Report: Blu-ray Player Prices Tumbling for Christmas

[blu2]

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/hig...hristmas-13853

Faced with dire economic forecasts, competitive pressure from movie downloads, and even scuttlebutt about the viability of high-definition packaged media, Blu-ray player prices continue to fall, according to a new report.

New York-based ABI Research said numerous Profile 1.1 players and older models (six to nine months old) are now available at less than $200, including the Samsung BD-P1500 1080p player on Amazon.

Some models include promotions offering free Blu-ray movies.

The ABI report, “Consumer Video Technologies Forecasts,” says holiday prices could fall as low as $150, which is about half of the original market forecasts and predictions.

Online reports recently leaked that post-Thanksgiving Day (also known as Black Friday) pricing of Samsung and Sony Blu-ray players at Sears will be $179 and $199, respectively.

“Blu-ray vendors and dealers are starting to realize that for [the format] to become the next DVD, they need to lower player prices in order to generate interest and build volumes,” said Steve Wilson, principal analyst with ABI.

Wilson said he applauded efforts by LG and Samsung to incorporate streamed movies from Netflix into their Blu-ray players to help differentiate the hardware from streaming hardware alliances between Netflix and Roku, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, and TiVo and Amazon.

“The more Blu-ray players adopt these download capabilities, the better they will be able to differentiate themselves from standard DVD players,” Wilson said.

[ryoohki]

Yeah and the people who are agaisn't it, that said that the magic price was 299$ 2 years ago, 199$ 6 month ago will say that 99$ is the magic price and after than 49.99$ etc. LOL!

[P@t_Mtl]

Do the streaming downoading really make usch a difference to the sale of BD players?

[Woody]

Man, the more people scream for cheaper players and cheaper movies the more scary it is for the format IMO.

The game has changed so much from the intro of DVD.

The combination of that, the economy, and the differences between DVD and BR makes for a very strange market dynamic.

The lowering of media prices gives less and less of a reason for studios to even want to make BR movies.

[Bobby Henderson]

They'll still have reasons to keep releasing movies on Blu-ray.

It comes down to this: lots of movies are now being shown in high definition on cable. If a movie studio screws around and pulls some sort of embargo on BD release, releasing the movie only on DVD instead, then I'll just wait for that movie to arrive on HBO-HD or a similar HD channel and watch it that way. I am done with watching new movies on DVD. Simple as that.

One good example: Sweeny Todd. Yeah, Paramount Pictures finally released the movie onto Blu-ray in late October. Unfortunately, by the time the BD arrived on retail and video store shelves I was already seeing promos for it to play on HBO. The movie is premiering tonight at 8:00pm EST. I'll record it on my high definition DVR and watch it after the Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State football game is finished. The HBO broadcast won't have Blu-ray quality. But then I'm not out $5 or $6 on the rental either. Perhaps if I really like the movie I might buy it on Blu-ray later. Maybe.

[Anthony P]

The lowering of media prices gives less and less of a reason for studios to even want to make BR movies.

why? they are still higher then DVD and they are still harder to pirate

[CrabbyAzz]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

They'll still have reasons to keep releasing movies on Blu-ray.

It comes down to this: lots of movies are now being shown in high definition on cable. If a movie studio screws around and pulls some sort of embargo on BD release, releasing the movie only on DVD instead, then I'll just wait for that movie to arrive on HBO-HD or a similar HD channel and watch it that way. I am done with watching new movies on DVD. Simple as that.

One good example: Sweeny Todd. Yeah, Paramount Pictures finally released the movie onto Blu-ray in late October. Unfortunately, by the time the BD arrived on retail and video store shelves I was already seeing promos for it to play on HBO. The movie is premiering tonight at 8:00pm EST. I'll record it on my high definition DVR and watch it after the Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State football game is finished. The HBO broadcast won't have Blu-ray quality. But then I'm not out $5 or $6 on the rental either. Perhaps if I really like the movie I might buy it on Blu-ray later. Maybe.

I don't get it, your going to watch Sweeny Todd on HD-Lite rather than Blu?

[ps3andlovinit]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

why? they are still higher then DVD and they are still harder to pirate

Blu-ray is going to fail because the prices are too high... Blu-ray is going to fail because the prices are too low. Blu-ray is going to fail because the price is just right.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

why? they are still higher then DVD and they are still harder to pirate

If it costs $4 more and makes $4 more (hypothetical) what is the incentive?

Catalogs are a different story, but it is a valid concern on new releases.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by ps3andlovinit

Blu-ray is going to fail because the prices are too high... Blu-ray is going to fail because the prices are too low. Blu-ray is going to fail because the price is just right.

I never claimed it would fail. People should just be careful what they wish for IMO.

[Simplayer]

Lower media cost, higher sales, reach equilibrium point.

[STEVEfromLA]

Not only do they make more per sale on Blu-ray discs, but they also would sell more discs with the eventual elimination of DVD due to lack of piracy on bd...

[syncguy]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Do the streaming downoading really make usch a difference to the sale of BD players?

No. Absolutely not, IMO. There is no sufficient bandwidth in networks for large scale HD downloads or streaming. A huge investment is needed to fix this issue.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by STEVEfromLA

Not only do they make more per sale on Blu-ray discs, but they also would sell more discs with the eventual elimination of DVD due to lack of piracy on bd...

What happens when they don't make more on a BR? That is my point.

[Anthony P]

If it costs $4 more and makes $4 more (hypothetical) what is the incentive?

and what if it costs 1M$ more? both are just as dumb assumptions to make to start off the process. The price difference is no where near as high. It is most likely (all included) less then 1$

Can you tell us why you think it is near 4$ or more?

[BACsader]

The thing is, Blu-ray movies really haven't come down in price all that much, they are still somewhat expensive, and that is where the studios are going to make the money, not the players, and they know that.

[Anthony P]

Blu-ray is going to fail because the prices are too high... Blu-ray is going to fail because the prices are too low. Blu-ray is going to fail because the price is just right.

lol so true

[Mr. Cinema]

Lower pricing of hardware is what is going to help grow the format. The more players sell, the better chance we'll get more content. And not just more content, but more catalog titles. I hope hardware pricing gets really cheap. Spielberg and Lucas aren't going to release their gems until the user base grows to a certain percentage. I'd like to own Jaws and Star Wars on BD some day.

Hardware is a one-time cost. Most everyone is going to spend much more on software.

We're seeing catalog titles drop a bit in price, but list pricing for new releases hasn't changed since launch. Most new releases still hover in the $35.99-$39.99 area.

It's like what WB said last year. The more razors are sold, the more razor blades they can sell.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

and what if it costs 1M$ more? both are just as dumb assumptions to make to start off the process. The price difference is no where near as high. It is most likely (all included) less then 1$

Can you tell us why you think it is near 4$ or more?

I clearly said $4 was a hypothetical number. Put the knives away.

And can you tell us why you think it is less than $1?

Nevermind............

[Woody]

Originally Posted by BACsader

The thing is, Blu-ray movies really haven't come down in price all that much, they are still somewhat expensive, and that is where the studios are going to make the money, not the players, and they know that.

Of course studios don't make money on players...........

And please stop acting like the majority of people on here arent clamoring for lower media prices. People want BR priced the same as DVD, and most of them have no clue why that is a bad idea.