<p>Two weeks ago, I wrote about the decline in television sales and how manufacturers are scratching their heads trying to figure out a way to kick-start consumer interest and get those cash registers jingling again, as the all-important 2012 holiday selling season is barely two months away.</p><p>Misery loves company. Hollywood is in a similar pickle as declining sales of movies on optical disc and increasing use of streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) are challenging revenue projections, particularly for 'weak' theatrical releases that could previously count on back-end physical media sales to make up revenue.</p><p>The steady decline in optical disc sales and rentals since 2005 has been well-documented by myself and other industry analysts, and has been tracked and confirmed by a number or research organizations. While it is true that Blu-ray disc sales continue to grow, they haven't made up for the drop-off in DVD sales and rentals and are unlikely ever to do so.</p><p>What's 'hot' these days is streaming and playback of movie and TV show files on portable devices. On a flight back from California last week, the passenger next to me enjoyed Battleship on an iPad, downloaded from iTunes. While making a trip to the restroom, I noticed at least ten other passengers watching video on tablets, e-readers, and even a smart phone.</p><p><a href="http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/columns/2012/09/hdtv-expert-when-a-butterfly-flaps-its-wings-pete-putman.php">Keep reading...</a></p>