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Sub-$600 Blu-ray Player Coming from Sony

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

February 26, 2007, 3:31 PM

In an effort to continue its momentum in next-generation DVDs, Sony said Monday that it would launch a lower-cost version of its Blu-ray player over the summer for $599 USD.

However, even at the new price the player would still be more expensive than Toshiba's HD DVD player, currently priced at $499 USD. Regardless, it does show willingness on Sony's part to cut into profits in order to accelerate adoption of the Blu-ray format.

The BDP-S300 appears to be a replacement to the $999 USD BDP-S1 that Sony currently sells, as it has the same functionality. But it will come in a much smaller size and have the capability to play CDs, which the initial model did not.

Even though Blu-ray has recently begun to outsell HD DVD -- mainly due to the release of the PlayStation 3 -- overall sales of next generation discs have been slow. Analysts say consumers are leery of buying into either format because there still is no clear upgrade path.

Sales of the PlayStation 3 have definitely played a big part in catapulting Blu-ray into the lead, with Sony claiming four out of every five who purchase the console also purchase movies as well.

Prices are expected to come down even further, Sony said. By Christmas 2007, it is expected that there would be Blu-ray players under $500. However, at the same time, HD DVD could be selling players much cheaper than that.

HD DVD has not announced any plans for a price drop, although Microsoft sells an HD DVD add-on drive for the Xbox 360 at $199 USD.

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By slinkys_delsol

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 9:31 AM

Agree with a few other postings.

The PS3 until more software (GAMES) are available IS the Sub $600 BR Player.

Then if MS does it right, they will revamp the 360 for next year and its default drive will be a HD Drive rather then an add-on.

Then within 3 - 5 years they will both have a patch to play both BR and HD Disc's, and right after they will announce the NEW Proprietary format (Sarcasm)

SL-INC: http://mysite.verizon.net/slinkys_delsol

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 8:06 PM

Sub $600 BD player.

Yes, It's called PS3. The precise reason why I bought it.

Score: 0

By Neoprimal

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 8:04 PM

I'll wait till they're $150 and play CD/DVD/HD DVD and Blu Ray :D

Score: 0

By il-loostya

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 7:34 PM

I just want Blu-ray burners to come down in price. $1000 is ridiculous.... tired of archiving to DVD's... blank media also is a little steep at around $50 for a 50GB disc.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 8:26 PM

They will keep the blank media price higher than the cost of a BD movie, same goes for HD-DVD. They figure, why would anyone want to try to copy the new HD formats due to the high cost of blank media and the burners.

You watch and see, the costs will stay astronomical because they are trying to avoid another AnyDVD / DVD Shrink fiasco. You can make a copy of any standard DVD for the cost of a rental (or just borrow them from freinds like most people do) and about 30 cents for the blank media. DVD burners can be bought for 29 dollars, I've seen them for 19 dollars with a rebate for an off brand Chinese 16X +/-R.

Being able to copy regular DVD's easily makes them so appealing, which is why both formats will never truly take off. HD movies will be a LaserDisc niche type product for die hard videophiles but the common Joe Best Buy not only doesn't know the difference or have a set big enough to notice, but really could care less.

If you mention HD-DVD / BD to just about anybody, they usually have no idea what you are talking about.

The amount of money that was spent on this format war will ultimately go to waste, sort of like Circuit City's Divx. But that only cost them $114 million.

Score: 0

By uberfly

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 9:40 PM

There's absolutely no way 'they' will be able to keep per-disk media prices around $20. When one or both formats establish themselves, it'll rocket downward. There are a lot more uses to this stuff than burning pirated movies.

Score: 0

By il-loostya

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 9:44 PM

The price will eventually drop down. I remember when CD-ROM burners cost $4000-$6000, media was scarce and cost $30 a piece. It will take some time but prices will drop for BD and HD-DVD... don't care who wins the format war BD is more appealing to me for its higher storage capacity though...

I don't know about "AnyDVD / DVD Shrink fiasco"... times have changed with good broadband and since both HD-DVD and BD have been hacked to some degree a good bit torrent client and a media player (connected to your HD-TV) or PC is all you need if you want watch HD content...I doubt prices are high for piracy concerns. Blue Diode shortages and the cost of the technology are probably the main causes.

"HD movies will be a LaserDisc niche type product"
Don't think so, HD-DVD and BD titles are available in most stores, saturation is high.. LaserDiscs never made it as far as BD/HDV. LaserDisc players also failed to be strapped onto a major gaming console earning it very high distribution.
The other fact is you're going to buy a TV now its going to have HD support (unless you're in some third world country) so you'd want to have a HD peripherals connected to it for best use. Laserdiscs were a great idea.. just ahead of its time.

Score: 0

By Natrunner

edited Feb 26, 2007 - 6:38 PM

And more news from Sony, they will only ship 20 drives in order to create market buzz and try to corner the market. Something along the lines of the PS3. Boy did that ever backfire on Sony. :)

Score: 0

By ModderXManiac

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 4:45 PM

Might as well buy a PS3, unless this supports more layers than the stock drive in PS3's for higher capacity disks, which is unlikely.

Score: 0

By ds0934

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 4:31 PM

But it's still a Sony. :(

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 9:08 AM

Bingo!

Score: 0

By Hocuspokus

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 4:29 PM

Is this going to just be a reboxed PS3?

It'll be interesting to see what kind of quality they produce at that price
(cos compared to the stand-alones they're coming down from a hell of a lot higher a price ticket than any of the less expensive HD-DVD players).

It'll be interesting to see how it pans out (if it happens).

So by year's end we can expect those inexpensive sub $200 Chinese HD-DVD's v a $599 BD player......but isn't the PS3 already that price in the USA?

The rest of the Blu-ray consortium (already undoubtedly thrilled at the way the PS3 has rendered their BD products pointless & bolted to the store shelves) must be loving this.

How long until another one or two of them attempt to make at least some money out of high def DVD and go dual format?
LG is not the one and only, you can be sure of that.

Blu-ray is a bulk data storage media - and in truth does offer some interesting possibilities in that
(if the 100gb & 200gb discs ever make it to the marketplace at an affordable price - along with compatible hardware at an affordable price).

But HD-DVD is an optimised video media, which is not the same thing at all.

We can see it quite clearly and obviously with stuff like iHD compared to the clunky methods BD uses.

BD is also all about (and was specifically pushed as being all about) DRM and 'the industry' exercising ever greater control at the consumer's expense.

......and for all the dressing up it's obvious that with PS3 it is also yet another Sony proprietary product.

We don't need it and we are certainly a hell of a lot better off without it.

.....and with BD cracked or successfully avoided it doesn't offer anything over HD-DVD.

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 3:19 AM

ahh, the mythical Chinese HD-DVD players for $199.

If Toshiba take such a hit on the $499 HD-DVD, how can Chinese manufacturers make it 1/3 of the price, AND make a profit?

How comes Americans hate foreign nations, except when it comes to saving an ailing format?

"HD-DVD is an optimised video media, which is not the same thing at all." Another laughable comment from one of the "experts" here. Translated: "I was dumb enough to buy a Xbox HD-DVD addon, and will say aything to try and persuade the market to prevent it from being obsolete in a few months time".

It's worth pointing out, as this article "forgets" to mention it, the BDP-S300 has HDMI 1.3 and does 1080p. The similarly priced HD-DVD can only do 1080i and HDMI1.1, for these features on HD-DVD, you need the new step-up model, the HD-XA2 ($999).

Score: 0

By Hocuspokus

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 5:41 AM

"the mythical Chinese HD-DVD players"

- Er, there is nothing in the least bit "mythical" about the Microsoft/Broadcom deal done at CES this year nor in the Toshiba licencing deals done with the Chinese the year before.

"If Toshiba take such a hit on the $499 HD-DVD, how can Chinese manufacturers make it 1/3 of the price, AND make a profit?"

- Er, the Toshiba HD A2 sells for $400 on Amazon USA right now.

So that would be a drop of 50%.

Which is a hell of a lot smaller and a far more credible possible price move than the claims some of the 'BD fanclub' are now trying to make about cheap Chinese BD players coming.

"How comes Americans hate foreign nations, except when it comes to saving an ailing format?"

- The only one mentioning "hate" here is you.....and btw I'm not American.

"Translated: "I was dumb enough to buy a Xbox HD-DVD addon, and will say aything to try and persuade the market to prevent it from being obsolete in a few months time"."

- Do you honestly believe that kind of mentally ill BS?

Talk about a real give-away to your own rather laughable mentality, "pusuade the market". FFS. Enjoy your 'crusade'.

Get a life.

I have spent a very small sum on a drive that will last me years, I am enjoying high def right now and all at very little outlay/risk......which high def technologies do you have?

Perhaps your talk about "pursuading the market" is about your own insecurities and (if it's BD you prefer) huge outlay of cash?

"It's worth pointing out, as this article "forgets" to mention it, the BDP-S300 has HDMI 1.3 and does 1080p."

- Neither feature means anything to me
(and even if I had a 1080p TV I wouldn't be worshipping them as the be-all and end-all anyways).

You can keep your delusions about 'future-proof' HDMI 1.3 (or should that be 1.3a or the imminent 2?) and how much 'better' you dream (pursuade yourself) that 1080p looks (from 10'+ or a 42" or smaller screen).

"The similarly priced HD-DVD can only do 1080i and HDMI1.1, for these features on HD-DVD, you need the new step-up model, the HD-XA2 ($999)."

- Well that's exactly the point, brains.

If I feel the need for or I wish to pay for those features I can choose to do so with HD-DVD.

I'm not forced into buying facilities I neither want nor need.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 9:04 PM

Piss off Steve. We're sick of your bulls*** Sony propaganda.

If Toshiba is taking a hit @ $499 for HD-DVD players, just imagine the hit Sony is taking on a $600 Blu-Ray player. Oh wait, we already know they're losing hundreds of dollars - the PS3 demonstrated that. :P

And I hate to say it, but Sony is a Japanese company, and you'll find the majority of it's suppliers are also Chinese or Taiwanese. :P

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 2:56 AM

I apologise in advance for making you look silly.

Toshiba also make a $200 loss on each player:

http://www.engadget.com/...-each-hd-a1-sez-isuppli/

The key difference of course, is Sony have a way of making that back via media sales. Tohiba have nosuch method..

Seems like I kit a raw nerve. Sometimes the truth hurts however..

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 8:07 PM

Please buy one player or the other and stop being a fanboy Steve. Your anti-HD-DVD crusade is pathetic.

Score: 0

By Hocuspokus

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 5:27 AM

I just noticed this.

He doesn't even have a high def DVD player of any format!?

OMG

How pathetic is that?

What a sad & boring little troll.

Well that's the end of that.

Don't feed the trolls.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 3:40 PM

Apparently Sony is finally getting the picture. It's all in the value, not just the best technology but the "almost best" at the best price is usually what wins.

I have little doubt that most all of us can agree that Blu-Ray has higher-technology than HD-DVD, but it also has a much larger price tag. If Blu-Ray were cheaper than HD-DVD, I think that there would be little resistence to Sony's new format.

Score: 0

By drumcat

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 4:56 PM

Don't forget that the openness to licensing matters greatly, too. Remember VHS took off because it was FREE.

Score: 0

By Desides

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 3:41 PM

If it's value that counts, then there's a Blu-Ray player called the PlayStation 3 that's already available at $500/$600.

Score: 0

By hiyoag

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 4:21 PM

But the stand alone player will come with a remote. LOL

Sony - Managing a great company to its death.

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 7:08 PM

Exactly how many games consoles actually come with a DVD remote? Answer; NONE:

The Wii can't even play DVD's, let alone HD.
THe 360 does not come with a remote, nor a Digital cable, but then it can't do digital anyway...

Score: 0

By rbrewer420

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 8:11 PM

actually, the 360 premium package does come with a dvd remote. Has this since changed since launch?

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 12:34 AM

"Exactly how many games consoles actually come with a DVD remote? Answer; NONE"

Umm, yeah. That was his point. Thanks for restating the obvious.

"The Wii can't even play DVD's, let alone HD.
THe 360 does not come with a remote, nor a Digital cable, but then it can't do digital anyway..."

Yeah, so. What's your point? Nobody was talking about the Wii or 360. Just you trying to bash it.

Your getting pretty pathetic. Please stop talking.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 9:08 PM

I was going to write a rebuttal, then realised I was wasting my time.

Piss off mate. Get the facts, and stop spouting half-truths and outright lies. :P

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 3:11 AM

What part of that statement was lies then, please explain..

The WII cannot play DVD, it's stuck to SD 480
The 360 has no digital output, and comes with no digital cables.

Seems some people are ratty that their console is last generation, and Microsoft's new version has finally woke them up to it...

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 11:12 AM

"The 360 has no digital output, and comes with no digital cables."

Half truth, sir. No reason for me to argue about it as most sane people understand the falsity of that statement.

Yes, I agree the Wii cannot play DVDs, but that's due to many factors other than its output capability.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted Feb 26, 2007 - 8:08 PM

Here we go again, the guy who owns nothing sticking his big nose in every BD, PS3, HD-DVD and 360 post.

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 3:01 AM

You know nothing of what I have. You even seem to think I am DaveBD, and that nobody else could possibly think that the 360 and HD-DVD is naff.

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

edited Feb 28, 2007 - 8:53 PM

Steve,

I know you don't own a 360, PS3, BD player or HD-DVD. How do I know? Because people who have actually spent the money on a new format or next gen console love to tell everybody. All you do is bash the 360 and HD-DVD but never tell us about how great your PS3 or BD player is.

By the way, anone who owns an XA1 or XA2, I've discovered a way to get the player to upscale any DVD to 720p or 1080i out of the component video. Before, the HDMI was the only way to upscale standard DVD. They thought they were tricky forcing people to use the awful HDMI hookup, but I figured it out on my own.

Also, there is a new update that imporoves the alreasy superior to the PS3/BD black levels. I cant speak for other BD player as I dont own them. But certain people here like Steve seem to have an opinion about everything (they don't own).

I bought the PS3/BD first, then the 360 w/HD-DVD add-on, then an XA1, got a free XA2, and bought a second PS3 for my bedroom, and I can tell you the honest difference between all of them because I'm not a pathetic fanboy.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

edited Feb 27, 2007 - 11:32 AM

No, I just think you are incredibly biased, and hence you cannot help but misrepresent the facts. In your eyes, the XBox 360 was to be inferior to the BEFORE YOU EVEN HAD THE SPECS.

How do I know? Because I've been the same way on many things...and by the way, feature-wise, I have no problem admitting that the PS3 wipes the floor with the 360 and the Wii--but at what cost? Reliability, compatibility, and price are huge factors when it comes to sales, and the fact that PS2 sales are through the roof while PS3 sales are relatively low PROVES that features are much less important than price and useability. I mean, the PS2 is inferior to the PS3, right? So why is the PS2 selling so well right now?

PS3 has better features than the 360, even I'll admit. However, I feel that the 360 is more practical and applicable, and certainly within a much better price range than the expensive PS3. The price of the PS3 is killing it, but Sony is losing money already so they cannot simply go down in price and expect to make money. Sony needs more PS3 games, and fast.

Score: 0

By fernz33

posted Feb 27, 2007 - 3:26 PM

Why does every Sony/BRD/HDDVD article end up in a ps3vs360vsWii argument?

Seriously people, GET A LIFE!

NOW ON TO THE TOPIC:
In addition to price, which probably makes up for 75% of the reason people would pick either format, you have to consider content. It doesnt look so good for hd dvd when they only have 1 exclusive studio backing it. The past 8 weeks that I can remember, the BRD out-released hddvd 4-1 (please don't quote my numbers as these are just VERY rough figures).

Is the PS3 helping BRD sales, of course. Is the PS3, the HD DVD killer sony says it is, too soon to tell.

Score: 0

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