Oh noes teh sky is falling!

[johnnyd1]

Originally Posted by Spankey

Another day, more low post count people chiming in about the "urge" to buy the cheap HD-DVD players at Wal-Mart. Anyone see a trend?

Sure do !

[Spankey]

Another low post count member who bought a Wal-Mart special. The trend continues.

[joeorc]

Originally Posted by stephenj

I'm format neutral, owning an HD-D1 and a PS3.

Today, i went to Wal-Mart and bought one of those $99 A2s.

Which got me to thinking ... I bought this as a second player for my den, so it won't result in me buying any more HD-DVD discs than i already do.

If most folks buying these A2s are like me, then HD-DVD won't benefit much where it really counts - disc sales.

its not about that you just helped keep HD DVD in the game by doing just what you did...this is about keeping HD DVD IN LONG ENOUGH TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BLU-RAY BACKERS TO GET THEM TO ACCEPT IHD..and you just helped them

and if they pull any more things their way like Warner Bros. going exclusive that's just a bonus.

congrats:

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by Squiffy

Wow, look how many Blu-Rays have been left on the shelves after all those HD DVD players & movies were bought......

Why can't people accept that HD player take up is good for both Blu Ray and HD DVD? Competition has delivered cheaper players, has motivated the platform owners to support the movie studios, etc. We are all benefitting from this 'war'.

Only those silly enough to mix up their love of films with over-zealous fanboyism have anything to lose.

We have benefitted over the war. Prices aren't going to get lower however, firesales notwithstanding, and now the war is hurting consumers.

[lokus]

Regardless of whether or not Toshiba is making money, putting players out there that cheap will work to some extent. I just don't how long it will last. I don't think the average consumer really cares about the difference between 1080i and 1080p.

[GregBlu5]

I was considering buying one of these to play my remaining laserdiscs on.

I mean, it *does* upconvert laserdiscs, right?

(Dagnabit! I know I should have held onto my RCA CED disks; it prolly plays those, too. And 8-tracks....)

-Greg

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by Sleuth255

Some Quick questions:

Who here believes/doesn't believe that having a sub $200 blu-ray player at K-Mart/WalMart/BB will help blu-ray's chances of winning the format war?

ok...

Now who here thinks/doesn't think that having a sub $200 blu-ray player at K-Mart/WalMart/BB will help blu win sooner?

For myself, I "believe" in question 1 and "think" in question 2. Am I wrong to have this opinion? If so, why?

Which company who makes these products do you choose to sell at 200$? Why should that company be forced to eat a loss? To combat...what? Firesales at Walmarts, where the HD-DVD purchases which go along with the hardware, even if they actually occur, don't count towards the numbers?

[joeorc]

its selling so well the news media is going to have a field day...

Blu-RAY SUPPORTERS BUYING HD DVD PLAYERS NOW....ITS GOING TO HIT THE MEDIA..WATCH ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME..THESE LOW POST COUNTERS ARE DOING THAT JUST SO THE Media picks up on it.....

[Trebar]

Originally Posted by Spankey

Another day, more low post count people chiming in about the "urge" to buy the cheap HD-DVD players at Wal-Mart. Anyone see a trend?

I'm sorry but I usually just read posts at work on this forum and is one of my primary sources for quick news about High def. Just reporting what I saw. It's just a snapshot, not the global view of what is happening.

What this does show me is that there is a lot of people aware of what is going on but really could care less about brand loyalty or what spec is what. The people I talked to knew the selection for movies they were getting (Transformers, We were Soldiers, etc.) Entry price seemed to be the primary factor.

[stephenj]

Originally Posted by Porscheman

very good point. movie sales will drive this.

Honestly, i wonder if wal-mart focuses on blu after this push... seems like many stores are going to more blu space anyways... maybe this is their last ditch effort.

Totally agree on the second player scenario as well.

Yes .. the WM that i bought this player at leans heavily to BD in software. They have 6 rows of HD discs, and 5 of those rows are BD, only one is HD-DVD.

[buckshot]

my reaction to all of this a2 stuff is ''meh'' i'm not worried. i'm over it.

[SpikesBluBlooded]

Originally Posted by Trebar

I am not trying to spread fear or panic guys, but Blu-Ray really needs to have an answer for this. I am not a console gamer and would rather have a nicely appointed stand alone that would at least have a semblance of price comparison ($250-$300 for 1080p). Toshiba might not have a sound buisness model...but it is moving units and there is a large demand for them.

This has already been addressed, and this not to knock you or anything of that nature, but you might want to do some research amongst the threads before posting things of this nature. You did, however, do a very good job of clearing that air that you're not a troll, or anything of that nature, and I am in no way accusing you of it. That said...

Announced this morning at the Blu-ray Festival, we've pretty much been given the BDA's response to this issue, and that is that they have always said they intend to be the best, not the cheapest. Toshi can not carry on with this business stratedgy for much longer, they're going to be hemoraging (sp?) money from giving these players away. Another discussion pointed out that when the A2 was released here, it sold for $499.99, and the price is now below $100. What's next? 2 for 1?

This is a fire sale, plain and simple, for a next-gen player that is already obsolete by DUD's own admission. You cannot play titles that people truly want, and for the people that have been waiting for a inexpensive player, they're more-than-likely family types with kids who will want to watch Disney films. So basically they've purchased an up-converting DVD player.

We've all said it before: software sales are going to be what wins this war, and the BDA has it all over DUD in this category. There's no need to answer this sale, it's like paying attention to the heckler in the audience, it's just a distraction from what you're truly trying to accomplish and gives the heckler the attention they're so desperate to have.

[Spankey]

Originally Posted by Squiffy

Wow, look how many Blu-Rays have been left on the shelves after all those HD DVD players & movies were bought......

Why can't people accept that HD player take up is good for both Blu Ray and HD DVD? Competition has delivered cheaper players, has motivated the platform owners to support the movie studios, etc. We are all benefitting from this 'war'.

Only those silly enough to mix up their love of films with over-zealous fanboyism have anything to lose.

Just noting the trend.

[Jonty]

I'm not tempted. I will still be buying my movies on Blu. There are no movies (on either side) that I absolutely HAVE to see NOW. I picked a format that I think will win and I am sticking with it. My 2 cents (which is about 2.5 cents US these days )

[D1-2005]

I thought that the 98 dollar sale was for black friday?

[95pgtproject]

Originally Posted by SS316SRV

HOLY CRAP!!!

The HD DVD A2 IS SELLING AT $98!!! This is news to me!

OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

we are all doomed LOL

[SpikesBluBlooded]

Originally Posted by D1-2005

I thought that the 98 dollar sale was for black friday?

It's an early Black Friday sale. Mark this, folks: the retailers are just trying to push back the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, and this is the first step. Pretty soon all the retailers will be moving back their "Black Friday" to the first Friday after Halloween. How many of you remember the days when it wasn't unitl after Thanksgiving that the Christmas displays started hitting the stores. Now they're popping up before Halloween is even over!

[sj001]

Originally Posted by SpikesBluBlooded

It's an early Black Friday sale. Mark this, folks: the retailers are just trying to push back the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, and this is the first step. Pretty soon all the retailers will be moving back their "Black Friday" to the first Friday after Halloween. How many of you remember the days when it wasn't unitl after Thanksgiving that the Christmas displays started hitting the stores. Now they're popping up before Halloween is even over!

Seems like it, the last 2 years around here, they have been setting up Christmas stuff in stores, even BEFORE Halloween is over with.

[Trebar]

Originally Posted by SpikesBluBlooded

It's an early Black Friday sale. Mark this, folks: the retailers are just trying to push back the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, and this is the first step. Pretty soon all the retailers will be moving back their "Black Friday" to the first Friday after Halloween. How many of you remember the days when it wasn't unitl after Thanksgiving that the Christmas displays started hitting the stores. Now they're popping up before Halloween is even over!

That's true! The local Sears had all the Christmas stuff up monday. I was like, WTF?! I need holloween stuff you dunderheads!

[Deane Johnson]

I too just returned from Wal-Mart and mine had pulled all HD-DVD and all Blu-ray movies from the racks. The racks were standing there empty. What could this mean?