The DVD revolution is picking up steam.  According to Video Business, manufacturers shipped 2.4 million DVD players to U.S. retail stores during the first quarter of 2001.  This brings the total shipments since the launch of the DVD format to a total of some 16.5 million machines.  Even more impressive is the Consumer Electronics Association's estimate that manufacturers intend to ship a total of 17 million players to retail establishments in the U.S. this year, which means that the number of DVD players in the U.S could double by the start of 2002.

 

The price of DVD players remains very reasonable with low-end models going for just over $100.  Meanwhile DVD players included in computers as well as in the Sony Playstation II tend to advance the DVD capability in stealthy, but no less effective ways.  Collectors love the DVD format because of its greater permanence (vis-?-vis videotape), better picture and sound quality, and far greater ease of storage.  Manufacturers have been quick to add 'bells and whistles' to DVDs including original trailers, documentaries about the films and stars, as well as interviews with principal creators.  All these features make DVDs enticing to fans, who may even already own a version of the same material on videotape.  As for collectors of anime, one of the most important video buying segments in pop culture stores, they love the fact that anime DVDs typically include both the original Japanese soundtrack with English subtitles, and a dubbed English dialogue track.   

 

Just as the CD revolution greatly aided all elements of the music industry (since stores were able to sell CDs of classic albums as well as new material), so the DVD revolution will provide pop culture retailers the opportunity to sell a huge amount of backlist material over the next few years as collectors gradually reconstitute their collections in the DVD format.  Specialty stores also will not face as much mass market price competition on backlist items as on the hot new releases (see 'There's Gold in Old Cartoons').  DVD sales are already starting to dominate ICV2's Top Ten Cool lists for the 'Anime' and 'Movie/TV' categories (see 'Top Ten Anime Videos for February' and 'Top Ten Movies/TV').  If the CEA estimate of 17 million new DVD players is even close to the mark, DVDs will own the specialty marketplace by the end of the year.