$300 Blu-ray player? Not so fast

The BDP-S300 ($600) will be Sony's cheapest standard format Blu-ray player for the forseeable future when it's released this summer.

(Credit: Sony)

Last Friday we reported on a quote from TV Week that Sony President and COO Stan Glasgow said Sony had plans to cut prices on its Blu-ray players to $299 by the end of the year. Well, don't update your Christmas list just yet. According to a Sony representative, Glasgow was misquoted. What Glasgow said, apparently, was that he felt the $299 price would be the tipping point where the average consumer would start to consider buying a Blu-ray player. Indeed, the Sony spokesman went on to specify that the company has no plans to roll out a Blu-ray player at that price point in 2007. That makes a lot more sense considering that Sony just announced a $600 Blu-ray player for this summer, and Glasgow basically said the same thing in an interview with CNET in January.

While the clarification makes more sense, we're not quite sure if we agree with Glasgow's assessment that $299 will be a tipping point for Blu-ray. While the price of the player may not be prohibitive, you still need to buy Blu-ray movies to get a high-definition picture--and the idea of rebuying movies in HD seemed to bother a lot of CNET users in our Screening Room forum. On the other hand, $299 is probably the price point where it might start making sense to buy a standard format Blu-ray player over a $500 20GB PlayStation 3. No matter what, Blu-ray and HD DVD still have a ways to go before they can convince the average consumer to make the high-def jump.

[i_am_still_wade]

What about HD DVD lowering prices?

So, Blu-Ray players are going to start costing 40% less this summer. Does anyone really think HD DVD camp is just going to keep their price static? This move will force HD DVD lower, a lot lower, which may tip the scales back to HD DVD.

For instance, suppose HD DVD player start selling for $300, while Blu-Ray sells for $600. That $300 is right at what Sony calls the tipping point.

Price is the reason why I think HD DVD will win, provided that HD DVD can get to $300 or even sub $200 by Christmas. If not, HD DVD will most likely lose because you know Blu-Ray will have cheap players for Christmas 2008.

[usadingo]

There's still a few other factors

I agree with you. However, I think the reason HD-DVD will win is due to the idiot factor. Basically, people don't understand Blu-Ray, but they get HD-DVD. If a regular movie disc is "DVD," than a high-definition movie disc should be "HD-DVD" - makes sense.
HD-DVD still has a ways to go though. For a lot of us, 1080p is still the big factor. It's available in both formats, but at roughly the same price. For those who don't have 1080p sets, HD-DVD has the clear advantage though.

[i_am_still_wade]

What about HD DVD lowering prices?

So, Blu-Ray players are going to start costing 40% less this summer. Does anyone really think HD DVD camp is just going to keep their price static? This move will force HD DVD lower, a lot lower, which may tip the scales back to HD DVD.

For instance, suppose HD DVD player start selling for $300, while Blu-Ray sells for $600. That $300 is right at what Sony calls the tipping point.

Price is the reason why I think HD DVD will win, provided that HD DVD can get to $300 or even sub $200 by Christmas. If not, HD DVD will most likely lose because you know Blu-Ray will have cheap players for Christmas 2008.

[usadingo]

There's still a few other factors

I agree with you. However, I think the reason HD-DVD will win is due to the idiot factor. Basically, people don't understand Blu-Ray, but they get HD-DVD. If a regular movie disc is "DVD," than a high-definition movie disc should be "HD-DVD" - makes sense.
HD-DVD still has a ways to go though. For a lot of us, 1080p is still the big factor. It's available in both formats, but at roughly the same price. For those who don't have 1080p sets, HD-DVD has the clear advantage though.

[SDogg554]

here we go again

heres another prime example of when the technology industry screws the consumers who jumped on the bandwagon too early. I myself havent bought into next gen dvd yet and this is why. people paid upwards of $1000 for these players and now prices for both formats may take a dive.

it just proves again that you cant jump in too early. i bought an HDTV when HD was the new thing that everyone needed to have. now i have an HDTV with 1080i (no 720p) and no HDMI.

[SDogg554]

here we go again

heres another prime example of when the technology industry screws the consumers who jumped on the bandwagon too early. I myself havent bought into next gen dvd yet and this is why. people paid upwards of $1000 for these players and now prices for both formats may take a dive.

it just proves again that you cant jump in too early. i bought an HDTV when HD was the new thing that everyone needed to have. now i have an HDTV with 1080i (no 720p) and no HDMI.

[dfichtner]

Won't matter if we can't rent the movies.

It won't matter to most people if the bluray (or HDDVD) movies are not available for rent in large quantities. Until that time, owning one of these players will be a novelty item. I don't think the masses will be at all excited about buying movies they already own, or have seen 30 times. Only proud videophiles will do that.

Wow! How about watching that Batman movie for the 31st time tonight? It looks so great in HD! *laugh*

Get me rentals, and a player I an afford (below $300) and I'll bite, along with a lot of other people.

[sears_guy]

check out blockbuster or netflix websites....

blockbusters website has hi-def movies under collections....only thing is you have to rent thru the mail!

[dfichtner]

Won't matter if we can't rent the movies.

It won't matter to most people if the bluray (or HDDVD) movies are not available for rent in large quantities. Until that time, owning one of these players will be a novelty item. I don't think the masses will be at all excited about buying movies they already own, or have seen 30 times. Only proud videophiles will do that.

Wow! How about watching that Batman movie for the 31st time tonight? It looks so great in HD! *laugh*

Get me rentals, and a player I an afford (below $300) and I'll bite, along with a lot of other people.

[sears_guy]

check out blockbuster or netflix websites....

blockbusters website has hi-def movies under collections....only thing is you have to rent thru the mail!

[pschatzy]

Tipping Point

I just picked up a nice standard DVD player for 30 bucks from Amazon. Blu Ray? Shmu Ray! Hi Def? Not Mos Def. A $299 price point won't tip it for me. Experience tells us that the latest DVD formats will be obsolete faster that you can say Quentin Tarentino. (Excuse my spelling.) When the new formats hit about a hundred bucks...maybe I will consider buying.

In the meantime, I have a nice Sanyo Betamax HiFi machine I am willing to sell. I'll throw in the Brooklyn Bridge at no extra cost.

[pschatzy]

Tipping Point

I just picked up a nice standard DVD player for 30 bucks from Amazon. Blu Ray? Shmu Ray! Hi Def? Not Mos Def. A $299 price point won't tip it for me. Experience tells us that the latest DVD formats will be obsolete faster that you can say Quentin Tarentino. (Excuse my spelling.) When the new formats hit about a hundred bucks...maybe I will consider buying.

In the meantime, I have a nice Sanyo Betamax HiFi machine I am willing to sell. I'll throw in the Brooklyn Bridge at no extra cost.

[ellis feigenbaum]

ive seen one

well nearly, best buy thousand oaks is having a remodelling sale i have seen a sub 400 bucks blue ray player and even though tempted it still wasnt cheap enough for me.
Ellis

[ellis feigenbaum]

ive seen one

well nearly, best buy thousand oaks is having a remodelling sale i have seen a sub 400 bucks blue ray player and even though tempted it still wasnt cheap enough for me.
Ellis