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HD DVD Player Drops Below $200

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

October 29, 2007, 4:13 PM

Despite the fanfare, the battle for control over the next-generation DVD market is still inconsequential; the DVD version of Transformers sold 43 times more copies than the HD DVD version, which was the best selling title thus far. But that could change this holiday with players finally dropping below $200.

Circuit City and Wal-Mart are now selling the Toshiba A2 -- a second-generation HD DVD player -- for $198, over $100 off its original price of $299. The A2 only offers 1080i output, but most new televisions can do 1080i-to-1080p conversions better than players anyway, and firmware upgrades keep it as up to date as current Toshiba HD DVD players.

Although the price drop may be more of an effort to clear stock for the new A3 rather than attract customers, it's a sign that high-definition prices are starting to reach the magic $199 number where DVDs took off. The impending launch of a Chinese HD DVD-compatible (but different due to piracy concerns) format could bring even cheaper players later this year.

This could be bad news for Sony's Blu-ray format, which has sold far fewer standalone players than HD DVD due to much higher price tags. Sony's trump card to date has been the PlayStation 3, which includes Blu-ray support and has brought in the majority of high-definition disc sales this year, outselling HD DVD discs nearly 2 to 1.

Such a position has enabled Sony to secure exclusive movie studio deals (Sony itself has a studio), as well as recent promotional agreements with Blockbuster and Target. But the HD DVD group has surprisingly little concern about the matter, claiming that when the customers are there, both formats will be supported equally.

Those behind HD DVD told BetaNews earlier this year that the tide will turn when standalone players reach $199 and consumers start buying (Xbox 360's HD DVD add-on is already $179, but requires an Xbox). Microsoft's Kevin Collins noted that once HD DVD hits 1 million set top players sold, which could happen before the end of the year, none of the movie exclusivity will matter, because the studios will go where the money is.

But there's still quite a bit of uncertainty in the marketplace, which may scare consumers off this holiday season.

Even at $199, buyers will worry that their investments may be worthless in a couple years. This is why HD DVD is banking on combo-discs to bolster sales. Most new HD DVD discs include a standard-definition DVD version of the movie on the other side, making them usable no matter what the future holds.

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By Setian^Stalker

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 9:32 AM

For anyone interested in best selling info from amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp...nav/002-2931170-1416064

DVD players and recorders category
Top 20 is very interesting

Score: 0

By MikeTechno

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 12:17 PM

Very interesting. This info on Amazon sales is pretty much right in line with what I was saying in my post below about what I have seen happen at the retail level. I know what the press is saying about how Blu-ray is doing so well in the marketplace but that sure doesn't match up with what I am seeing at the retail level.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 1:20 PM

Same here.

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 5:32 PM

They should combine an HD DVD player inside one of those cheap little HDTVs that Wal-Mart sells, like the models that have a DVD player or VCR built in.

Score: 0

By Andreas2000

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 4:45 PM

I dont think ive even seen a physical HD disc in a store yet be it Blu-ray or HD-DVD.. but still they should do like they did with DVD-R/DVD+R make only dual format players.

Score: 0

By CMSTech

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 4:52 PM

You don't get out much...do you?

Score: 0

By MikeTechno

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 4:49 PM

As someone that works at a BestBuy all week and talks to dozens of HD TV buyers every day, I can tell you with certainty there there is almost no interest what so ever at the retail level in either HD DVD or Blu-Ray players. Most consumers just don't see the value in spending $300 to $700 on a high def player, and then $25 to $45 on new discs, when they can just buy an very nice upconverting DVD player that upconverts to 720p or 1080p for under $70, that gets them relatively close to that same level of performance, without having to buy a single new disc to do it.

Recall that the extra detail that 720p and 1080p players provide is only visible to the viewer if they are sitting closer than about 5ft from the TV. This is due to the fact that the human eye is only so good and can only see and discern so much detail. Most viewers that buy HD TV's 37" and above sit farther back than 5ft, unless they are playing video games. And, contrary to popular belief, only about 2 to 3 percent of HD TV buyers are game players, of any kind. Most viewers watching HD TV's greater than 37" are reporting that they are sitting between 10 and 12 feet back from their screens on average, far beyond the range of being able to see the added detail provided by HD DVD or Blu-ray discs, on a screen of almost any size.

People love HD TV's for many reasons, but there is almost no interest in HD DVD players or Blu-ray players at all right now with consumers. The new, very innexpensive upconverting DVD players are selling like hotcakes every day however. The store I work at is lucky if they sell one or two HD DVD or Blu-ray players a week, if that, and this is a very high traffic store in a well to do area just ouside of Denver. The upconverting standard DVD players are selling like hotcakes though because of their incredibly low price points and no need to buy new discs for use with them.

People are affraid of losing the "format war" and they don't like to pay the higher prices that HD DVD and Blu-ray command still for players and discs. This goes back to my original premise that HD DVD and Blu-ray payers are great devices for the very well off who can afford them, but for the general consuming public, which most of us are, they only solve a problem that just didn't really exist. Hence, the demand for them in the marketplace (or lack there of) is entirely reflective of that.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 5:48 PM

Mike,

I've been saying it for a long time. Upconverted S-DVD looks pretty damn good. This is why I only buy certain movies on BD or HD-DVD.

BD and HD-DVD fanboys don't want to hear it let alone believe it because of investment in the new formats. I already know that most non-tech people have no clue what HD-DVD or BD is.

I have a problem with Best Buys however. When BD first came out, you couldn't even ask about HD-DVD without some guy who knows nothing and doesn't own a BD player telling you it's better for no apparent reason. Take DaveBG for instance, he didnt own a BD player until June 2007. I saw his post on blu-ray.com when he finally bought one.

Only true movie fans with disposable income are interested in BD or HD-DVD. Then there is the BD crowd, who arent considered human, they are a hive mind like the Borg from Star Trek with no independent thoughts.

They can't help it though, they were born to be sheep.

Score: 0

By MikeTechno

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 4:24 PM

I forgot to mention that in the Best Buy store that I work at, even though there is no interest at all essentially in HD DVD or in Blu-Ray players, for the afore mentioned reasons, those few that do come in to buy High Def DVD players are buying HD DVD over Blu-ray by a factor of about 10 to 1. Why? Because of the lower price point of course.

Now that we will have players below the "magical" $200 price point before the holiday sesaon on the HD DVD format, I would exepect to see that gap continue to widen even more.

Now, if you are looking for Sony to respond with a sub-$200 Blu-ray player of their own, don't hold your breath on that happening any time soon. Yes, they do want market share, but they don't want to be in a "race to the bottom" either. They want to capture what they perceive to be the higher end of the market: the consumer that values all the higher end features that are present in a $500 to $900 premium Blu-ray player. Unfortunately, only about 1 out of every 500 customers that actually walk into a store have any clue what those features even are, let alone places any value on them.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 3:30 PM

Hey Guys,

Sony is having meetings to explain losing Warner Brothers as we speak. Stay tuned for the thermonuclear fallout. A few Sony employees already know about this.

If I'm wrong, I will become a PS3 and BD fanboy and sign Dave's petition.

Score: 0

By shicaca

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 8:40 AM

It's really too bad the 360 didn't include the HD-DVD natively (can't remember if the format came out before the player or what). If it had, Blu-ray would have been history MONTHS ago.

Too bad.

(Mostly because I despise anything that is even remotely Sony-related)

Score: 0

By Joey Deacon

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 5:49 AM

Didn't they dump the prices of laserdisc players like this, just before the end?

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 8:41 AM

Hey look, it's Joey "Nope, 8 per store" Deacon trying to put hypocritical spin on things again.

Not all LaserDisc players dropped in price, 'Professor'... just the low-end models. Some remained extremely high (then and now), such as Pioneer's Elite models.

Score: 0

By Banquo

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 6:07 AM

Sony lowered the price of the PS3. Didn't 3DO dump the price of their console like that before the end? Aren't you even slightly embarrassed to still be posting nonsense like that here. You've already been caught lying through your teeth yet you persist as if you think anyone still takes you seriously. You're a clown.

Score: 0

By SlapShot

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 7:04 AM

"Aren't you even slightly embarrassed"

nope he isn't, he's just earning those paychecks

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 5:46 AM

I think this is going to be the turning point for the format. Not only is the largest retailer in the country selling them, but selling them below $200. The A3 won't be far behind either, so this is definitely permanent and the prices will only get lower as time goes by.

Score: 0

By AaronDobbins

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:27 PM

It could have a big impact. You notice, and I forget the brand, but they became the best selling HD TV brand in the country once Wal-Mart and Sam's Club started selling them. Now consumers can get a cheap HD TV and cheap HD DVD player in the same place. I would imagine some package deals around Christmas.

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 2:13 AM

Money talks, see? now I'm about to be the perfect example about this crap, didn't I said a couple of days ago, that until the human being was able to submerge into a virtual world, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD were still going to be the same?....now see, reading that this thing is going under $200, now I'm considering to buy one, not because I think it will be any better than standard DVD but just to be able to have one!...so, my friends. This is to prove my point that as long as things lower the price ANYTHING could sell...man, oh man! I'm just waiting for PS3 to come down to at least $150 and I will be laughing to see EVERYBODY! trying to get one...

Score: 0

By athome

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 6:24 AM

Give it a few months and the PS3 will be reduced to an oversized paperwieght and you should be able to get one. It will look nice on your desk, right next to your MAC.

Ooops!

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 7:05 AM

Right next to his media access control?

Just a minor pet peeve of mine (Mac not MAC)

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 11:46 AM

...Like in Big Mac?

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:14 PM

Like in Mac doesn't stand for anything, it's just short for Macintosh. Using all capitals denotes an acronym. MAC in the computer world stands for Media Access Control.

As for the Big Mac, well it's just gross.

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 1:14 AM

LOL! gotcha ;)

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 6:49 AM

LMFAO!!!I hate the MAC!!!

Score: 0

By Metfanant

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 4:25 AM

$150?...woah...gonna be waiting for quite some time...its going to be some time before the Wii hits $150....the PS2 didn't hit $150 until relatively recent....the PS4, the WiiToo and the Xbox 720(the second 2 obviously being made up) will have hit market before the PS3 (or probably the 360 for that matter) hits $150...

now on to the rest...the big thing for me in the format war is not going to be the price of the players per say...its going to be the adoption of HDTV...until HDTV becomes the norm, the average consumer has no need for HD-DVD OR Blu-ray....as neither will give any sort of benefit on an SDTV...The PS3 and 360 can deliver next gen graphics on an SDTV...it looks better on an HDTV, but they are still the same graphics on an SDTV...when it comes to movies however you just can't take advantage of what the formats have to offer without an HDTV...

Its going to be years before HDTV's become the norm in households in the US, or anywhere else in the world...and therefore it could be years before HD media sales are on a wide enough scale to decide a winner...

Its sad really...because the format war hurts the consumers more than say, the console war...when it comes to games the 360 and the PS3 can coexist just like the PS2 and xbox did...the vast majority of titles are multi-platform...and for the most part historically the two companies have offered different focuses...the xbox tends to be portrayed as the home of the FPS....while the Playstation brand has always been looked at as a great home for platformer games, as well as RPG's...i know these are gross generalizations as both consoles offer all sorts of games, but in many circles its how they are looked at...not to mention hardcore gamers make up a small percentage of the population, and are normally able to make a decision between the two based on SOMETHING (could be they are just a fan boy, or they really think one is better than the other for ACTUAL reasons).

But...the HD format war is just bad news...the average consumer is well...dumb...you would be amazed at how many people don't know that HD-DVD won't play in their current DVD players...there is just plain confusion over what the hell these new formats are...and im sure even fewer still know that they won't be seeing an HD picture on their SDTV at home...

It doesn't matter which side you support, the format war is just plain bad...I for one support Blu-ray, and I truly think that Blu-ray will end up being the winner when all is said and done, but i could be wrong...and honestly just want it over...I personally think the Paramount HD-DVD exclusive deal was the worst thing that could have happened for consumers. If Paramount had gone Blu-ray exclusive IMO the format war would have been all but over with Blu-ray controlling nearly all of the major studios...Now that Paramount is HD-DVD exclusive it has at best case senerio prolonged the format war i would say a couple years...Idk for sure hat side will "win" or if either side will...

not to mention its driving player prices down almost too fast...companies are rushing to drop their hardware prices further and further, cutting deeper and deeper into their profits to one up the other while still nobody is buying either format in mass when you look at sales...

Score: 0

By khetos

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 9:19 AM

"It doesn't matter which side you support, the format war is just plain bad...I for one support Blu-ray, and I truly think that Blu-ray will end up being the winner"

example, raceism is bad, but i for one like the term cracker.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:12 PM

Format wars are only bad for early adopters, the people who wait get the cheap players that actually work. Format and console wars are great for consumers because prices becomes the issue.

If you have the means and you would like to enjoy HD movies, just buy a combo player and be perfectly happy, rent whatever you want.

My next purchase will be a good combo, but it has to have HDi and at least profile 1.1 for BD.

Let's re-word Metfanant / Joey / Dave's post to reflect what he really wants to say.

"It doesn't matter which side you support, the format war is just plain bad (for Dave)...I for one support Blu-ray (because of my hatred for Microsoft), and I truly HOPE that Blu-ray will end up being the winner (because Warner will jump ship next)"

If you werent so cheap and actually loved movies, you would have both players. You are not a movie fan, just a format fanboy.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 8:20 AM

For the most part, excellent post.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 12:29 PM

Umm, that was Dave / Joey Deacon's post under the name Metfanant, he's trying to give one of his usernames come credibility.

Don't fall for it, he's completely full of sh!t.

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 6:08 AM

...yeah okay, $150 was way down...but what I was sarcastically trying to say is that dropping prices does boost sales and the "fanboys" sometimes reveal their hypocrisy under the skin, when you go "Oh, now its cheap!" But all in all, you are correct about adopting to our renovated entertaining technology though. It will take a long time before people start adopting to it and until then, a real winner can not be defined =).I just wish people stop acting like geniuses and act as if they built the whole thing and as if they actually know the real specs of things. To me, both, Xbox 360 and PS3 are powerful machines simply because their graphics are superior than what we had five, ten, twenty years ago. But there is no need to make a "War" about it lol. Same thing for HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, to me they're both superior than VHS, and so is standard DVD, but like you said, until every household adopts to HDTV then we won't see a real "winner".

As for my whole idea of an entertaining experience? something that will really make me say, "WOW, this is really beyond anything else" would be for me to be inside the game or the movie...think of it as in a holographic world, yeah!!!...maybe thirty or fifty years from now hehehehehe.

Score: 0

By Bogunch

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 10:20 AM

You Want WOW? Vista!

Score: 0

By PSXp-ONE

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 11:45 AM

YEEEEEEESS!!!

Score: 0

By Metfanant

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:08 AM

once again Hollywood has no links...he has no proof for anything he says...once again my name isn't dave...and its great that you think it is...and once again he dances around other people's points by bragging about how big his package, i mean brain is...

I know that Blu-ray has more exclusive studios...I know that Blu-ray is outselling HD-DVD 2:1 in the states and by MUCH larger margins outside the US...i know that Paramount LIED about Transformer sales...

I dont need to sway anyone to Blu-ray...they are going that way on their own...lets recap...

even after you have claimed victory for HD-DVD on numerous occasions...Paramount switch, triple layer discs, blu-ray being "unfinished", cheaper HD-DVD players, cheaper discs, cheaper this and that...the sales numbers CONTINUE to support the fact that blu-ray has a growing lead in sales...its wonderful to read your posts that lack any sort of value...

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 12:50 AM

I just thought you all should know it's just been confirmed by an independent study group that 81% of the PS1 and PS2's sold have failed.

Also, PS3's have been catching on fire at an alarming rate.

WTF Sony?

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 4:34 AM

Actually the only fire I heard about was a year ago and turned out to be a hoax.

Score: 0

By Setian^Stalker

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 8:44 AM

Holly's 'alarming rate' is bulls***
But there was a couple of real issues, however few they were
Kotaku wrote a article about it, one of their ps3's overheated bigtime.
For the life of me I cant find the article now though, it was end of last year.

The fake article was at http://netnoob.instantspot.com. I remember it well :)

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:15 PM

Wow Dave, you don't seem to need proof for any of your BS, why am I held to a higher standard?

That's right ... you are the only one who gets upset over this nonsense.

Score: 0

By Metfanant

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:09 AM

proof? link?

didnt think so...

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 11:47 PM

Dave is very frustrated, see his "Metfanant" post below.

He knows he can't hang with me on an intellectual level, he knows I'm always right, and he can't swing one single person in here to the "Blu" as the girls call it at blu-ray.com

He knows his beloved Blu Ray is in trouble and just can't deal with the news. It's all so obvious and the pressure is getting to him.

Score: 0

By timatl

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 11:42 PM

plant the flag, the war is over. $199 is a good price point. x-mas sales will be great.

Score: 0

By zridling

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 11:36 PM

Man, if I ever did get my hands on $200, this is the last thing I'd buy with it.

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 5:49 AM

Well that settles it, zridling wouldn't buy one so that's the end of the format. Call Toshiba and let them know.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 12:50 AM

I'll buy you one. Unless you want a free XA1, It works great, I replaced it with the A2 a while back.

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:29 AM

I'll take a free XA1! :)

Score: 0

By Metfanant

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 10:46 PM

i love how Hollywood says Blu-ray is in trouble...PS3 sales have "died?" how so...the PS3 has sold as many consoles as the PS2 did up to this point in its life cycle...at a way higher price...the PS3 is fine....

and regardless Blu-ray is FAR from in trouble....what is your excuse going to be in a couple months when Blu-ray is STILL outselling HD-DVD by a large margin after all this cheap players have been on the market? i can't wait to hear it...

why is blu-ray STILL outselling HD-DVD...are they all ill-informed idiots...or are you?...

where are the Triple Layer HD-DVD's that "all current players will be able to play" oh thats right...they have not even produced a single one yet...hmm wonder why....

why was a Warner exec present at Disney's blu-ray festival saying things like "we are reassessing our stance in the format war" and also things like "we are committed to blu-ray"...hmm...is Warner going to kill HD-DVD by going blu-exclusive...i would put money on it...

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 1:19 PM

What about Warner not renewing thier BD license fo 2008? Isn't that odd?

I think BD is in trouble and eventually will be a Disney movie player because they will be the last hold out just like with Divx.

As Dave says "has his blinkers (blinkers?) on"

I loved that post you made with the "blinkers" comment. It just shows how bad your vocabulary is and you usually have no clue what you are talking about.

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 11:11 AM

Wait until all the people that bought blu-ray set top boxes get screwed with the lack of profile 1.1 and higher. The average consumer is not going to know anything about this issue until they are screwed. Sony has a nice reputation of doing just this. I see that Warner has not paid their fees to renew their license for blo ray so maybe that reassessing is not what you think. That can be spun anyway you want. We have to wait and see. Blind speculation is FUD which you seem to be good at.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 12:54 PM

SGD, as a PS3 owner, I would love to see profile 1.1 get added soon. I just know Sony is going to screw everybody like they always do with delays and crippled firmware updates.

Unfortunately there are titles I want and are are BD exclusive, like the POTC trilogy, Cars, and the rest of the Pixar movies when they become available. I buy all cross platform releases on HD-DVD because BD's lack of great faetures. HD-DVD's HDi is vastly superior and 300 is one of the best examples.

The fact that people like Dave go crazy over any good news for a competing format or game console shows he has no faith in BD and regrets his purchase. He has to come here and complain to feel better about himself and hid bad decision.

It's all about the money, when I bought a Toshiba DVD player way back when on the day the format was launched, only to find out Fox, Disney and a few others were staying Divx exclusive, it pissed me off because I spent $750 on a player (which still works but doesn't play DVD+R's)and soon realised I was going to get screwed.

I had no idea Warner didn't renew thier contract with Blu Ray, this will be huge news if they jump ship.

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:11 PM

They said that they were holding off on some announcement. I don't know what the fee is but makes me kind of wonder. There was a couple of threads about it over on AVS the other day. Of course all the BD people started crap there and on bluray.com. The fact remains that the license has not been renewed pending an announcement. I can only speculate that there may be a shift in their strategy with the HD side of business. Why would you not renew if you plan to stay blu or or even go exclusive blu, makes no sense to me and many others. If anything adds more fuel to the fire of the possibility that they may go HD DVD like Paramount. I know the blu crew will flame this as crap but there were many discussions about this. This does however look strange with there comments of supporting the blu format. Then again, one has to look at Paramount they did pretty much did the same thing then out of no where dropped the bomb. All I can say is time will tell.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 1:06 AM

I believe the fee to sit on the BDA Board of Directors is $50,000.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 3:18 PM

I for one hope they (Warner) go HD-DVD exclusive. Not because Blu Ray fanoboys won't be able buy thier movies, but just to watch them go nuclear over thier PS3 purchase.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to wait unless it's big news. If they go exclusive BD, I will wait until they release movies with the extra features for 1.1.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 1:10 AM

"just to watch them go nuclear over thier PS3 purchase"

No kidding. Can you imagine how miffed they would be if that happened?

All it takes is skimming through everyone's post signatures on AVS and bluray.com to see how many people use their PS3 60 GB models to watch BD titles. Hardly a stand-alone BD player to be found. :)

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 11:27 PM

There is a ton of money out of pocket for all blu ray supporting studios since Sony is stopping financial assistance in the duplication process. This is huge out of pocket that they might not want to do at this time with sales so low when compared to SD DVD. If they go blu I will be doing the same and wait until the format is actually final. A year into the format and they still get the concept final is a joke. Sony should be getting crap from even the fan boys but their religion to the format has blinded them to what can happen when all is said and done. I really fear the locking disks to drives idea the most. Profile 2.0 can make this a standard. I like you have both so I feel that I can critique either format.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:18 AM

"where are the Triple Layer HD-DVD's that "all current players will be able to play" oh thats right...they have not even produced a single one yet...hmm wonder why...."

That's pretty weak, considering HD DVD is a fully functional and mature HD solution on the single- and double-layer discs that are out now, as opposed to Blu-ray.

Where, oh where, are all the promised additional Blu-ray "vastly superior" interactive features and the seemingly trivial-to-implement PiP abilities that have been promised the consumer since the format launched, 1½ years ago? No guarantees... yet? More claims and false promises, since consumers have no reason as of yet to believe otherwise.

Many speculate and assume the PlayStation 3 has all the requirements to be even Profile 2.0 compliant, let alone Profile 1.1. Why have there not been any firmware updates to add those fabled features to their most capable player after so long on the market?

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 6:13 AM

I seem to recall someone saying the PS3 firmware update would be out in a matter of weeks. Trouble is, this post was several months ago. :)

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 11:12 AM

They are right behind the games that are coming.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 11:31 PM

Wow,

You logged in under a new name, I guess Joey has been hounded enough.

It seems you actually get upset over this nonsense, which is pretty sad. I already know you spend every waking moment visiting forums and posting the exact same garbage you do here.

You made your way to Amazon I see, everybody there also calls you a complete idiot. You obviously have very low self esteem issues, no freinds, and a pathetic existence.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 10:50 PM

Now I truly understand the joy that Hollywood_ has when he craps in Joey/Dave/Benjamin/Slapnuts cornflakes so often.

I'm posting this again, just to clarify, and debunk the 18 per store myth:

http://bigtech.blogs.for...ba-player-for-under-200/

"O’Brien (spokeswoman for Wal-mart) said rumors that each Wal-Mart store would stock only 18 units of the Toshiba player were false. “There are no limited quantities for stores or purchases.”"

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 4:38 AM

Thank you for that, it's really nice to have actual facts instead of lies and FUD. :)

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 1:03 AM

pridewalker, you rock.

Hollywood does what he can to entertain. Dave is just an easy target. He's not very bright, has a limited imagination and vocabulary.

Score: 0

By siryak

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:50 PM

I can tell you exactly how all this BS gets started. Every time there is positive HD-DVD news the Blo-Ray cheerleaders kick it into high gear and start trying to spread BS to make it look bad as fast as they can. It is sad really that someone is so pathetic that they would go to those kind of links to support a shiny piece of plastic.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:56 PM

Oh, believe me...I understand how it starts. I've lurked on this site for a long time, and have watched the smurf brigade's attempted FUD campaign (gotta throw that term in every once in awhile) since Mark Gillespe was still coming around.

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By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:08 AM

Mark is still coming around, once I started checking time stamps on the posts, it just so happened DaveBG and Steve Austin were posting just a minute or two later.

Mark was one of DaveBG's usernames. He uses GMail or hotmail email addresses to keep coming up with new ones. It was right after BetaNews mentioned "Mark Gillespie" in a story, he got spooked and stopped using it.

He's a scared little girl and he knows it.

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By yountmj

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:30 AM

I vaguely remember that story...

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By Metfanant

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:47 PM

link is broken just so you know...

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By siryak

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:54 PM

His link below works just fine. ---> http://bigtech.blogs.for...ba-player-for-under-200/

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By pridewalker

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:51 PM

Fixed it...thanks.

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By Metfanant

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:40 PM

still hasn't helped format sales any has it?? with Blu-ray still leading...

http://www.deadlineholly...-big-ass-fat-stupid-lie/

uh oh...did Paramount flat out lie about Transformers sales?...would that mean the blu-ray version of 300 is still the best selling High Def disc...hmm...

and about the PS3...they did replace the 60GB...with the 80GB...and right now both cost exactly the same amount of money...

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By Setian^Stalker

posted Oct 31, 2007 - 8:49 AM

"Blu-ray/HD DVD: Which Hollywood Studio Is Accused Of 'Big Ass, Fat, Stupid Lie'?"

Oh i am really tempted to read this article for interesting and factual information

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By Alex Stevens

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 4:42 AM

"still hasn't helped format sales any has it??"

What hasn't, this price drop? Come on now, it just happened. Aren't we rushing things?

The lie thing I'm not convinced of at all. It would not be the first time that speculation and false rumors were spread as fact. I think I'll wait for independent proof before I condemn Paramount or continue spreading that story.

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By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 11:23 PM

Metfanant / Joey,

Did you notice the two top stories at avsforum are "HD-DVD breaks the $200 barrier" and "Sony has lost 100 billion yen, doubling thier projected loss with the PS3"

Oh wait, I forgot, you got banned from that site a long time ago.

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By AaronDobbins

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 9:59 PM

For all the PS3/Sony fanboys ranting and raving about "fire sale" and "18 per store" I have one question. Weren't you the same fanboys that were ranting and raving about how the PS3 price drop would be permanent and "obviously" they would replace the 60GB model with a new model at that price point?

This would have been when most people were saying it was a fire sale and that the pricepoint wouldn't last forever.

Yep, I believe you were the fools saying any moron knows that they would release a new model at that price point.

Funny how that argument doesn't hold water now. You guys are hilarious.

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By Hollywood__

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 9:24 PM

How come blu-ray.com hasn't reported the $199.00 HD-DVD player yet?

That's right, they all sit there with thier hands over thier ears, cyber stroking each other's delicate sensibilities reassuring each other that thier "massive" PS3 investement wont go to sh!t.

Joey Deacon / DaveBG a.k.a. Dave Peterson (his real name) elected to come here and post garbage just to enrage HD-DVD enthusiasts. The problem is, he's not very smart and sucks at everything he does in life.

I think he works at a GameStop in Germany.

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By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 9:11 PM

Joey, I notice you skipped responding to every post of mine except the one where you could lie about PS2 failure rates. It's 60-70% like I said.

Now, please tell me that Amazon only has 18 A2's to sell because they are selling it at $197.00.

Oh that's right, you didnt want anyone to know that because they might buy one. You want people to think they are going to be impossible to find so they wont go look for one. Pathetic.

BD is in big trouble this holiday season. The PS3 sales have died but HD-DVD sales are steadily going up.

Too bad for you fanboy. I guess people like you who have to pick one format and stick with it are screwed.

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By Hocuspokus

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:40 PM

Ha ha ha ha ha

Utterly hilarious.

Welcome to the day the Sony/PS3/Blu-ray shill-drone-fanboy-trolls said would never arrive,
again
(they once claimed HD DVD going below $300 was impossible too).

.....and as far as studio support goes, well, watch out for Warner and a big announcement very very soon.

If Warner follow Viacom/Paramount & dump Blu-ray it's all over a hell of a lot quicker than many imagined.

(which is why all the Sony/PS3/Blu-ray shill-drone-fanboy-trolls are currently out trashing these players & these deals with their ridiculous BS.

They know that a successful Q4 - which was what everyone has been looking to - for HD DVD is going to see Blu-ray rendered a PS3 proprietary format, just like UMD is to PSP.....oh sure, a market of several million worth selling to for some time at least, but basically & ultimately just another dead format going nowhere)

Bye bye suckers.

Transformers proved the point.
One single movie (even on the Videoscan numbers - which exclude Amazon & Walmart......only the biggest retailer in the world and the biggest on-line retailer in the world) reached - depending on whos' stat you prefer - near parity with Blu-ray (although DVD Empire have shown HD DVD ahead more than a few times this year).

Between 10 - 20 times the number of players (that's counting every PS3 as a Blu-ray player for all the dreary little Sony/PS3/Blu-ray shill-drone-fanboy-trolls out there that get their panties in a wad over counting them or not) and they want to crow over a 2% gap on the videoscan numbers!

Like I said, hilarious.

.....and if they can only gap the "dead" or "dying" HD DVD by a mere & highly disputable 2% what does that say about their beloved?

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By Joey Deacon

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 8:35 PM

HD DVD, that format that needs to invent sales... (Trainsformers actually sold only half of what was claimed, and 300 on Blu-ray vastly outsold it).

http://www.highdefdigest..._DVD_Sales_Numbers/1117

Ohh, and it looks like HD DVD lost another studio, as well as it's credibility.

http://www.highdefdigest...Speculation_Mounts/1105

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By yountmj

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 8:30 AM

So what...

Oh noes! Disney only has 4 seasonal titles lined up for Blu-ray in 2008! That's right... 4 for the whole year. I speculate that they must be getting ready to defect, too!

*sigh*

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By Banquo

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 5:52 AM

Linking to posts by fellow Sony shills doesn't prove anything. You've been caught lying several times already today, don't you think you should give your thinly stretched credibility a break?

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By siryak

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 9:42 PM

"Trainsformers actually sold only half"
Says the grammar king.

All I see is a bunch of speculation by Blu-Ray cheerleaders.

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By Hocuspokus

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:44 PM

"HD DVD, that format that needs to invent sales... (Trainsformers actually sold only half of what was claimed, and 300 on Blu-ray vastly outsold it)."

- Coming from a Sony/PS3/Blu-ray shill-drone-fanboy-troll in love with the format that had to resort to a laughable 'Buy one get one free' tactic to try and stop HD DVD overtaking them in sales that is very very funny.

"Ohh, and it looks like HD DVD lost another studio, as well as it's credibility."

- No, it just is obvious there's another blinkered moron desperate to clutch at any straw that might be going.

You guys are making that kind of BS your trademark.

I guess Universal are going Blu at any moment too, eh?

Or that XBox Blu add-on is coming out at any second?

Pathetic.

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By Alex Stevens

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 8:41 PM

Someone is getting desperate and angry. Any other "speculation" stories or nameless sources you'd like to link to and pass off as facts?

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By Hollywood__

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:23 PM

By the way Joey / Dave, please don't stop posting, your pathetic rants are comical.

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By Joey Deacon

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:26 PM

Like you pathetic claims of 70 million faulty PS2's???

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By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:27 PM

Sorry Joey,

The burden of proof is on you because I'm to lazy to find the facts. You need to disprove my post because it was posted as fact, not opinion.

( I bet that confused the sh1t out of him)

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 5:52 AM

Prove him wrong...

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By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 10:28 PM

Joey / Dave,

You seem to be the only loser who takes it personal. Why? Because your pathetic, unexciting, dreary dead end life sucks so bad and you absolutely have nothing better to do.

Did you also notice you are the only one who posts under different names to try and convince people more than one idiot thinks like you do?

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

edited Oct 30, 2007 - 4:29 AM

Score: 0

By mshulman

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:08 PM

Even better, Sears will be selling the A3 on Black Friday for $169!

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By yountmj

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 8:33 AM

I saw someone mention that too, but never actually saw proof. May be hard to prove anyway... big sales like that are rarely confirmed this long before BF.

I sure hope it's true, though.

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By wreckedchevy

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 12:26 PM

http://www.blackfriday.i...rs-black-friday-ad.html

don't know if it true either but i hope so too

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By Alex Stevens

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 9:33 PM

Very nice :)

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By Hocuspokus

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:49 PM

Yeah and you can even go on-line for it rather than go to the store.

That's a hell of a bargain.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 8:23 PM

Cue the violins for the Blu Ray fanboys. Sub $200 is the magic number.

I have an A2, it's a great player, disc take seconds to cue up and play, turn on is about 25 seconds. You can also leave it on all the time, they don't even get warm.

If you want 1080p, buy the A3

Joey Deacon is the biggest baby I have ever had the pleasure of insulting, he is obviously very upset by the news. He claims .... get this ... he had an A2 and eBayed it.

LMAO! What a dork, you can at least make up a better story than that Dave. I can picture you crying while you jerk off in bed with your PS3.

Your 8 per store story is a lie. Amazon has them at $197.00

http://www.amazon.com/To...d=1193703184&sr=8-1

Once again, you are proved to be a complete desperate lying fool.

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By wreckedchevy

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 12:29 PM

LMAO! What a dork, you can at least make up a better story than that Dave. I can picture you crying while you jerk off in bed with your PS3.

haa haa now that s&%t is funny

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By Hollywood__

posted Oct 30, 2007 - 1:36 PM

I do what I can chevy. Entertaining you guys is more importnt to me than Dave's fragie mental health and imminent nervous breakdown.

He's stting in a corner sucking his thumb right now, rocking back and forth in a cold sweat, I can picture it. Meanwhile his PS3 colects dust waiting for *cough* ....the profile 1.1 update that will add 15 year old technology like interactive CD-ROM capability and PIP .... you know, that feature that HD-DVD has on almost every release without using one layer for the movie and one layer for the movie with PIP.

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By Hocuspokus

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 8:51 PM

The HD A30 is the 1080p player Hollywood.

Mind you a 720p/1080i 60Hz player will be just the job for the over-whelming majority of HD TVs out there.

Even the 1080p 60Hz HD TVs.

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By Hollywood__

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 9:04 PM

You are correct sir.

I guess the format war and player model numbers aren't the most important thing in my dull life like Davey boy over there.

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By Joey Deacon

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 8:22 PM

http://www.engadgethd.co...2-hd-dvd-player-for-199/

it'll be on sale nationwide on November 3rd with an allocation of 18 units per store.

Sorry, it's a time limited fire sale.

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By pridewalker

posted Oct 29, 2007 - 10:40 PM

Hey slappy...

Thought that I'd cue you in with an actual news link. From CNN.com:

http://bigtech.blogs.for...ba-player-for-under-200/

And since I know that you'll have a hard time reading the whole thing, allow me to just c&p the important part...

"O’Brien (spokeswoman for Wal-mart) said rumors that each Wal-Mart store would stock only 18 units of the Toshiba player were false. “There are no limited quantities for stores or purchases.”"

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By Alex Stevens

edited Oct 29, 2007 - 8:33 PM

That says 18 per store, not 8 like you've been crowing about. Trouble seeing that one, might need glasses. (Notice he has now edited all of his posts to say 18 instead of 8, like no one will remember). Oh and this is your evidence?

"According to the AVS Forum jockey who supposedly took the pic"

Well that certainly proves it (snicker).

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