Comments on: Deal or no deal? HD DVD player cracks $200 barrier

The price for Toshiba's HD-A2 HD DVD player has dipped below $200 at Amazon.com, Circuit City, and Wal-Mart Stores. Is that the magic price point?

[Evayy]

not ready to jump just yet

will not jump yet just as a previous poster said wait a bit and prices will drop.
Format wars, well us older folks been there done that and given oil prices, home heating oil, gas prices higher everything a new toy isn't on the list just yet.
While there will always be early adapters just as many of us will wait and have no problems with watching for a bit.
By the by very happy with our dvd collection very extensive

[Evayy]

not ready to jump just yet

will not jump yet just as a previous poster said wait a bit and prices will drop.
Format wars, well us older folks been there done that and given oil prices, home heating oil, gas prices higher everything a new toy isn't on the list just yet.
While there will always be early adapters just as many of us will wait and have no problems with watching for a bit.
By the by very happy with our dvd collection very extensive

[bubblebathgirl]

1080p > 720p > 1080i

The title says it all. I believe Mr. Carnoy needs to actually look at the same Hi-Def source in all 3 different resolutions next time before bothering to write an article. There is a noticeable difference between 1080i and 720p ... 720p is MUCH better. 1080p is that much better then 720p so it is a big deal.

And asking the question about whether people will care whether they're getting the best technology or not ... of course they will ... sure some salesmen will try to convince them otherwise, but people ultimately want what is best ... even if they can't afford it ... and 1080p is clearly best.

As for whether HD DVD is going to survive past 2008, I highly doubt it. Microsoft made a strong statement by not making HD DVD Xbox 360 games ... that they lack confidence in the format.

Bluray is current outselling HD DVD 2:1, and since this time around Bluray is actually the better technology, with a greater potential for size and far more studios backing it, by 2009 there will be only 1 clear HD format ... and it's the one that's much easier to pronounce :P

[natejohnstone]

Depends on your TV

I don't know how you can say that 720p is MUCH BETTER than 1080i. It really depends on the TV. On my TV, I usually can't tell the difference. I checked after I read your post, but 720p is certianly not MUCH BETTER.

[arias925]

Difference depends on size

I've been selling tv's for 12 years and your statement that 720p is much better and because of that 1080p is far better is not acurate. 1080p only really makes a difference at extremely large television sizes but at 42" to 50" inches there is hardly a difference if at all. But either way it's doesn't matter if you own a 1080p set your television will deinterlace the image (most tv's do this well) from the HDA2 and you would have a prestine 1080p picture from a 1080I player. Bluray outselling HD-DVD 2-1 is realtive at the numbers that both formats claim to have sold do not equal the numbers of the movie "300" on regular dvd, and thats just one title. In other words the margin can be erased with just one release. The Xbox 360 is outselling the PS3 7 to 1 but you would right off the PS3 just yet would you???

[bubblebathgirl]

1080p > 720p > 1080i

The title says it all. I believe Mr. Carnoy needs to actually look at the same Hi-Def source in all 3 different resolutions next time before bothering to write an article. There is a noticeable difference between 1080i and 720p ... 720p is MUCH better. 1080p is that much better then 720p so it is a big deal.

And asking the question about whether people will care whether they're getting the best technology or not ... of course they will ... sure some salesmen will try to convince them otherwise, but people ultimately want what is best ... even if they can't afford it ... and 1080p is clearly best.

As for whether HD DVD is going to survive past 2008, I highly doubt it. Microsoft made a strong statement by not making HD DVD Xbox 360 games ... that they lack confidence in the format.

Bluray is current outselling HD DVD 2:1, and since this time around Bluray is actually the better technology, with a greater potential for size and far more studios backing it, by 2009 there will be only 1 clear HD format ... and it's the one that's much easier to pronounce :P

[natejohnstone]

Depends on your TV

I don't know how you can say that 720p is MUCH BETTER than 1080i. It really depends on the TV. On my TV, I usually can't tell the difference. I checked after I read your post, but 720p is certianly not MUCH BETTER.

[arias925]

Difference depends on size

I've been selling tv's for 12 years and your statement that 720p is much better and because of that 1080p is far better is not acurate. 1080p only really makes a difference at extremely large television sizes but at 42" to 50" inches there is hardly a difference if at all. But either way it's doesn't matter if you own a 1080p set your television will deinterlace the image (most tv's do this well) from the HDA2 and you would have a prestine 1080p picture from a 1080I player. Bluray outselling HD-DVD 2-1 is realtive at the numbers that both formats claim to have sold do not equal the numbers of the movie "300" on regular dvd, and thats just one title. In other words the margin can be erased with just one release. The Xbox 360 is outselling the PS3 7 to 1 but you would right off the PS3 just yet would you???

[bubblebathgirl]

Japanese Porn Industry Embraces Bluray

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,135222-c,dvdtechnology/article.html

It's over :)

[bubblebathgirl]

Japanese Porn Industry Embraces Bluray

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,135222-c,dvdtechnology/article.html

It's over :)

[jimvsmij]

The beginning of the end for Blu-Ray

We all know it is just a matter of time for Blu-Ray. It is understandable that the Blu-Ray folks who forked over so much money into the technology will be the last to admit it. The cheaper player will sell to many more people but what will finally be the final blow to Blu-Ray is when cheap HD-DVD burners for computers come out. People will start converting or buying bootleg Blu-Ray movies on HD-DVD disks. This will make movie companies realize that they will have to start selling movies in HD-DVD or risk loosing profit from people getting their hands on bootleg Blu-Ray to HD-DVD movies. I feel your pain Blu-Rayers. I myself invested in Beta.

[bubblebathgirl]

LOL - look at the stats buddy

Bluray continues to outsell HD DVD 2:1 ... that's why they can keep the price higher ... cause it's more popular and people are willing to pay for it.

Of course Bluray player prices will go down ... but they just don't need to yet ...

Think of it this way ... now that HD DVD has lowered it's prices ... what else can they do? Perhaps lower a bit more ... but they're out of tricks ... Bluray is still owning HD DVD even with a more expensive player ... that must say something.

[jimvsmij]

The beginning of the end for Blu-Ray

We all know it is just a matter of time for Blu-Ray. It is understandable that the Blu-Ray folks who forked over so much money into the technology will be the last to admit it. The cheaper player will sell to many more people but what will finally be the final blow to Blu-Ray is when cheap HD-DVD burners for computers come out. People will start converting or buying bootleg Blu-Ray movies on HD-DVD disks. This will make movie companies realize that they will have to start selling movies in HD-DVD or risk loosing profit from people getting their hands on bootleg Blu-Ray to HD-DVD movies. I feel your pain Blu-Rayers. I myself invested in Beta.

[bubblebathgirl]

LOL - look at the stats buddy

Bluray continues to outsell HD DVD 2:1 ... that's why they can keep the price higher ... cause it's more popular and people are willing to pay for it.

Of course Bluray player prices will go down ... but they just don't need to yet ...

Think of it this way ... now that HD DVD has lowered it's prices ... what else can they do? Perhaps lower a bit more ... but they're out of tricks ... Bluray is still owning HD DVD even with a more expensive player ... that must say something.

[gary85739]

Early adopters always pay more...

YAWN....these gadgets will be less than $100 this time next year...

The clones and knock-offs will soak the market with inexpensive players...

This is reality, it will happen!

Need it now, pay for it...you'll have 4 of these things in the next 5 yrs and the last 4 will have a total cost of the first one!

[gary85739]

Early adopters always pay more...

YAWN....these gadgets will be less than $100 this time next year...

The clones and knock-offs will soak the market with inexpensive players...

This is reality, it will happen!

Need it now, pay for it...you'll have 4 of these things in the next 5 yrs and the last 4 will have a total cost of the first one!

[drkvenger]

Recordable HD-DVD or Blu-Ray will decide the war

IMO - whichever side releases a player/recorder priced below $300 first will most likely win the war.

[jimvsmij]

I agree on that

And it will most likely be a HD-DVD Recorder and it will probably be selling for arounf $150

[bubblebathgirl]

You'd like to think that ...

[bubblebathgirl]

So I guess Bluray won back in May then?

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/press/release/detail/0,,2076_310069589_439711429,00.html

[drkvenger]

Recordable HD-DVD or Blu-Ray will decide the war

IMO - whichever side releases a player/recorder priced below $300 first will most likely win the war.

[jimvsmij]

I agree on that

And it will most likely be a HD-DVD Recorder and it will probably be selling for arounf $150

[bubblebathgirl]

You'd like to think that ...

[bubblebathgirl]

So I guess Bluray won back in May then?

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/press/release/detail/0,,2076_310069589_439711429,00.html

[epitone]

This quote says it all...

"As of October 30, 2007, 327 titles have been released in the United States on HD DVD and 351 on Blu-ray (32 of those titles have since been discontinued)."

327. 351. Sound like reasonably big numbers, but for comparison's sake let's remind ourselves how many unique titles Netflix has. That'd be 85,000.

In other words, not a single studio is "dug in" yet. They could jump ship to either format, or jump off the ship, at absolutely any point. Wasting $200 on hardware is no big deal to most of us. Wasting $200 on hardware plus a couple thousand on movies? More of a big deal.

[epitone]

This quote says it all...

"As of October 30, 2007, 327 titles have been released in the United States on HD DVD and 351 on Blu-ray (32 of those titles have since been discontinued)."

327. 351. Sound like reasonably big numbers, but for comparison's sake let's remind ourselves how many unique titles Netflix has. That'd be 85,000.

In other words, not a single studio is "dug in" yet. They could jump ship to either format, or jump off the ship, at absolutely any point. Wasting $200 on hardware is no big deal to most of us. Wasting $200 on hardware plus a couple thousand on movies? More of a big deal.

[bubblebathgirl]

Bluray released a $299 Computer drive back in May

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/press/release/detail/0,,2076_310069589_439711429,00.html

[bubblebathgirl]

Bluray released a $299 Computer drive back in May

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/press/release/detail/0,,2076_310069589_439711429,00.html

[daddosplat]

I have a 1080p tv sony sxrd I have a Ps3

1080p 1080i 720p 480p qand 480i tv resolutions 1920x1080p or 1080i are the highest resolutions 1200x720p is less lines of resolution then both 1080p and i the diffrence between interlace and progressive scan are not changed on 1080 its fields or frames per second progressive is smoother 60 frames per second as interlace is 30 frames ps the eye only sees at 24 frames per second so technically you cant see the difference thats why 480i and p are the same resolution just 480p is smoother or cleaner. the guy was stating it depends on your tv not all tv can produce all scans only tvs out the last 2 years can achieve the highest scan 1080p. obviously a 1080i upconvert on a standard dvd player wouldnt be as clean as an hd dvd played on and hd dvd player depending on the tv old projection 1080i tv would be a bigger difference then say a dlp lcd or plasma technology the sxrd upconverted dvd in 1080i look awesome still the blu ray in 1080p is better because the source material is 1080p with better sound and all thats not to say source material hd dvd in 1080i wouldnt look amazing on a high end tv. just dont say 720 in better then 1080 thats not true that would be like if they had 720i and someone said 480p is better the smaller the number the less lines of resolution!

[daddosplat]

I have a 1080p tv sony sxrd I have a Ps3

1080p 1080i 720p 480p qand 480i tv resolutions 1920x1080p or 1080i are the highest resolutions 1200x720p is less lines of resolution then both 1080p and i the diffrence between interlace and progressive scan are not changed on 1080 its fields or frames per second progressive is smoother 60 frames per second as interlace is 30 frames ps the eye only sees at 24 frames per second so technically you cant see the difference thats why 480i and p are the same resolution just 480p is smoother or cleaner. the guy was stating it depends on your tv not all tv can produce all scans only tvs out the last 2 years can achieve the highest scan 1080p. obviously a 1080i upconvert on a standard dvd player wouldnt be as clean as an hd dvd played on and hd dvd player depending on the tv old projection 1080i tv would be a bigger difference then say a dlp lcd or plasma technology the sxrd upconverted dvd in 1080i look awesome still the blu ray in 1080p is better because the source material is 1080p with better sound and all thats not to say source material hd dvd in 1080i wouldnt look amazing on a high end tv. just dont say 720 in better then 1080 thats not true that would be like if they had 720i and someone said 480p is better the smaller the number the less lines of resolution!

[checkgio]

Get this player for $98!!!

Tomorrow (friday) starting at 8am, Walmart will have this player for only $98!!! look here http://holiday.ri-walmart.com/?section=secret&utm_source=Walmartcom&utm_medium=POV1&utm_content=secret1&utm_campaign=holiday&povid=cat14503-env15844-module117144-lLink1

[checkgio]

Get this player for $98!!!

Tomorrow (friday) starting at 8am, Walmart will have this player for only $98!!! look here http://holiday.ri-walmart.com/?section=secret&utm_source=Walmartcom&utm_medium=POV1&utm_content=secret1&utm_campaign=holiday&povid=cat14503-env15844-module117144-lLink1