By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - General Discussion - $198 too expensive? HD-DVD player on sale for $99 at Wal-mart

madskillz on 03 November 2007

Well said, KN ... well said ...



Around the Network
epsilon72 on 03 November 2007

Right now Sony's electronics pres. is saying the stand-alone players won't drop below $399 anytime soon.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/sonyprice110107.htm



nathantay on 03 November 2007
makingmusic476 said:
madskillz said:
KBG29 said:

@Madskillz

You buddy are just as bad as I when it comes to these formats. As to your no games on the PS3, I have plenty to play, but somtimes real life is a little more important than video games.


Actually, no. I am a thrifty shopper with thismuchbrandloyalty. I quit being a fanboy a long time ago. You do realize that as far as hardware and the like, HD DVD offers: Web exclusive content - Web facts - region-free movies - cheaper entry into HD world AND - a very familiar name. Blu Ray offers - more movies, the chance to get it when you buy a PS3 - and pretty much the same HD experience - and oh, braggin' rights. That's it. You are still getting the same 1080i experience - with the exception being storage size. That's it. And to the average consumer, when all the facts are laid out, you have - a dollar difference. Sure, I want to watch Cars on my HD DVD - and I will be able to. You know why? I can buy it overseas - get my boy Dav to send it to me - pop it in my HD DVD player and watch it. Why? Blu Ray movies here are also HD DVD movies elsewhere. Now, can you do that with BR? No - because it's locked to one region. So, you have absolutely NO HOPE of ever seeing Transformers on BR - unless their studio defects.

But what I find the most comical is your devotion to correct the facts. Never mind you were creeping folks out - but it's not that serious. As much as I loved my PS2 and Xbox, I only talk about them when asked. Or ... I'll say something if I see a person about to make a costly, warranty-voiding mistake (Intec 360 cooler fan). I'll speak up. But most times? Not so much. I am happy if that's what a person wants. I can't make a person like a Wii, a 360 or even accept Jesus. No, that's not fair.

And lastly, you and several of your partners are of the mindset 'If it's cheap, it's a desperate move" or "it can't touch BR." It's not our fault Sony is too stubborn and downright stupid and of course, arrogant, to lower prices. They are like "If you don't have the money, you don't need our product." Toshiba is of the mindset "We want to win this war - and will play Sony with their shiny new BetaMax BR."

HD DVD, ftw ...


 You keep touting the ability to buy Blu-Ray movies on HD DVD from overseas, but you can only do this with VERY few movies, and no Disney movies.  You will NOT be able to buy Cars on HD DVD no matter how bad you want to.

Also, you chose the wrong movie to say we'll never get it on Blu-Ray.  Transformers is being released on Blu-Ray in Korea, last I heard, and that's region 1, just like the US. ;) 

Either way, it will be very hard to find movies from the opposing format on your format overseas, for both BR and HD.   The only movies I can think of right now are Terminator on HD in Europe, and HP4 on HD in Europe (though it's coming to both formats here in a month), because both are distributed by Studio Canal over there.  Region free ultimately means nothing.  In the gaming world it's important for niche titles only released in Japan, but for movies it matters little.

Also, you keep saying HD DVD is so much better because it's cheaper.  A year ago HD DVD players were $499.  Was that cheap?  In a year Blu-Ray payers will be $150-$250.  Is that cheap enough?  Price is a moving target, that really only matters right here, right now.  Considering the fact that this war will not be decided for 2-3 years, provided Warner does not go Blu-Ray exclusive, then the price difference between the two formats will be non-existant when all is said and done.

Also, size DOES matter.  Transformers and King Kong were forced to forgo lossless audio becuase of storage limitations.  This may not matter to you, but it does matter to studios.  What if New Line puts the LotRs on two discs each just so they can include lossless audio in the form of uncompressed PCM or Dolby-TrueHD?  The days of two-disc films should be behind us.

All your arguments about why Blu-Ray sucks and HD DVD is awesome are complete BS.  Just accept the fact that both are great formats, and that both have their pluses and minuses.  Just because you bought into HD doesn't mean you have to bash Blu-Ray at every given turn. 

List of some BR exclusive movies that can be imported on HD

  • Bridge to Terabithia
  • Basic Instinct
  • T2
  • Fantastic Four 1-2
  • Hannibal Rising
  • Mr and Mrs Smith
  • Resident Evil 1-2
  • Silent Hill
  • The Holiday
  • The Island
  • The Prestige
  • Total Recall
  • Underworld 1-2
  • XXX
  • Ghost Rider

HD is better because it's a finalized format and BR isn't which means certain features won't work with older players, HD has low mid and high end players BR has only mid to high end players which means HD is more affordable, HD has more features which means more incentive for people to upgrade from Dvd. Why do BR fans always talk about storage, lossless, and 1080p when 90% of people that own an HDTV only has 720p or 1080i and these people buy the Home Theater in a Box so they can't even hear a difference wilth lossless. And when New Line puts out LOTR I'm sure they wll use the 51g discs. Please don't say that the 51g discs won't work on old players because you no they will with a firmware update.

 



         

FishyJoe on 03 November 2007

I really don't see that much difference between the two formats. $99 vs $399 was the deciding factor for me and it will be for many people. Even if it was $299 or $199, the $99 player will be the winner for the vast majority of people.



makingmusic476 on 03 November 2007
kn said:
makingmusic476 said:
You completely ignored my price argument. >_<

It's as if you expect the war to be won over the next two months when HD DVD is below $200 and Blu-Ray is still $400. What about the people that buy in over the next year or two? Blu-Ray player prices will keep dropping.

I don't think he is ignoring your price comments.... I don't think that looking forward a year from now and stating that a sub $200 BR player will be on the street will win the war... IF Toshiba decided they wanted to win this war NOW, they would release the A-3 for a price close to $100 around the globe (plus VAT where applicable)...

I don't think your average Joe Six Pack is going to look at the two formats and decide on what the price might be a year from now. He's going to decide right here and now. Apparantly, $98 was enough to throw caution to the wind and jump in head first.

If the price differential remains $150-200 for another year, Toshiba may build a rather substantial stand-alone lead and stand-alones tend to buy a lot more software.

I understand what you are saying.... as the war continues, prices do keep coming down and maybe blu-ray will be $149 or less next holiday and that would certainly change the game a bit but as I said, J6P doesn't care. He just wants it cheap and he wants it now...


 J6P wants it now?  Only 30% of NA homes have HDTVs, and that number is far lower in Europe, and not even close to a majority of those are looking at upgrading to HDM.  Many of the current HDTV owners have no HD signals going to their tvs at all!

My point was that the prices of Blu-Ray players will be far lower in 1-2 years, when the majority of people will have HDTVs and will begin upgrading, if they choose to do so at all.  The people that are buying HDM right now make up a very small percentage of the market, even including those who bought $99 players yesterday.  

 



Around the Network
makingmusic476 on 03 November 2007
FishyJoe said:
I really don't see that much difference between the two formats. $99 vs $399 was the deciding factor for me and it will be for many people. Even if it was $299 or $199, the $99 player will be the winner for the vast majority of people.

 The $99 players were a one day sale. >_<

What's left of the A2s will be going for $198 for the rest of the holidays, aside from Black Friday. 



makingmusic476 on 03 November 2007
Cobretti said:
makingmusic476

"Also, size DOES matter. Transformers and King Kong were forced to forgo lossless audio becuase of storage limitations. This may not matter to you, but it does matter to studios. What if New Line puts the LotRs on two discs each just so they can include lossless audio in the form of uncompressed PCM or Dolby-TrueHD? The days of two-disc films should be behind us."


yes cause 90% of people can hear the difference lol. Most people won't be able to tell the difference between compressed and uncompressed audio.

Look at mp3's a lot of people can't tell the difference in quality over cds. Not to mention if you really want to benefit from uncompressed audio you need a hell of a expensive audio setup. You really thing people 5 years from now will all own HDTVS and 7.1 or some crazy ass number of speaker systems just so they can have a 10% audio quality increase.

Most people will have either just their TV speakers or at best 5.1.

The moral of the story is just cause Transformers doesn't have uncompressed audio does not mean it is required since most won't give a shit.

Did you miss that bit?  Yes, most people don't really care about audio quality, but studios do.  LotRs is such a high profile release that they would want to give it the full HD treatment: 1080p, HD extra features, lossless audio, the works.  I doubt they'll be able to fit the entire movie on one disc. 



Coca-Cola on 03 November 2007

I am an average Joe, and I have HDDVD. Instead of waiting for BR prices to drop, I'll wait for Disney to make movies on HDDVD.



FishyJoe on 03 November 2007

Yes, but HD-DVD will get to the $99 price point much sooner than Blu-ray will. I'm certain with retailer discounting HD-DVD players will be readily available below $199 this holiday.



FishyJoe on 03 November 2007

Studios don't give a sh*t about audio. They care about one thing and one thing only, profit. Whatever makes them better profit is the winner in their eyes.