High-def player price cuts follow DVD

[HDTV1080P]

New article on how the format war is causing prices to fall fast.

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6429390.html

[nhaase]

This article seems to be pretty accurate. Just remember to look at the tech specs. Some HD-DVD players don't do 1080p, so look for that, then find the comparable BD player that does that. I personally feel that BD will win the format war. If I wasn't so sure, I'd buy a HD-DVD player when the prices drop by $100.

[Solar Driftwood]

The influx of cheap players is vital for the formats to take off, really. You just won't see me buying one any more than I bought a cheapo DVD player!

[HDTV1080P]

For those interested in cheap prices a factory new Samsung BDP-1000 can now be purchased for as low as $469.99

http://www.pricerunner.com/pl/4-587357/DVD-Players/Samsung-BDP-1000-Compare-Prices

The Toshiba HD-D1 factory new model can sometimes be found under $265.
The Toshiba HD-A2 can be purchased for as low as $339
http://www.pricerunner.com/pl/4-752299/DVD-Players/Toshiba-HD-A2-Compare-Prices

The Toshiba HD-DVD HD-A20 1080P/60 will be selling for $499.99 in retail stores; from a reliable source I have learned that some discount mail order companies plan on pricing the HD-A20 around $403 once the item becomes available.

Lately I have been using the www.pricerunner.com website to find the lowest prices. So far price runner has been better then some of the other tools I was using.

So even with HD-DVD player’s Street prices being around $200 cheaper compared to BLU-RAY, most early adopters have chosen BLU-RAY. Evidence of this can be found in over 100,000 Casino Royale BLU-RAY titles sold that can only be played on a BLU-RAY device. It really does not matter how many HD-DVD and BLU-RAY devices are sold, the most accurate number to see how the format war is doing is to compare BLU-RAY movie disc sales to HD-DVD non combo movie disc sales. Which every format is selling the most movies is winning the format war.

[Unkn0wn47]

Thanks man. That should help a lot!

[blublublu]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

For those interested in cheap prices a factory new Samsung BDP-1000 can now be purchased for as low as $469.99

http://www.pricerunner.com/pl/4-587357/DVD-Players/Samsung-BDP-1000-Compare-Prices

The Toshiba HD-D1 factory new model can sometimes be found under $265.
The Toshiba HD-A2 can be purchased for as low as $339
http://www.pricerunner.com/pl/4-752299/DVD-Players/Toshiba-HD-A2-Compare-Prices

The Toshiba HD-DVD HD-A20 1080P/60 will be selling for $499.99 in retail stores; from a reliable source I have learned that some discount mail order companies plan on pricing the HD-A20 around $403 once the item becomes available.

Lately I have been using the www.pricerunner.com website to find the lowest prices. So far price runner has been better then some of the other tools I was using.

So even with HD-DVD player’s Street prices being around $200 cheaper compared to BLU-RAY, most early adopters have chosen BLU-RAY. Evidence of this can be found in over 100,000 Casino Royale BLU-RAY titles sold that can only be played on a BLU-RAY device. It really does not matter how many HD-DVD and BLU-RAY devices are sold, the most accurate number to see how the format war is doing is to compare BLU-RAY movie disc sales to HD-DVD non combo movie disc sales. Which every format is selling the most movies is winning the format war.

Those are going to be trailing numbers.

Blu Ray is going to have to be careful they don't blow it.

Cheaper players on the HD DVD side, plus delayed dates for big titles like "The Matrix" and some other IME titles could lead to a shift.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by blublublu

Those are going to be trailing numbers.

Blu Ray is going to have to be careful they don't blow it.

Cheaper players on the HD DVD side, plus delayed dates for big titles like "The Matrix" and some other IME titles could lead to a shift.

The most accurate way to see how the formats are doing is to compare the exact same title sales. For example on April 24th Planet Earth will be released by BBC Home Video on both HD-DVD and BLU-RAY. What is cool about this release is that the HD-DVD is a non combo release and only HD-DVD owners can play non combo’s.
So on April 24th which every format sales the most titles of Planet Earth will be one way to gauge who is winning. For any other movie release that is released both on BLU-RAY and HD-DVD non combo one can easily see who is winning the war.
BLU-RAY so far has sold more total movie discs compared to HD-DVD format. HD-DVD’s only hope is to make the players cheap enough to sale several millions of players in hopes that some of the BLU-RAY exclusive studios will go neutral. I doubt Disney, Fox, and Sony Pictures would every release on HD-DVD, doing so would only feed the format war which most studios want to avoid. Sony would never release on HD-DVD unless they lost the war completely or if Microsoft had enough money to purchase Sony. People would be totally upset if Microsoft had the money to purchase Sony.

[WriteSimply]

The problem with price reductions on players is that people who are usually not early adopters will adopt without knowing the pitfalls of being early adopters.

The main issue with BD is Profile 1.1 and 2.0. For this I suggest non-typical early adopters to get a PS3. It would solve most of their problems.

As for HD-DVD and early adopters, well the main issue is lack of studio support.


fuad

[cdblu]

check out the si #s from digitalbits.com

BLU-RAY VS HD-DVD - SOFTWARE UNIT SALES RATIO (3/25/07 - VideoScan):
Year to Date
Format(s) to Date Blu-ray Disc: 100
Blu-ray Disc: 100 HD-DVD: 42.13
HD-DVD: 79.77

get a clearer image by clicking http://www.thedigitalbits.com/index.html#cema

[blublublu]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

[SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman] The most accurate way to see how the formats are doing is to compare the exact same title sales.

That could be true, but with less titles available on HD DVD the numbers could still be distorted.

P.S. Last time I looked, Happy Feet on HD DVD was out sales ranking Blu Ray on amazon.

[Blubaru]

Originally Posted by blublublu

That could be true, but with less titles available on HD DVD the numbers could still be distorted.

P.S. Last time I looked, Happy Feet on HD DVD was out sales ranking Blu Ray on amazon.

Last time I checked Blu-ray had still sold more discs.

[blublublu]

Originally Posted by Blubaru

Last time I checked Blu-ray had still sold more discs.

For Happy Feet? Where's the source for that? That would be good/interesting info.

[The Don]

I saw the Happy Feet HD-DVD / DVD combo for 40 bucks...

that is laughable...

Sears had it right next to the BD version that is 30 bucks...

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by blublublu

That could be true, but with less titles available on HD DVD the numbers could still be distorted.

P.S. Last time I looked, Happy Feet on HD DVD was out sales ranking Blu Ray on amazon.

The problem with the Happy Feet title is that it is a combo disc with HD-DVD on one side and DVD on the other side. There is a certain percentage of the population buying these discs that do not own a HD-DVD player. For the most accurate information on which format is winning only HD-DVD non combo titles can be compared to BLU-RAY titles. When Universal Studios gets away from combo disc releases I think the numbers will go down. There are some consumers that see the words DVD on the HD-DVD discs and they just purchase the disc and play it in their DVD player. BLU-RAY could play this game and come out with stupid combo discs.