I live in Western Massachusetts and I'm seeing less and less support for both Hi-DEf formats. Blu-Ray discs are just not available in hardly any amount except for at the local Best Buy [outragious prices!]. Walmart for example has a huge display that has been empty for months except for about 3-4 movies and Circuit City has very few. On top of the lack of selection prices are set way, way to high. In my mind the vast majority of Blu ray sales will be at local retail stores and if retailers don't start offering movies and reasonable prices both formats will be doomed.

It just hasn't penetrated 2nd markets. Give it time. You'll have to hit Boston Proper to get em (what's at the old tower records location now on Newberry?)Or obviously the web.

Old Tower Records is now a Best Buy

Boston has quite a few outlets, Newbury Comics has quite a few titles for a small store and they sell used and cheap as well. Theres also a used store in Downtown Crossing I can't remember the name of that stocks used HDM, plus a bunch of other places...

Both the players and software needs to be readily available at B&M stores at good prices. Otherwise, .........

Best Buy just officially announced they're choosing Blu-ray as their format of choice, so that should improve your chances.

Find a Newbury Comics near you. That's the best way to go...

The problem is that neither format is really taking hold and threatening to make standard dvd's obsolete. The fact is (at least from what I see) that most consumers weren't unhappy with regular dvd's and don't see why they should ditch the players they already have for one of two formats that are incompatible with each other and have a comparatively small selection of movies/tv shows. Of course many of those same people may not realize that HD-DVD/Blu-ray players will also play regular dvd's and make them look better...but then again the average consumer isn't nearly as picky as the average AVS'er.

The very fact that the government is having to spend over a billion dollars to provide coupons for digital converters so people who still feed their 12 year old crt by antenna won't be cut off...should tell you all you need to know.

It's easy to imagine everyone is a video/audiophile but the simple truth is that there are people out there with brand new lcd/plasma/dlp HDTV's that are feeding them analog cable and dvd's from a $30 player and are happy with it.

edit- unlike the above post, I see no sign that my local BB is giving up on HD-DVD...it seems to be 50/50 on shelf space and HD-DVD players are still displayed/sold.

unlike the above post, I see no sign that my local BB is giving up on HD-DVD...it seems to be 50/50 on shelf space and HD-DVD players are still displayed/sold.

It's up on highdefdigest:

"The nation's largest consumer electronics retailer says it will recommend Blu-ray as its preferred high-def format.

According to a just-issued press release, Best Buy says that in endorsing Blu-ray, the company hopes to take a step forward in addressing consumer confusion about high-definition formats

"Consumers have told us that they want us to help lead the way. We've listened to our customers, and we are responding," said Brian Dunn, Best Buy's president and chief operating officer. "Our decision to shine a spotlight on Blu-ray Disc players and other Blu-ray products is a strong signal to our customers that we believe Blu-ray is the right format choice for them."

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/Best_Buy/Best_Buy_to_Recommend_Blu-ray_over_HD_DVD/1455

Best Buy just officially announced they're choosing Blu-ray as their format of choice, so that should improve your chances.

I didn't think that we could talk about that here! :eek:

It's up on highdefdigest:

"The nation's largest consumer electronics retailer says it will recommend Blu-ray as its preferred high-def format.

According to a just-issued press release, Best Buy says that in endorsing Blu-ray, the company hopes to take a step forward in addressing consumer confusion about high-definition formats

"Consumers have told us that they want us to help lead the way. We've listened to our customers, and we are responding," said Brian Dunn, Best Buy's president and chief operating officer. "Our decision to shine a spotlight on Blu-ray Disc players and other Blu-ray products is a strong signal to our customers that we believe Blu-ray is the right format choice for them."

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/Best_Buy/Best_Buy_to_Recommend_Blu-ray_over_HD_DVD/1455From the article on the front AVS page:

"Although Best Buy will continue to stock HD DVD hardware and software, the big-box retailer says that, beginning in March, they will “prominently showcase Blu-ray hardware and software products” both online and in-store."

Which means that BB will promote Blu-ray through advertising and most likely encouraging their floor sales people to push customers in that (more profitable for BB) direction....but will still offer HD-DVD hardware/software for those that choose it.