If Sony says they'll miss their sales targets and if the worldwide shortage is due to lack of supply, then Sony is shit at determining sales targets or someone is lying through their teeth...

I'll give it even odds.

I've just taken delivery of a Sony BDPS350 from Amazon UK. It cost £163.25. It doesn't appear to be the last one.

'.... the company's world sales target of 5m BD players will not now be reached, though he reckons equipment suppliers won't fall far short of it: they'll set 4.5m units ...'

So they were planning on selling 5m, but due to a lack of supply they will only be selling 4.5m.

Looks as though some severe lack of planning is to blame, how can increased demand (due to lack of competition from HD) cause a drop in the numbers they were planning to sell?

Maybe because actually people don't really care that much about buying into another format and having to buy all their films/documentaries again, and having to buy a non-cheap TV to watch them on (oh AND a special cable that will _allow_ you to watch them) to make the upgrade worthwhile.

Sounds as though the excuse-cupboard has been opened and whatever fell out has been used.

ttfn

But what quantities do they and will they have? A couple of retailers with a few is hardly going to fill the seasonal demand.

Prices will be going up in January due to the collapse of the pound.

Does anyone think there will be any seasonal demand this year? I, and many others, are saving our pennies for the rainy days ahead, not blowing our precious cash on luxuries like this, despite the VAT drop which is supposed to make us all go out spending.

...not :-)

You can easily find a dozen online suppliers for each of the Samsung and Sony players below the price stated. 30%+ discount on the RRP of the latest model players seems to suggest stocks are good at the moment.

The whole entertainment industry has been busy digging its own grave, so I've stopped buying shiny silver discs pretty much altogether (I've bought a grand total of 2 discs this year - one DVD and one CD). I'm certainly not going to replace my few hundred DVDs and CDs all over again. So I have absolutely no reason to buy anything Blu-Ray other than if that's all that's available when my existing hardware dies and needs to be replaced. By then, we'll probably be on UV-Ray or Flash-Ray anyway.

Because Bluray sales have in fact been dropping since the death of HD-DVD.

If sales have been dropping then how would there be a supply problem unless they stopped making them?

I know what this story is about, it's about making Bluray sound more popular than it is in the hope people will go out and buy it.

HD movies just aren't all that amazing after you've watched a few and got over the initial "ooh shiny new thing" factor.

After a quick look I've yet to find anywhere that's sold out of cheap Bluray players.

schmoptical

I like having the latest toys. Why does that make me an idiot?

I have a certain amount of cash left over after paying the bills. Some I save, the rest I spend. Does it really make me an idiot if sometimes I like to treat myself to a shiney new toy??

I don't think bluray will have the same impact as DVD, but I'm very happy with my 40" screen, Ps3 and lovefilm sub! :-)