Comments on: HD DVD players hit $99 at Wal-Mart, Best Buy

Wal-Mart is selling the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player for $99 this Friday, as part of its "Secret In-Store Specials" promotion.

[wsumba99]

HD-A2 DOes do 1080P (& 24FPS)

Firmware Update 2.5 enables this functionality. I have 2 HD-A2's (one bought at this super price), one Xbox 360 w/ HD DVD, and one PS3 w/ blu-ray. I can't tell the difference between any of the movies (and I have rented several titles on both formats). Both blu-ray and HD DVD look spectacular. No matter how superior some may say blu-ray is, sub $100 HD DVD players are going to go a long way against $400+ blu-ray players. Low prices will increase volume. It will be interesting to see if the blu-ray folks have a similar price cut (Black Friday???)

[eticket]

A2 does not do 1080P - Sorry

From the Toshiba web site about the 2.5 update...

This firmware update adds support for 1080p/24Hz output to the HD-A20 and HD-XA2 players. For the HD-A2, HD-A2W, HD-D2, HD-A20 and HD-XA2 players, it adds more on-screen language display options. In addition, this firmware update improves network connectivity for supporting the download of web- enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues identified by Toshiba.

[portvista2]

Same deal is everywhere, Get 7 movies at Best Buy

Best Buy and Circuit City are matching the deal or get $100 of the Toshiba higher end DVD player, can order online and also get 7 free movies from a larger selection. I'm not buying it because it does not support AVI/DIVX which their $50 unit supports.

[dec2955]

Upconverting DVD player for less than $100..

Forget that this is a HD-DVD player.
And how many HD-TV's on the market for less than $2M really do 1080p? Most are only 720p.
But for a upconverting DVD player that happens to also play HD-DVD's.. what a buy.. and then to get 5 free HD-DVD's on top of the sub $100 price... even if you took the blue pill how can you go wrong?

[darperry]

Got it Like it But!

Got my new HD DVD player on FRI. at Wal Mart for the $98.97. Went to another Wal mart today around 1:30 PM 11/3/07 SAT. and guess what, there was still about 30 to 35 Toshibia HD DVD players for yep $98.97 ask the sales person how long they would have them for that price, she said I don't know, guess till they are gone. Thought I'd really did somthing running to Wal Mart yesterday to get in on the grate deal.........

[brianloc]

Tosbia does do 1080P

http://tacp.toshiba.com/tacpassets-images/generaldocs/0912Ver2.5UpdateNoteA2.pdf
Above is the link to the firmware update and it does has a screen shot of resoultion up to 1080P

[mfb2757]

1080P for Toshiba HD-DVD

This firmware update adds support for 1080p/24Hz output to the HD-A20 and HD-XA2 players. For the HD-A2, HD-A2W, HD-D2, HD-A20 and HD-XA2 players, it adds more on-screen language display options. In addition, this firmware update improves network connectivity for supporting the download of web- enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues identified by Toshiba.
http://www.tacp.com/tacpassets-images/notices/hddvd2firmware.asp

[davenrino]

1080P Displays

I guess you have looked at prices lately. I paid $1979 for my 1080p 60" Sony SXRD A3000 from CC. Mainland online prices even lower.

[c.Lake]

That's great but...

What if HD-DVD loses? What are you going to do with a stand alone player?
I'm not saying that one's winning/losing (so don't start), but the bigger point
is neither one has been declared the victor.

It would be a mistake to buy a stand alone Blu-Ray player as well... It's too
soon, now that HD-DVD is making a small come back. A PS3 is a game unit
first, (despite Sony's view). So if Blu-Ray loses, there's really nothing to lose.
(As long as you don't go Ape-sh*t buying Blu-Ray Movies)

Almost all the studios are siding with Blu-Ray. Still, it best to be on the side
of caution with this situation. There's a small possibility they could price the
players down so low, so quickly that people don't value it at all. Who knows
how this will play out, but this move reeks of desperation.

[RRosal]

Wow, nice pricing...

Too bad I already spent my money on Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and planning to spend more $$ on Assassin's Creed this coming week...maybe someday HD-DVD :-D

[BCF1968]

Too bad it's OLD news

That sale was LAST week. Good job keeping up and looking a the date of the article.

[bubblebathgirl]

BLU-RAY oursells HD DVD 71% to 29%

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/11/09/nielsen-videoscan-high-def-market-share-for-week-ending-november/

The $99 "Fire-sale" is old news. Those machines don't even do 1080P LOL!

[sammyb33]

And now you don't even need them. Glitter Graphics Glitter Text