In a further blow to the HD DVD format, starting in March online video rental service Netflix will only offer Blu-ray titles, while the US' largest consumer electronic chain, Best Buy, said it will recommend the BD format to its customers.

"We're now at the point where the industry can pursue the migration to a single format, bring clarity to the consumer and accelerate the adoption of high def. Going forward, we expect that all of the studios will publish in the Blu-ray format and that the price points of high def DVD players will come down significantly. These factors could well lead to another decade of disc-based movie watching as the consumer's preferred means," said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix. "The prolonged period of competition between two formats has prevented clear communication to the consumer regarding the richness of the high-def experience versus standard definition."

Netflix has been stocking both hi-def formats since 2006, but it said the decision by four of the six major film studios to back Blu-ray exclusively "had shown there was a clear preference for one format." The rental chain will phase out HD DVD title as each individual product came to the end of its natural lifecycle in the coming months.

Netflix rival Blockbuster has also said it will stock only Blu-ray titles as it expands its high-def offerings.

On Monday, it was the turn of the US’ largest consumer electronics chain, Best Buy, to tilt towards Blu-ray. While it would still continue to stock HD DVD product, it said it would be recommending Blu-ray to its customers eginning in March as well.

"Best Buy has always believed that the customer will benefit from a widely accepted single format that would offer advantages such as product compatibility and expanded content choices," Brian Dunn, Best Buy's president and chief operating officer said in a statement. "Our decision to shine a spotlight on Blu-ray Disc players and other Blu-ray products is a strong signal to our customers that we believe Blu-ray is the right format choice for them.”

“With the explosion of HDTVs, customers are hungry for quality, high definition content.,” added Mike Vitelli, Best Buy’s senior vice president, Home Solutions. “We believe our move to feature Blu-ray should help consumers feel confident in their hi-def content choices.

The move follows Target's decision last year to sell only Blu-ray DVD players.

Story filed 11.02.08