Will Blu-ray recorders finally reach the U.S.?
One of the more frequent e-mails we receive is, when are Blu-ray recorders coming out? Blu-ray recorders have been available in Japan for quite some time now, but we haven't seen any manufacturer planning to offer a recorder in the U.S. However, HD Guru recently blogged about the CEATEC trade show in Japan, and we noticed this little nugget buried in the middle:
"Panasonic will be introducing a freestanding Blu-ray recorder/player in the US during the first half of 2009. (BTW, Blu-ray recorder prices have really dropped in Japan. I spotted a Sharp Blu-ray recorder at Yodobashi camera for around $800 US)."
That's news to us. In fact, we met with Panasonic engineers recently, and when we brought up Blu-ray recorders they had no news for the U.S. market.
Although we do get plenty of reader e-mail concerning Blu-ray recorders, there's plenty of reasons to believe they won't be popular in the U.S. First up is the high price. An $800 recorder might be a big price drop, but it's still much more than standalone Blu-ray players, which most consumers already consider too expensive. Secondly, HD DVRs are relatively cheap and convenient, especially when you consider that a blank 25GB BD-R Disc costs about $8-$10. Lastly, we'll be interested to see exactly what you'll be able to record with a Blu-ray recorder. We're assuming people would be most interested in recording premium content from networks such as HBO, but we'd be surprised if content providers didn't start using copyright protection to make that impossible. Meanwhile, remember that anything you record off of most network and cable channels will be chock full of onscreen ads and snipes--hardly the sort of version we'd want to archive to our permanent collection.
So while there's certainly a limited market for Blu-ray recorders, it will be interesting to see if they're able to expand beyond that niche audience.
How cheap can you get the Editor's Choice-winning Panasonic TH-50PZ800U?
The HD Guru has had a long career in the consumer electronics business, including 30 years as VP for a chain of consumer electronics stores. The good news for you is that he's willing to share some of the knowledge he's picked up over the years, and his latest blog includes some sage advice on scoring the lowest price when buying a new HDTV.
The HD Guru recommends basically a four-step method:
1) Research TVs online (of course, we recommend CNET's HDTV reviews).
2) Go to a major retailer like Best Buy or Circuit City and look at your choices in person.
3) Go back online and find the absolute lowest price on your favorite HDTV.
4) Find a commission-based electronics store, and ask them to beat that price.
The HD Guru's article has the full scoop on why this works so well, so you'll want to read the whole guide if you're getting ready to buy. He also tells you how to handle the other buying issues, such as extended warranties, the ins and outs of delivery service, and where to buy cables (check out our HDMI cable guide as well).
We could definitely see some people having some ethical qualms with this method, as it seems like you're abusing the goodwill of major retailers' displays, then squeezing all the commission out of the other employees. On the other hand, the commission-based employees don't have to do much work--since you already know what HDTV you want to buy--so they're essentially getting a "free" sale.
Do you think the HD Guru's methods are fair, or should you just go to one store and settle for a "fair" price? Let us know in the comments--we'd especially love to hear your opinion if you work in a commission-based electronics store.
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