[kefrank]

Originally Posted by E55 KEV

Hmmm, I bet the MSRP was a lot more around $799. Sony DVD from 1999:

DVP-S7000 $999 MSRP
DVP-S7700 $1299 MSRP - http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews/dvps7700.html

Nope. MSRP was $599 and it streeted for $400 or less most places (link). By the end of '99, when I bought it, it was streeting for less than $300. Additionally, your phrasing ("ran $800") suggested street pricing to me and not MSRP.

None of this is very pertinent to this thread though. I think a reasonable explanation for why BD players get firmware updates has already been provided.