If you actually really did care then you might re-examine your reasoning because for the consumer Blu Ray is not the answer. Blu Ray is movie house driven with its region locking and additional DRM, none of which benefit the consumer. Buying into expensive Blu Ray when the outcome is not certain is not good for the consumer either.

 I do not doubt your passion but suspect you may be a tad blinded by it and I actually feel sorry for those folks who you bamboozled into spending more money.

 Ask yourself this, why did I really go down there and try and talk these folks out of a purchase, I smell the whiff of panic.

i don't understand fanboyism from americans who love sony. i guess i could understand an american who wanted to buy only products made in the usa, but what is the deal with the sony fanboys? do you own stock? just plain weird!

amazon.com has the A-3 for 189.99

http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HD-A3-720p-1080i-Player/dp/B000U62N1S/ref=sr_1_19/105-8471575-1307650?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1194120365&sr=1-19

The problem you have is that you aren't trying to help these people have an understanding about these products, you're trying to make them buy what YOU want them to buy.  You don't want them to buy a product that YOU think is outdated, that YOU think won't be the best format 10 years from now.  You want HD DVD to fail because YOU have chosen a different format that isn't looking so hot right now next to $100 and $200 HD DVD players for the holidays.

But don't worry, I'll give you a little bit of credit.  I think that you actually believe you're helping these people, that you've convinced yourself that somehow you have to "save" these people from purchasing the wrong product.  Well I'm sorry, but life doesn't work that way.  You can piss away an entire afternoon in Wal-mart and convince 10 people not to buy an HD DVD player, but you can't stop them from selling out after you leave.  You can't even stop the people you convinced from going home, talking to their friends and family, and changing their minds again to HD DVD if that's what they want to do.

The sooner you realize that your shit stinks as badly as everyone else's, the better off you'll be.

That shit was hilarious. I'll be damn if some random guy comes to second guess what I am trying to purchase. Who the hell is he and what makes him a better person then me to judge what I am trying to buy. I am broke but for $100 to watch HD movies which starts at 720P for me at least is well worth it considering the free movies as well. Talk about wasting time on this earth LOL

Just got back from Wal-mart. The clerk said they had a total of 34 and were all sold out in 30 minutes

Maybe SMG didn't sell very well first-day because KGB29's Japanese doppelgänger was at some store convincing customers to buy a PS3 for Ratchet and Clank instead?

Just a theory...

You guys actually believed KBG? lol

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 ...