I'm looking for figures that show the trend away from VHS tapes
towards DVDs, as the primary medium for releasing and viewing movies
in the U.S. In particular, I'm looking for annual figures for the U.S.
 for the period from the introduction of the DVD format through the
present, for:

- the volume of VHS tapes and DVDs produced;
- the proportion of total movies released in the U.S. on VHS tape and
on DVD;
- the volume of VHS tape and DVD rental;
- the volume of sales for VHS tapes and DVDs; and
- the number of DVD players sold.

I'd also like future trend projections for the next 5 year period.  It
would be ideal if the answer included any statements from movie
studios or concrete data showing trend towards elimination or
substantial reduction of the U.S. VHS market. Thanks!

Hello Sds,

The best report on the subject I found is from following source:

Business 2.0 - The Meteoric Rise of the DVD
http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,39362,FF.html

On this page there is so much crucial data answering your question
that I suggest you see for yourself. I will wrap up some points here:

New or used DVD sold in the US, compared to VHS (please compare to
original article's graph):

Bil. Units/    VHS      DVD
Year
---------------------------
1996       |   10        0
1997       |    9        0
1998       |    9        0
1999       |    8        1
2000       |    7.5      2
2001       |    7        4
2002       |    7        7


For the DVD purchases and rentals pie chart, as well as the projection
for 2005, please refer to the image below "U.S. consumer home-video
spending, by format".


On DVD players:

- "It has taken DVD players less than half the time it took VCRs to
reach critical mass with U.S. consumers."
- "Price drops for DVD players in 1999-2000 kick-started sales."
- "Existing VCRs still outnumber DVD players 4 to 1, but DVD player
sales have nearly doubled since 2000."


Also see this overview of the 2002 Annual Report on the Home
Entertainment Industry:

VSDA (Video Software Dealers Association)
http://www.vsda.org/Resource.phx/vsda/publications/2002annualreport/index.htx

"- Video consumers in the United States spent an unprecedented $1.4
billion renting DVDs in 2001.
- In 2001, consumers bought 16.7 million DVD players.
- The DVD console is the fastest selling consumer electronics product
ever, having reached sales of 30 million units within five years.
(...)
- U.S. video consumers spent $7 billion on VHS tape rentals in 2001.
(...)
- Consumers spent $5.4 billion buying DVDs and $4.9 billion on VHS
tapes in 2001."


And this report (I cannot quote all relevant data from that page
here):

DVD Market (by Trendsetters.com, 26th March 2003)
http://www.trendsetters.com/technology-trend/9001,1,dvd-market.html

"Depending on who you believe, DVD players are in more than 26 million
U.S. households (USA Today), 38 million as of August 2002
(NPDTechworld), or 56 million households by end 2002 (Adams Media
Research). (...)

In the first half of 2002, 8.1 million DVD players shipped to retail,
a 53% increase over the same period in 2001. In 2003, an estimated 17
million players shipped with an average price of $146."


If you want much more detail and you are willing to pay for a report,
you might want to take a look at the following page (the report is
priced at $392.00):

Do You Need DVD Statistics?
http://rgiusa.hypermart.net/corbell/corbell/dvdstat4.htm

"Corbell Publishing Company is a leading Entertainment publishing
company specializing in the DVD (Digital Video Disc)and video (VHS)
software and hardware industry (...)

The DVD Statistical Report includes data for the forth year of the
Digital Video Disc (DVD) industry and includes both software and
hardware"


Hope this helps!


---------------

Further references:


DVD Software Purchases Increased 2.4 Times to $4.6 Billion, Putting
DVD Sales Ahead of VHS for the First Time (January 8, 2002)
http://www.recordingmedia.org/news/rmonews.html


Video Rental and Sales Revenue Statistics
http://retailindustry.about.com/library/bl/02q3/bl_vsda071502.htm


The Rise of DVD (by Systems Resource Group, 7/25/2001)
http://www.srg.com.bs/techtalk/techtalk.asp?cmd=view&articleid=32

---------------


Search terms:
"dvd vs vhs" OR "vhs vs dvd" statistics
"rise of the dvd" OR "rise of dvd"
"dvd battles vhs" OR "vhs battles dvd"
"dvd statistics" market vhs
dvd sales statistics vhs
"dvd market" vhs
"Annual Report on the Home Entertainment Industry"
dvd future market estimated
dvd vhs market estimate sales
(...)

Thanks, this is a good answer.

With the digital revolution happening all around; it’s slowly but
surely replacing all analog medium, VCD is the default standard for
personal movie watching. DVD is a better medium, once the cost of the
player and the disc come down, it will be a smooth switch over from
VCD to DVD. Then I don’t think VHS in anywhere in the picture…
What’s the point of having a medium which has a short life span, low
quality and priced the same as of a superior quality VCD or DVD.

Shine Raj
SHiNE//

Many poeple use tape for time shifting of broadcast programs. only
when write/wipe DVD qality is availible cheaply will tape disapear.

Please be kind---rewind: yes, that is very old school---nevertheless,
many old titles that are on VHS tape will never be on DVD due to
demand.  And, why would one want to burn DVD from all of their video
tapes anyway.  I do not think that VHS tapes will never be collectors
items like vinyl records are.  The VCR machine might become rare like
the turntable. Moreover, when turntables came back in DJ club work it
helped vinyl make a comeback.  Common sense tells us that VCRs won't
be used in the same manner as turntables are for public entertainment
effects.  In conclusion:  The VCR machine will become like the 8-Track
machine and old VHS tapes will still be kept for archival storage of
video not produced on DVD or worth the time to burn.....