The group, which consists of companies backing the HD DVD high-def disc format, also said rival Blu-ray player sales fell 27 percent in the second quarter, compared to first quarter totals, and Blu-ray disc sales fell five percent.
The announcement is the latest salvo in the escalating war between the two high-def disc formats. The HD DVD Promotional Group said its numbers were based on NPD reports, Nielsen Netratings and sales data from the studios.
However, previous sales estimates from HD DVD backers have been immediately challenged by the Blu-ray team as inaccurate because they did not include sales of Sony's Play Station 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside.
But the HD DVD group said HD DVD player sales rose in the second quarter because Toshiba slashed the price of its entry-level player from $399 to $299.
"The numbers are clear -- HD DVD is steadily gaining momentum and market share," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. "With HD DVD CE players now at (suggested retail) prices starting at $299 and with strong marketing campaigns around new HD DVD titles with web-enabled interactive features, we are continuing to raise the bar for the consumer experience."
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