Best Buy Picks Blu-ray Over HD DVD

February 12, 2008, 12:35 PM EST

It was the second victory of the day for the Blu-ray format after online DVD rental service Netflix said it plans to stock high-def movies exclusively in Blu-ray.

Starting in March, Best Buy plans to "prominently showcase" Blu-ray products in its stores and online. While the retailer will still carry HD DVD products, it will recommend Blu-ray as the preferred format, according to a company statement.

Best Buy said it is responding to customer demands for clarity in the high-def DVD format war. The battle between the two formats, Sony-backed Blu-ray and Toshiba-backed HD DVD, has been blamed for slow consumer uptake of high-def DVD players and movies. Consumers have been reluctant to plunk down cash for high-def gear until a single format emerges as the winner.

That question seemingly has been answered in Blu-ray's favor. Best Buy and Netflix made their choice to throw in with Blu-ray after watching several major studios side with the format. Warner Bros. Entertainment in January said it will put out high-def movies exclusively in Blu-ray, joining Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Walt Disney in the Blu-ray camp. Two major studios, Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios, have sided with HD DVD.

Jennifer Follett

Jennifer Follett is the Executive Editor for CRN where she has been covering the IT solution provider channel for 20 years. She currently oversees CRN magazine and CRN.com, the website for the industry’s leading channel publication. She can be reached at jfollett@thechannelcompany.com.