Germany: Sony pays 150 EUR for HD DVD Player

[megablank]

This may be drawing the final nail:

While not yet confirmed, there are some forum posts saying that Sony Germany is going to pay 150 EUR (221 USD) when you buy a new BDP-S300 or BDP-S500 and trade-in your HD DVD Player (with exception of the X-Box drive). Additionally, you also get 8 free Blu-ray movies.

Should this come true, this would for sure be the end of HD DVD in Germany.

I'll keep you informed.

Markus

[jayd]

Excellent idea. And HD-DVD fans can use their discs as coasters.

[cartman781]

Originally Posted by jayd

Excellent idea. And HD-DVD fans can use their discs as coasters.

I agree

[patrick99]

Great news. I hope it's true, and is more widespread than Germany.

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by jayd

Excellent idea. And HD-DVD fans can use their discs as coasters.

Only if they boil them first... otherwise the cup / glass might slip .

[glenn22]

Originally Posted by patrick99

Great news. I hope it's true, and is more widespread than Germany.

+1 that would speed up the abandonment of HD-DVD for sure.

[blu2]

Originally Posted by megablank

This may be drawing the final nail:

While not yet confirmed, there are some forum posts saying that Sony Germany is going to pay 150 EUR (221 USD) when you buy a new BDP-S300 or BDP-S500 and trade-in your HD DVD Player (with exception of the X-Box drive). Additionally, you also get 8 free Blu-ray movies.

Should this come true, this would for sure be the end of HD DVD in Germany.

I'll keep you informed.

Markus

What does a BDP-S300 and BDP-S500 cost in Germany?

[megablank]

Originally Posted by blu2

What does a BDP-S300 and BDP-S500 cost in Germany?

Much too much, compared to the US:

BDP-S300 is 399 EUR (588 USD) and BDP-S500 745 EUR (1098 USD, prices at amazon.de incl. tax)

Markus

[aristotles]

Originally Posted by megablank

Much too much, compared to the US:

BDP-S300 is 399 EUR (588 USD) and BDP-S500 745 EUR (1098 USD, prices at amazon.de incl. tax)

Markus

I'd be careful quoting EUR prices with the VAT included since the US price in stores does not have tax included. You really cannot blame the companies for the high VAT tax you guys have to pay. Some states have no sales tax whatsoever while others do but nobody includes the sales tax on the ticket price.

The same thing applies for Canada where we have a federal VAT tax called GST (5%) which is not included in the price and provincial sales taxes vary from 8 to 0%. Both taxes (if applicable) are added at the cash register to the ticket price.

PS. Prices will also vary based on the cost of living/cost of doing business (including shipping costs), the size of the market and import duties. The EUR happens to be really strong right now and because of that your prices are going to seem higher than the US because prices have not been raised yet to reflect the new reality of a weak American dollar.

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Originally Posted by megablank

Sony Germany is going to pay 150 EUR (221 USD) when you buy a new BDP-S300 or BDP-S500 and trade-in your HD DVD Player (with exception of the X-Box drive).

Ooooh, thats gonna be harsh on the few "smart" 360 owners who don't bash the better console and the better format.

[Bullseye]

This is incredible.

[Mermen79]

150EURO? That is a lot of money to give away. I wonder if the rumour is true.

Since economics was mentioned, why would a strong economy mean higher prices? I always thought that US markets were cheaper usually because they are able to produce the stuff here for cheaper prices. Land the the EU is expensive and small.

Anyways, I almost buy all my stuff from the UK or German BD markets which makes it extremely expensive in US dollars. I really hope the EURO can come back to what it was worth before and that the US dollar can improve.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

This is incredible.

I heard about them implementing a similar move in GB and Eire, but the player must be locally purchased (i.e. you can't get a $99 player and get £100 credit), not sure whether they will go through with it though, it could prove to be quite costly as the UK install base of HD DVD is higher than it is on the continent.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I heard about them implementing a similar move in GB and Eire, but the player must be locally purchased (i.e. you can't get a $99 player and get £100 credit), not sure whether they will go through with it though, it could prove to be quite costly as the UK install base of HD DVD is higher than it is on the continent.

That would be amazing.

[celle]

http://www.hifi-forum.de/index.php?a...stID=1278#1278

[cyberknight]

Wow that is a good bit of $$$ over 200,

Saturn is a pretty good size retailer here. I wonder how big the turnout was. Tpf

Must have come out in a "Wochenblatt" somewhere. I did not see it from Landkreis Reutlingen. Tommorow is the last day of the sale though.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by cyberknight

Wow that is a good bit of $$$ over 200,

Saturn is a pretty good size retailer here. I wonder how big the turnout was. Tpf

Must have come out in a "Wochenblatt" somewhere. I did not see it from Landkreis Reutlingen. Tommorow is the last day of the sale though.

It says 'Promotion valid January 27 - February 29, 2008.'

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by jayd

Excellent idea. And HD-DVD fans can use their discs as coasters.

Guaranteed to keep your cold drinks hot, and your hot drinks cold.

[jfanning]

Originally Posted by aristotles

I'd be careful quoting EUR prices with the VAT included since the US price in stores does not have tax included. You really cannot blame the companies for the high VAT tax you guys have to pay. Some states have no sales tax whatsoever while others do but nobody includes the sales tax on the ticket price.

But even after taking the VAT off the prices are higher than in the US, for both hardware and media

Even internet based sellers are higher, they have a lower cost structure than stores

PS. Prices will also vary based on the cost of living/cost of doing business (including shipping costs), the size of the market and import duties. The EUR happens to be really strong right now and because of that your prices are going to seem higher than the US because prices have not been raised yet to reflect the new reality of a weak American dollar.

All the shipping of hardware is ex-China, the cost will be no different to Europe than to North America.

[megablank]

It's confirmed.

This morning there was a flyer from Saturn, one of the biggest retailers here, in our newspaper with exactly the conditions I have posted on the first post of this thread.

This will be a major blow. I only wonder what they'll do with the HD DVD players? Dump them in the desert?

Markus