HD-DVD/Blu-Ray player deals; who has 'em?

[bawker]

Missed out on the Wal-Mart $98.00 HD-DVD player deal first of the month (along with everything else at my Wal-Mart on that sale...anyway...), but interested in purchasing whichever format player is cheaper come BF.

 

Anyone seen any hot deals on players yet?

 

Thanks... :)

[Gurnee Al]

HD-DVD will be cheaper. BB will have the Toshiba A3 for $199 and comes with 7 free HD-DVDs (2 in the box + 5 more by mail). The movies alone are worth well more than $100.

[bawker]

Thanks.

 

I wish I had jumped on the A2 when WM had it on sale during their secret sale a few Fridays ago.

 

I guess I was hoping someone would do a repeat of that deal...I'll have to check out the A3. :)

[j-bo]

hd-dvd Toshiba A3 at Sears on BF. $169

 

It doesn't say if movies are included or if it qualifies for the 5 FREE by rebate though.

[bawker]

Looks like at least from the Sears page for the A3 it does qualify for the 5 free...there's a link to a .pdf at the bottom of the product page.

 

Guess that's my best bet, then...unless Best Buy throws us a curveball this BF with some suprise deals.

[amyelizabethau]

This might be a really silly question, but seeing as though I am totally clueless about these new hd-dvd players I'm gonna ask it anyway. Do they only play hd-dvds or will they also play regular dvds? Thanks!

[bawker]

HD-DVD players have backward compatibility with regular DVD's (some companies even produce DVD's with HD on one side and regular DVD on the other...although I've only seen a few), and Blu-Ray does as well.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_high_definition_optical_disc_formats

 

This link may help as well, with comparisons between each. :)

[neomodus]

Manager at Wal-Mart said HD DVD will be below 100 for BF. I'm hoping, but I don't believe anything until I see it in writing.

[bawker]

...I'm still kicking myself for not buying it earlier this month.

 

Thanks for the possible heads up! :)

[Dork42775]

Stay away from HD-DVD and go with Blu-Ray. The reason these HD players are getting so cheap is that they are losing the battle and are not backed by the "big" companies.

[Steakgoddess]

As I understand it, HD-DVD players have backward compatibility with regular DVD's (some companies even produce DVD's with HD on one side and regular DVD on the other...although I've only seen a few)....Blu-Ray, however, does not play regular DVD's.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_high_definition_optical_disc_formats

 

This link may help as well, with comparisons between each. :)

That is incorrect. Our Blu Ray player plays regular DVDs beautifully.

[bawker]

That is incorrect. Our Blu Ray player plays regular DVDs beautifully.

Thanks for clearing that up. The more you know...

[amyelizabethau]

Thanks for the info!

[8truths]

Stay away from HD-DVD and go with Blu-Ray. The reason these HD players are getting so cheap is that they are losing the battle and are not backed by the "big" companies.

Oh, joy. Fanboyism has arrived.

 

Sony's chief has gone on record as saying that the format war was a dumb idea. And given that Sony has done nothing but turn gold into lead for the last five years, you'll accept my apologies if I don't join the Sony camp.

 

A strong BF from HD-DVD is likely to be a killing blow to Blu-Ray, and Sony execs are already tilting their rhetoric toward surrender.

 

FTR -- I don't own either, as I refuse to join format wars. The sooner Sony surrenders, the better. Blu-Ray is overly expensive and has almost single-handedly destroyed the future of the PS3.

 

What really amazes me is that after being in on two of the biggest open media format successes of the last 30 years with CD and DVD, Sony did anything as stupid as pimping Blu-Ray for no serious economic reason.

[Dork42775]

Actually I own neither and will not for a year or 2 but I guess "your" opinions are as true as mine until a move is made.

[jmsampica]

It's hard to argue when Blu-Ray has dominated the HD format war since January! 7 out of 10 studies (including Disney and Pixar) support Blu-ray (produce Blu-Ray movies). So, if you are looking for movies on HD-DVD from these studios, good luck.

 

Blockbuster has gone 100% Blu-Ray (no HD-DVD rentals), Target is shifting further to Blu-Ray (70% Blu-Ray movies, 30% or less HD-DVD). Same for Best-Buy (70% vs 30%).

 

The el-cheapo Toshiba (the only name-brand electronics manufacturer to actually produce HD-DVD players as compared to a dozen who produce Blu-Ray players) doesn't even use the latest and greatest video resolution which is 1080P. Their machine is only 1080i.

 

Also, don't forget about the Sony PS3, every one of them is also a Blu-Ray player.

 

Here are some other recent news & deals for Blu-Ray:

 

Blu-ray news

 

Less Green; More Blu: Amazon BOGO Sale

Posted November 12, 2007 by Josh

 

In order to keep momentum rolling, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Entertainment have teamed up with Amazon for yet another Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) sale. If you missed out on the last big sale, now is your chance to purchase those titles you might have missed when they were first released. There's a total selection of 112 titles to choose from.

 

(includes Disney titles)

 

What benefits does Blu-ray offer compared to HD-DVD?

 

 

Although both Blu-ray and HD-DVD are similar in many aspects, there are some important differences between them.

 

The first is capacity. Because Blu-ray utilizes a lens with a greater numerical aperture (NA) than HD-DVD, the laser spot can be focused with greater precision to fit more data on the same size disc. This allows Blu-ray to hold 25GB per layer (50GB on a dual-layer disc), whereas HD-DVD can only hold 15GB per layer (30GB on a dual-layer disc). Blu-ray has also adopted a higher data transfer rate for video and audio (54Mbps vs 36.55Mbps). The greater capacity and data transfer rates for Blu-ray will allow the movie studios to release their movies with higher quality video and audio than the HD-DVD format.

 

The second is content. The Blu-ray format has received broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Seven of the eight major movie studios (Warner, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate) have released titles for Blu-ray, whereas HD-DVD only has support from three major movie studios (Warner, Paramount and Universal). This is an important difference because some of the studios might only support one of the formats, so you won't be able to get your favorite movies in the other format. Choosing the format with the most content support minimizes this risk.

 

The third is hardware support. The Blu-ray format has broad support from the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers, including Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Pioneer, Sharp, JVC, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, TDK, Thomson, LG, Apple, HP and Dell. The Blu-ray format will also be supported in the next-generation PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console. This means that you will have a lot of choice when it comes to players and hardware. The HD-DVD format has far fewer supporters, so the amount of players and hardware will be very limited. Currently, Toshiba is the only company offering a stand-alone HD-DVD player.

 

Neilsen Sales Numbers:

 

Week ending 11/4/2007: Blu-Ray Sales = 71%, HD-Dvd= 29%

Year to date: Blu-Ray Sales = 64%, HD-Dvd= 36%

Since Inception: Blu-Ray Sales = 61%, HD-Dvd = 39%

 

Not a very good track record for HD-Dvd and it's sales continue to erode.

 

I would not be happy to be stuck a year from now with a $98 Toshiba A2 or $169 A3 HD-Dvd player and no new HD-Dvd movies to play on it, when I could have spent $300-$400 on a superior Blu-Ray or Sony PS3 system with many new Blu-Ray movies rolling out...

[Yugh]

It's hard to argue when Blu-Ray has dominated the HD format war since January! 7 out of 10 studies (including Disney and Pixar) support Blu-ray (produce Blu-Ray movies). So, if you are looking for movies on HD-DVD from these studios, good luck.

 

Blockbuster has gone 100% Blu-Ray (no HD-DVD rentals), Target is shifting further to Blu-Ray (70% Blu-Ray movies, 30% or less HD-DVD). Same for Best-Buy (70% vs 30%).

 

The el-cheapo Toshiba (the only name-brand electronics manufacturer to actually produce HD-DVD players as compared to a dozen who produce Blu-Ray players) doesn't even use the latest and greatest video resolution which is 1080P. Their machine is only 1080i.

 

Also, don't forget about the Sony PS3, every one of them is also a Blu-Ray player.

 

Here are some other recent news & deals for Blu-Ray:

 

Blu-ray news

 

Less Green; More Blu: Amazon BOGO Sale

Posted November 12, 2007 by Josh

 

In order to keep momentum rolling, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Entertainment have teamed up with Amazon for yet another Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) sale. If you missed out on the last big sale, now is your chance to purchase those titles you might have missed when they were first released. There's a total selection of 112 titles to choose from.

 

(includes Disney titles)

 

What benefits does Blu-ray offer compared to HD-DVD?

 

 

Although both Blu-ray and HD-DVD are similar in many aspects, there are some important differences between them.

 

The first is capacity. Because Blu-ray utilizes a lens with a greater numerical aperture (NA) than HD-DVD, the laser spot can be focused with greater precision to fit more data on the same size disc. This allows Blu-ray to hold 25GB per layer (50GB on a dual-layer disc), whereas HD-DVD can only hold 15GB per layer (30GB on a dual-layer disc). Blu-ray has also adopted a higher data transfer rate for video and audio (54Mbps vs 36.55Mbps). The greater capacity and data transfer rates for Blu-ray will allow the movie studios to release their movies with higher quality video and audio than the HD-DVD format.

 

The second is content. The Blu-ray format has received broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Seven of the eight major movie studios (Warner, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate) have released titles for Blu-ray, whereas HD-DVD only has support from three major movie studios (Warner, Paramount and Universal). This is an important difference because some of the studios might only support one of the formats, so you won't be able to get your favorite movies in the other format. Choosing the format with the most content support minimizes this risk.

 

The third is hardware support. The Blu-ray format has broad support from the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers, including Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Pioneer, Sharp, JVC, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, TDK, Thomson, LG, Apple, HP and Dell. The Blu-ray format will also be supported in the next-generation PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console. This means that you will have a lot of choice when it comes to players and hardware. The HD-DVD format has far fewer supporters, so the amount of players and hardware will be very limited. Currently, Toshiba is the only company offering a stand-alone HD-DVD player.

 

Neilsen Sales Numbers:

 

Week ending 11/4/2007: Blu-Ray Sales = 71%, HD-Dvd= 29%

Year to date: Blu-Ray Sales = 64%, HD-Dvd= 36%

Since Inception: Blu-Ray Sales = 61%, HD-Dvd = 39%

 

Not a very good track record for HD-Dvd and it's sales continue to erode.

 

I would not be happy to be stuck a year from now with a $98 Toshiba A2 or $169 A3 HD-Dvd player and no new HD-Dvd movies to play on it, when I could have spent $300-$400 on a superior Blu-Ray or Sony PS3 system with many new Blu-Ray movies rolling out...

That was amazing

[countingcrow]

Looks like the fanboys who have been banned from Avsforum are making their way to this website now.

[Victorc]

HDDVD is definitely better the BLUE RAY:

 

HDDVD has no region code

Cheaper to make (Companies can use existing DVD equipment to make them) whereas BLUERAY manufacturing is expensive. So HDDVD is cheaper to make than BLUERAY hence can be sold cheaper.

HDDVD has advanced features that BLUE RAY is still catching up.

 

More companies have started joining the HDDVD group (Onkyo ...)

 

All the BLUERAY movies are available in HDDVD format through Amazon Europe.

[j-bo]

Looks like the fanboys who have been banned from Avsforum are making their way to this website now.

My thoughts exactly!!!!

 

Either format is good. Obviously you skipped out telling both sides of the story. Hmm.. where is the list for all the movie houses support for hd-dvd only? but I won't riddle your blu ray advertising.

 

What's killing blu ray is the cheap toshiba pricing. Nielsen ratings suck as Walmart, arguably the biggest hd-dvd seller doesn't release their sales figures.

 

Blu Ray stand alone players... $399 plus.... the playstation 3 won't upscale your old standard dvd's either. 480P is it.

 

HD-DVD stand alone... $169 (black friday deal), $199.

 

The average joe blow will choose which format will eventually win out. Price moves mountains.

 

Blu Ray or HD-DVD... your choice.

[big ran]

I dont own either also but i am going to buy an hdvd player this bf. look at it like this For 169 you get a dvd upscaler and a hddvd player. Other than disney thats really the only guns the bluray folks have, but not really because ill just buy a hdvd everything else and disney dvd and watch a 1080p upscaled disney movie and transformers in hddvd along with my matrix movies. If blu ray was cheaper i might consider the two but its A$$ backwards pricing for the average movie watcher which i am. Not the movie junkie but if i was i would have both bluray and hddvd.

[Tigger97498]

HH Gregg has the HD DVD A2 or A3 in their ad for black friday but I forget the price (it has since been removed) its seeming like it was pretty close to the same price Walmart had the A2 for a few weeks ago though. Keep watching Circuit City's website too I got it on there last week for $145 or so and free shipping.

[bawker]

Thanks for all the information, folks...I'm still torn as to which way to go on this.

 

I hate format wars...I wonder if this is how all the people who had to choose between Betamax and VHS felt?

[jmsampica]

Be very afraid...

 

Whenever you are deciding on a purchase of any sort, be sure you comparison shop!! Autos, appliances, electronics, etc.

 

Many may find the HD-DVD is all that they need. For those who want the best audio & video experience and the the largest high definition movie library, then look at Blu-Ray.

 

At the very least, do some research on both formats- compare the number of movie studios that support each format, check out the movies that you and your family are interested in to ensure that they are in the format you want, and by all means, compare movie sales statistics from Nielsen.

 

I had a very funny experience at Blockbuster a few months ago... was asking the clerk when they were going to start renting Blu-Ray high-def movies. He stated: "well, seeing as it is a dead format, I don't think we will ever rent them at Blockbuster...". Lo and behold only a very few short weeks later, Blockbuster had a national news release stating that they would only rent Blu-Ray high-def movies at their stores.

 

Be sure to compare player specifications by format- much of what I see here and on the HD-DVD fanboy sites like avsforum does not match the manufacturer's specification sheets (very inaccurate and likely to mislead potential player customers).

 

By the way, the Sony PS3 does upconvert regular DVDs to 1080P high-def. Again, check out the manufacturer's specifications:

 

Sony Adds 1080p HD Upconverting to PS3

Picture on standard-definition DVDs will be enhanced.

By Phillip Swann

 

Washington, D.C. (May 23, 2007) -- Sony said today that it's sending an upgrade to all PlayStation 3 consoles that will enable standard definition DVDs to upconvert to 1080p High-Definition.

 

Old news- suprised that people familar with high-def missed this announcement!

 

Be sure to check out the latest Consumer Reports on Best Gifts. They had a segment on high-definition video and name the studios that support each opposing format along with a sample movie list for each.

[Dork42775]

What actually does fanboy mean? lol, you guys just want a reason to argue.

[damac]

I am a tech junkie and have owned The Toshiba HD-A1 and A2 HD DVD players, as well as a PS3 and a Philips Blu-ray player. I have a pretty nice home theatre setup with a HD Projector with a 92" screen. I have 5.1 surround sound as well. What I have found is that both formats are basically the same as far as quality and ease of use is concerned.

 

BOTH types of players will do an outstanding job of playing DVDs and upconverting them for your HDTV.

 

Blu-ray has more studio support, but both formats have released about the same number of titles so far. Studio support can change with one press release, so we really don't know what will happen in the future. We do know that neither format has pulled away (or looks to pull away anytime soon) enough to cause the collapse of the other. We really don't know if one, both, or either format will survive past a niche phase at this point. What I can tell you is that your Blu-ray or HD DVD discs won't stop playing if a studio stops releasing movies on a particular format. And your DVDs (and Blu-ray or HD DVDs) will still look outstanding on your player even if either side stops selling players.

 

There is still plenty of uncertainty from both sides. If you would like to take advantage of a Hidef format, my suggestion would be buy an HD DVD player if you can get one for $100. That is an excellent price just for a great upconverting DVD player, let alone a Hidef disc player. Just make sure to look at what movies are available on either format before you make your final decision (you might like the selection of one format better than the other). Grabbing an older model PS3 for about $320 is an option out there as well if you want a Blu-ray player instead.

 

I picked up an A2 for $98 at Wal-mart a week and a half ago and can't see myself being disappointed for that price. I am thinking about going after the cheap PS3 as well.

[Cannon1]

Gawrsh Folks, thanks for the instruction, but where's the deals. Amazon.com - didnt find any bogo, but todays a day later.

[big ran]

Be very afraid...

 

Whenever you are deciding on a purchase of any sort, be sure you comparison shop!! Autos, appliances, electronics, etc.

 

Many may find the HD-DVD is all that they need. For those who want the best audio & video experience and the the largest high definition movie library, then look at Blu-Ray.

 

At the very least, do some research on both formats- compare the number of movie studios that support each format, check out the movies that you and your family are interested in to ensure that they are in the format you want, and by all means, compare movie sales statistics from Nielsen.

 

I had a very funny experience at Blockbuster a few months ago... was asking the clerk when they were going to start renting Blu-Ray high-def movies. He stated: "well, seeing as it is a dead format, I don't think we will ever rent them at Blockbuster...". Lo and behold only a very few short weeks later, Blockbuster had a national news release stating that they would only rent Blu-Ray high-def movies at their stores.

 

Be sure to compare player specifications by format- much of what I see here and on the HD-DVD fanboy sites like avsforum does not match the manufacturer's specification sheets (very inaccurate and likely to mislead potential player customers).

 

By the way, the Sony PS3 does upconvert regular DVDs to 1080P high-def. Again, check out the manufacturer's specifications:

 

Sony Adds 1080p HD Upconverting to PS3

Picture on standard-definition DVDs will be enhanced.

By Phillip Swann

 

Washington, D.C. (May 23, 2007) -- Sony said today that it's sending an upgrade to all PlayStation 3 consoles that will enable standard definition DVDs to upconvert to 1080p High-Definition.

 

Old news- suprised that people familar with high-def missed this announcement!

 

Be sure to check out the latest Consumer Reports on Best Gifts. They had a segment on high-definition video and name the studios that support each opposing format along with a sample movie list for each.

 

All that sums up to this If you want to watch hi def movies for the least amount of money but excellent quality go hddvd, if you want to watch movies on a expensive budget and excellent quality and get 7.1 sound go blu-ray. (Event thought scientist have stated the difference between 5.1` and 7.1 is only noticed by less than 2 percent of humans but go figure. Oh yeah if you go blu-ray go ps3 because you cant update all blueray players and thats one that i know you can. Im going hddvd now then blueray once the ps3 or upgradable bluray players hits 199.99 in 2008,9

[mamapenguin]

My thoughts exactly!!!!

 

Either format is good. Obviously you skipped out telling both sides of the story. Hmm.. where is the list for all the movie houses support for hd-dvd only? but I won't riddle your blu ray advertising.

 

What's killing blu ray is the cheap toshiba pricing. Nielsen ratings suck as Walmart, arguably the biggest hd-dvd seller doesn't release their sales figures.

 

Blu Ray stand alone players... $399 plus.... the playstation 3 won't upscale your old standard dvd's either. 480P is it.

 

HD-DVD stand alone... $169 (black friday deal), $199.

 

The average joe blow will choose which format will eventually win out. Price moves mountains.

 

Blu Ray or HD-DVD... your choice.

WRONG PS3 DOES upscale your DVDs up to 1080P (or as high as your tv can display up to 1080P. This was a firmware update at least 2+ months ago. You must not be a gamer. They have had quite a few firmware updates since it launched the current one is 2.0.

[jordansmom1003]

Manager at Wal-Mart said HD DVD will be below 100 for BF. I'm hoping, but I don't believe anything until I see it in writing.

 

I think they will too, From what I heard at Walmart that morning that the its the same they will have for their BF sale.