Sony BDP-S550 will sell for around $376 from some discount Internet mail order places

[HDTV1080P]

From a very reliable source of mine I have learned that the Sony BDP-S550 that has a suggested retail price of $499 will be selling for around $376 from some discount mail order companies once large quantities of the player become available in a few months.

[GORT]

Thats a good price to start I think it will be alot lower as christmass gets closer

[Moefiz]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

From a very reliable source of mine I have learned that the Sony BDP-S550 that has a suggested retail price of $499 will be selling for around $376 from some discount mail order companies once large quantities of the player become available in a few months.

If your source is correct then this could be a nice Christmas present for me.

[Blu-Raider]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

From a very reliable source of mine I have learned that the Sony BDP-S550 that has a suggested retail price of $499 will be selling for around $376 from some discount mail order companies once large quantities of the player become available in a few months.

So name your sources.

[DIY_HD]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

From a very reliable source of mine I have learned that the Sony BDP-S550 that has a suggested retail price of $499 will be selling for around $376 from some discount mail order companies once large quantities of the player become available in a few months.

That's great news. I have to admit, though, I am getting tired of waiting. Christmas is only three months away, but it seems like a long time. I've been drooling over this player since June when it was first announced. Sigh.

[Blu-RayLover]

This news about pricing shouldn’t be such a big technical surprise, since the market is already flooded with the Sony model S350, that is currently the best or biggest selling Blu-ray player by a major company on the market. The success of the S350, has simply prompted Sony to reconsider their pricing situation and make the S550 affordable to then corner another side of the current market place. While all of this is going on, Panasonic’s entry into this Hi-Def foray is being met with their new model 55. As it stands, the two best bets for performance and value rest with either the Sony S550 or the Panasonic model 55. This simply means that both players are going to set new standards for the whole Hi-Def video genre. In the coming months, this is going to be the most closely watched rivalry, because both these players appeal to any financial conscious consumer. What’s interesting here is that Sony will be introducing an expensive high-end player, model S5000ES after the S550 makes its long waited appearance. Yet, for all intended purposes, the S550 will meet the needs of both high-end and average audio/videophilies. Meanwhile, Panasonic is banking everything on their model 55, essentially becoming their only top-of-the-line player. Panasonic is generally appealing to the masses and this is what makes this race to the holiday season between Sony and Panasonic so interesting!

Of course, one of the main reasons for a price drop is due to the impending arrival of generic brands from Southeast Asia. Major discount stores all across the country are gearing up to sell these brands, that for the most part will be very affordable and probably make up for most of the generally market, while the major companies battle it out. This means that anyone considering to buy a new DVD player, will have an option to buy an affordable Blu-ray player, instead of a standard DVD player and thus make the transition to High-Definition a whole lot easier. I imagine that in the coming months, the major discount and appliance stores will be piled up with boxes of various Blu-ray players on the floor as consumers walk in and have to make a selection. This will surely help usher in the reality that High-Definition is the future, when we all have to make the total switch to the new HI-Def broadcast system in February.

[E55 KEV]

isn't the Sony MSRP supposed to drop to $399 this month and the 350 to be $299?

[Blu-RayLover]

Originally Posted by E55 KEV

isn't the Sony MSRP supposed to drop to $399 this month and the 350 to be $299?

This is correct, but at first, the pricing discount won't be so easily available, meaning you will have to search around the web or go to the local stores in your area to see what's happening. Already, a Sony S350 can be found on the web for less than 300 dollars! But, buyer beware! Some units may be an open-box sale or refurbished.

[HDTV1080P]

Since I started this thread I thought I should update it with the latest information. The database I have access to which was showing the BDP-S550 was going to sell for around $376 from some discount mail order companies is now showing the player has been canceled from the system. What this most likely means is for some reason this large nationwide distributor which I can not name is not going to carry the player for mail order sales. They carry every other BLU-RAY player from Sony. I have not heard of Sony canceling the player so it must be that some mail order distributors have decided not to offer the player.