The Cheapskate

This $78 Magnavox Blu-ray player has no front-panel display, but it does have an SDHC card slot.

Proof positive that camping out all night to score Black Friday deals is a waste of time, Wal-Mart is offering the same $78 Magnavox MB500MG1F Blu-ray player on its Web site that was previously an in-store-only, fight-the-crowds-to-get-it deal.

Its shipping will run you a measly 97 cents, though you'll probably have to add sales tax as well.

As you might expect, the MB500MG1F is about as no-frills as Blu-ray players come. There's no front-panel LED display, and it definitely won't do BD-Live, Netflix, or anything like that.

Actually, there is one frill: an SDHC slot, meaning you can pop in the memory card from your camera for an onscreen photo slideshows.

Other than that, the player offers the usual 1080p output, video upscaling, remote control, power cord, box, and so on.

I haven't seen any reviews of this model, but there are plenty of favorable user comments over at the Blu-ray Forum.

Well, what say you, fellow cheapskates? Is this price low enough for you to pull the Blu-ray trigger? Might you actually be considering a second player for your home? Personally, I say pair one of these with Planet Earth on Blu-ray and enjoy one seriously eyeball-pleasing holiday.

Backup deal: You know online backups should be part of your overall backup regimen, right? Well, here's a rare chance to get in cheap: Carbonite is offering 50 percent off annual subscription plans (with coupon code CUST50). You can get one year for $27.47, two years for $49.97, or three years for $64.97. This awesome offer's good until the end of December.

I hope this goes without saying by now, but under no circumstances should you spend more than $100 on a Blu-ray player.

I mean, for months we've seen no-frills and lame-brand models selling for $99 or less. And now you can pick up a Sony BDP-S360 with BD-Live for $99.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states).

(Note: The $99.99 price will appear once you get to the checkout. First commenter to tell me the product page shows $119.99 gets a virtual noogie.)

It's a refurb, meaning the warranty expires after 90 days. If that doesn't sit well with you, here's another option (and a fall-back in case the Sony sells out): Dell Home has the Vizio VBR100 Blu-ray player with BD-Live for $104.99 shipped (plus sales tax in some states). That's a new model, meaning you get a full one-year warranty.

Indeed, I'd argue that the Vizio is the better buy, if only for the extra coverage 5 bucks buys you. Both models rock the whole BD-Live thing (and, hey, if you're pulling the Blu-ray trigger, you might as well enjoy a frill or two). Alas, neither one supports Netflix streaming or the like.

CNET's editors had mostly positive things to say about the BDP-S360, particularly about its audio and video quality. As for the Vizio, you'll have to rely on Dell's customer ratings: all 10 of them, each one awarding five stars.

So I guess I should amend my original statement: under no circumstances should you spend more than around $100 on a Blu-ray player. And mark my words: it won't be long before you can get BD-Live and Netflix for that price.

Backup deal: Need cables to connect your new player(s) to your HDTV? Meritline has a three-pack of 6-foot HDMI cables for $6.99 shipped (with coupon code MLC1933503120733N--it's $10.99 without). Hard to beat!

The impossible has happened: A new Blu-ray player for under $100.

(Credit: Meijer)

Well now it's getting interesting. Meijer has a Curtis Mathes CMMBX130 Blu-ray player for just $99.99. It's new, not a refurb, and you can use coupon code DOTMJR09 to get free shipping.

This arrives hot on the heels of Tuesday's Insignia player for $129.99 and Wednesday's refurbished Magnavox for $99.99. (Yes, it's Unofficial Blu-ray Week here at the Cheapskate!)

OK, first up: Meijer? It's a Walmart-like store that's very well-known to those of us who live in the Midwest. No worries there.

Next: Curtis Mathes? Wasn't he an R&B singer from the '70s? Obviously this is no Sony or Samsung, but just because you don't recognize the brand doesn't mean the player is bad. The handful of reviews on Meijer's site average 4.5 stars out of 5.

And check it out: In addition to the usual stuff--1080p output and upconversion, Dolby Digital audio, etc. (get complete specs at Blu-ray.com)--the player comes with an HDMI cable! Granted, that's only saving you about $3, but it also saves you the hassle of having to buy a cable separately.

Unlike most budget Blu-ray players, the CMMBX130 sports an Ethernet port. Alas, firmware updates apparently require the old download-an-image-file-and-burn-it-to-CD method.

So it's official: You can now buy a new Blu-ray player for under $100. Interestingly, Meijer's product page says this price is valid until July 31 (though I doubt the free-shipping coupon is), so this is not a one-day-only special or anything.

What do you think? Are you waiting for Blu-ray movie prices to drop before you pull the trigger on a player? Or do you just rent them from Blockbuster/Netflix? Share your thoughts on this deal in the comments!