Price Watch: Sony Blu-ray player, $194.99 shipped

A $195 Blu-ray player. No rebates, no sales tax.

(Credit: CNET)

Remember Circuit City's deal on the Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray player? It was $199.96, but most buyers had to pay sales tax. (Actually, I'm surprised no one called me out on the erroneous "$199.96 shipped" headline.) Well, ClubMac has the BDP-S300 for five bucks less ($194.99), with free shipping and no sales tax. No rebates, either.

Because I posted about this player just a couple weeks ago, I won't repeat the details here. However, you should read CNET's recently updated review, which mentions the firmware update that corrects a couple of the BDP-S300's trouble spots. (Hey, wonder if they learned about that from my post? The timing's about right.)

Anyway, I was happy to see so many comments about this player, Blu-ray technology in general, and the price point you need to see before pulling the trigger. Feel free to keep the conversation going! Personally, I think player manufacturers need to stop overcharging for these units and drop them to $99. Otherwise, Blu-ray may not live to see the inevitable transition to Internet distribution of movies.

[mpitogo]

Players maybe cheap but the content is not and the rentals are very slim. I currently rely on AppleTV HD movie downloads, tho not cheap, its the same price as blockbuster minus the time and gas required. Even my wife suggest we stop, most times we go home empty handed there isn't enough BD content. If Apple had a monthly subscription to HD rentals, like 29/mo and/or rentals to TV shows for a bit more like Netflix, we'd be going somewhere.

[GotAMD]

My Oppo DVD player does an excellent job upscaling regular DVD content to 1080p for my 42" screen. I've watched HD-DVD's on my TV as well, which should be the same quality as Blu-Ray, and they're not impressive enough to make me want to switch formats. DVDs are running at about *half* the price of Blu-Ray discs. I can also rip and convert them to other formats very easily.

[ktappe]

This deal had two strikes on it already--it's a Sony and it's from ClubMac. Neither has had good reputations in recent years.

[WallyChamp]

didnt sony create blu ray??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu_ray

[Groucho6]

I may one day get a Bluray recorder for use creating offsite backups of large amounts of business documents. Then again, I may just buy a few more hard drives instead. Bottom line?there is no compelling reason to buy yet another piece of technology that is obsolete before your credit card account is even billed.

[MakaiOokami]

Dvds are over priced. Not the players but the DVDs. Why will you not suggest a PS3 at all? Why will you not mention the Sony Style's PS3 deal for a PS3 for 250 dollars with the 150 credit. A PS3 for 400 dollars and a 150 dollar credit is MUCH better than just a crappy Blu Ray player.

I hate people that are never partisan on this ****. People have been asking you to help push the PS3 for a while and you've been doing nothing but pushing Sony readers, 360s, blu-ray players, Media extenders, but not a PS3? What are you so scared of? Why won't you try and help people wanting a PS3 but unable to afford one get it?

[rickbroida]

Actually, you're the only person who's been "asking me to push the PS3." And you know what? As soon as I see a good deal on one, I'll post it. I'm not going to repeat the Sony credit-card deal I posted earlier, because anyone interested in a PS3 will be smart enough to figure it out.

When the best deal you could get on a Blu-ray player was $400, obviously it made more sense to buy a PS3--and I recommended that option at the time. But not everyone wants a game console, even at $250.

[jca671]

Rick made a good point about a trigger point being $99 or below for these Blu-Ray players for most people, but to me the even bigger deal is the cost of the media. At least 100% more for a disc that provides a more "realistic" image and some added features coupled with the "upgraded" players isn't too compelling to me. When/if Blu-Ray supplants existing DVD, maybe then I'll jump. But for now, what I get Online, have on my non-HD old tube TV's via regular DVD and what I get on my 42" HDTV via my 1080P upconverting player keeps me very happy.