A year has passed, and Blu-ray's outlook has improved--although its long-term outlook remains murky. According to a new study by , revenue from Blu-ray disc sales for the week ending November 29, 2009--yes, the all-important week--was $69.06 million, up a gaudy 224 percent from the same period a year earlier. DVD disc sales for that week, however, totaled $491.10 million, down 7.89 percent from '08. Shorthand: Blu-ray up, DVD down.

The numbers reveal a lot. The solid rise in Blu-ray disc sales shows that consumers are finally migrating to the slow-to-catch-on HD format. On the other hand, DVD, despite its slight sales decline, remains the dominant physical disc format for the home entertainment market.

Blu-ray Is Cheap--Finally

Another trend benefitting Blu-ray sales is the rapid decline in hardware prices. It's not uncommon to find quality Blu-ray players in the $100-to-$130 range this holiday season. (Wal-Mart even offered a Magnavox Blu-ray player doorbuster for just $78.) consoles, which play Blu-ray discs, are getting cheaper too.

Furthermore, many Blu-ray movies, once prohibitively expensive, are now downright cheap. While shopping at Costco yesterday, I spotted several Blu-ray titles, including popular flicks like the 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven, for just $8.99. At those prices, a Blu-ray upgrade quickly becomes an impulse buy for many consumers.