Despite the large growth of Blu-ray on the whole over the past two years, a few studios have scaled back on their TV series releases in Blu-ray, rolling back to DVD-only releases.
A few of the series in question are Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me and Damages, popular on TV but apparently not as popular on BD.
Overall, TV series on Blu-ray sell only 5 percent of the copies they do on DVD, compared to 15-25 percent for most new releases in both formats.
The discrepancy in sales can mainly be attributed to the larger pricing differences, which can be over $10 for most releases. For example, the price difference of a DVD and Blu-ray of a new release (such as Harry Potter 6) can be under $5 while most, if not all TV series have a difference of over $10, with some as high as $20 for premium cable channel programming.
“The significant amount of content and multiple discs make the financial model challenging for many TV series on Blu-ray and is a significant reason for the methodical approach studios are taking to release product,” added Rosemary Markson, VP of TV marketing for Warner Home Video, via VB. “Unfortunately, Nip/Tuck Blu-ray sales were insufficient to continue releasing in the format.”
Some TV shows outperform however, but not enough for the entire industry to remain in Blu-ray at this point.
“Over half of our Mad Men copies sold on Blu-ray,” noted David Barker, VP of e-commerce marketing at DeepDiscount.com. “But there’s The Office, with a $69.99 SRP Blu-ray and $59.99 SRP DVD, where just under 5% of copies sold in high-def.”
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Perhaps the most controversial decision in the early days of HDTV standards was the use of interlacing at the highest resolution (1080i). The introduction of Blu-ray and HD DVD also brought the standardization of progressive content (1080p) which has been responsible for the introduction of many more HDTVs capable of displaying these signals. Now Dish Network has brought 1080p to their online Video On Demand (VOD) service.
Dish Network’s IP-VOD service is similar to offerings from cable companies, but due to the lack of interactivity inherent in satellite communication it requires a DVR and broadband internet connection. Subscribers with a MPEG-4 HD DVR will now be able to get A&E’s new series The Beast in 1080p.
“We are thrilled to work with A&E in pioneering these efforts by taking television to the next level using 1080p format,” said Jessica Insalaco, DISH Network’s Chief Marketing Officer. “As the first pay-TV provider to first offer VOD movies and now offer a TV series in 1080p, DISH Network continues to lead the industry when it comes to delivering the best quality programming options, DVR technology and overall value for our customers.”
Although the satellite VOD offerings from Dish Network and DirecTV aren’t capable of precisely emulating the experience of their cable counterparts, using receivers designed specifically for their services does give them an advantage when it comes to non-standard features like 1080p.
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A new Intel chip designed to provide interactivity features to television content has been backed by Disney. The chip aims to allow users to interact in certain ways with their favorite programs. “It has the potential to make TV viewing more functional and more fun,” Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney-ABC Television group said.
Sweeney said that viewers may be able to access complementary content during the series finale of the hit TV series “Lost”, through use of Intel’s new chip, which is designed to provide Internet applications on televisions. When present in a TV set, its on-board software lets networks, content creators and other developers to add their own applications and features.
“We know fans of Lost have a huge appetite for insight and information into the show,” Sweeney said. “Using the Intel Widget for the series finale could be a great way to give our fans an extraordinary viewing experience for the end of a truly iconic show.” ABC’s Good Morning America was also presented as a viable candidate, where users could cast votes or comment in real-time on stories being broadcast.
“It’s not just about great content and cool technology,” said Sweeney, adding that there are some legal concerns that need to be addressed before such features can be introduced.
