The First sub $200 HD Player

[shams]

I think its time to face the facts - both formats are here to stay.

I actually have my money on HD-DVD (slightly) dominating in the long term.

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IMO, this highlights Sony's strategy (including a BluRay drive in the PS3) as even more wrong. I don't see any compelling argument that its necessary for games. It delayed the launch of the device by 6 months. It pushes the price up, making PS3s less affordable.

You'll see cheap hybrid players out within 12 months. This means that most companies will gravitate towards the cheaper manufacturing process - which is HD-DVD.

I also think that HD-DVD owners will end up with a higher attach rate than BluRay owners - and the PS3 is only going to this equation a lot worse. Include PS3 owners - and the attach rate is worse. Exclude them - and there aren't enough drives on the market to warrant a release.

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If I could get a HD-DVD player PLUS transformers for $199(AU) - I would be sold. My TV still looks great, and does 1080i - which is all I care about.