[tag]Paramount[/tag] Pictures and [tag]Dreamworks[/tag] Animation have just announced they will not continue to support [tag]Blu-ray[/tag] technology on future releases from their studios, opting instead for the less-expensive [tag]HD-DVD[/tag] format. There has been much talk of a "war" between these two [tag]high-definition[/tag] video technologies recently. This is especially bad news for Sony, who has thrown their support behind Blu-Ray technology.
If Blu-ray eventually gets pushed aside it won't be the first time for [tag]Sony[/tag]. Many remember the old VHS vs. Sony Betamax video wars of the early video recorder days. While this current battle is far from over, it's very interesting to see what's taking place on [tag]eBay[/tag]. Over the past 90 days, HD-DVD and 
Blu-ray players have been nearly identical in the sell-through rate within the Consumer Electronics category. Here are some other comparison points:
Is Blu-ray the new Betamax?
While we can see the sell-through rate is practically the same for players, HD-DVD outsold Blu-ray by over 30%. In a marketplace like eBay where people are looking for deals, a nearly $200 average price difference makes the HD-DVD players much more appealing to shoppers. When looking at the movies for sale in the Movies and DVDs category on eBay, we see a flip-flop of the numbers. There were nearly 30% less HD-DVD movies sold in the same period, and with a lower sell-through rate. There are approximately 50 more titles available on Blu-ray than on HD-DVD.
The world of [tag]VHS[/tag] vs. [tag]Betamax[/tag] is long gone. I don't think this digital format war will be a war to the finish as the tape wars of yore. For one thing, there are many players available which will play both types of discs. Secondly, in the early '80s we only had a couple of choices when it came to buying or renting movies. Remember the video stores that had an ever-dwindling "Beta" section? Now we have eBay, Amazon, and so many more places to find the obscure products to fit our needs. In fact, you can still find plenty of Betamax players and movies on eBay. The "war" seems up in the air at this point. As long as one side doesn't start making discs ½-inch bigger than their rival, we may just all be able to get along and play everyone's disc in the same player.
Strategy for sellers
Sellers may want to think twice about getting in very deep with inventory that only plays one of these formats. This is a type of product that could see profits drop quickly if other corporations make announcements similar to Paramount. While both formats may be around in the future, the best bet for eBay sellers for the near future seems like the players that play both Blu-ray and HD-DVD.[tags]trends,eBay sellers[/tags]
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