anything new on the HD DVD shelf (such as The Matrix, Children of Men, Lost in Translation, Planet Earth, etc, etc).

Instead, all that seemd to be on the HD DVD side were the same old movies they had stocked long before, such as Training Day, etc. There may be the odd one or two of these new titles in some stores that you may have seen, but I have found that most new releases (whether catalog or not) don't end up on the HD DVD shelf, but do end up on the BD shelf.

Indeed, even when some new Warner titles were released, one could see the Bluray version hit the shelves, but often not the HD DVD version.

If this were a nationwide trend, not just in my area, this would most certainly have affected the rental sales numbers for the two formats. As HD DVD owners would have very little to rent, unless they had just purchased a player and had not seen the older releases.

This is EXACTLY the same experience at my local BB in South Pasadena. Week after week new BD titles were added but some very good HD titles were no where to be found. They even carry multiple copies of such "block busters" as The Holiday on BD. Several times a week I would talk to the reps and managers to request that more HD titles be added. I was always told that corporate decides what movies each store carried so there was nothing they could do. It seems to me that this was choreographed from the beginning.

The fatal flaw of BB's "statistic" was they did not support what the consumer wanted thus skewing the numbers for the actual demand.

So far none of them in my area have either format. I called around and the reps didn't know much about it and couldn't tell me where I could find other HD discs (specifically HD-DVD). Yet Hollywood Video has two locations with HD-DVD and the reps at each HV location knew about HD-DVD and knew which stores carried them. I was quite impressed. On top of that one rep said that they would soon be getting some in to their store so that would be nice if HV expands their HD-DVD content.

Who cares?

You can get all you need via BB online! ;)

A big thankyou to BB for carrying all HD DVDs online for TOTAL ACCESS. :D

Last new one was Happy Feet & Dreamgirls on both formats back on May 1st.

WORD!!!

Who cares?

You can get all you need via BB online! ;)

A big thankyou to BB for carrying all HD DVDs online for TOTAL ACCESS. :D

Blockbuster doesn't carry either format here. So Total Access returns only give me SD choices.