High-Def DVD Players Break Below $200 Price Point

Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:09PM EDT

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The high-definition DVD war continues in earnest. In fact, the ante has just been raised again, as Toshiba has now slashed the price on its HD-A2 HD DVD player from $299 to $198. (Circuit City has the new pricing already; Wal-Mart is expected to cut prices this coming weekend.)

HD DVD enthusiasts have previously been able to get HD DVD for under $200 only through the Xbox HD DVD player add-on drive or from no-name companies with names like Venturer. The Toshiba HD-A2 isn't the highest-end device you can buy (it doesn't have 1080p output, for example), but it's been generally well received by reviewers.

The question now is whether this will turn the tide in HD DVD's favor. Though Transformers was huge for HD DVD, it still hasn't turned momentum in its favor. Despite the HD DVD exclusive, Blu-ray still carried a 51% market share over HD DVD in the week of 10/21, and a 65% lead over HD DVD for the year to date. Since inception, Blu-ray still commands 61% of all discs sold vs. HD DVD's 39%.

But pricing is definitely in HD DVD's favor and getting better. Circuit City's cheapest Blu-ray player, by comparison, is $450, over twice the price of the bargain HD DVD player. (You can find cheaper deals elsewhere, but not much, and nowhere near $198.)

The market, of course, will ultimately be the judge. You make the call: Has HD DVD now entered into your holiday shopping equation? 

LINK: The sub-$200 HD DVD player arrives: multiple retailers slashing prices 

Comments on High-Def DVD Players Break Below $200 Price Point

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  • 1 Posted by klacour on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    I saw the HD-A2 on the shelves at Wal-Mart for $198 yesterday (Sunday, Oct. 28; Wal-Mart, Brick, NJ). Did someone jump the gun? I don't know, is it a "soft" release? But here is the problem with the Wal-Mart set-up: 1) I went to Wal-Mart to look for the 32" Vizio LCD (at a great price of $597). I literally stumbled upon the A2 - stacked at the bottom of central kiosk HD-TV display. NONE on display. No signs above, and the price was on a sticker on the bottom edge of the shelf. 2) None being on display also meant that NONE were hooked to an HD-TV to show it off. 3) I now had to check for the trifecta - I looked for an HD-DVD movie. Any HD-DVD movie. I couldn't find one - not a single HD-DVD. Now, granted, I only looked for a few minutes, but in that time I was able to find a dozen or more Blu-Ray discs on end-cap displays. Wal-Mart can try to sell all the HD-DVD players they want for any price they want. But for Toshiba to hang their hat on the typically tech challanged Wal-Mart shopper to be able to find the players AND the discs in a technically challanged Wal-Mart store, I am afraid that Sony will then win the next gen DVD format war. And, also add the fact that most non-techically challanged TV buyers (like me and manuy of my friends), in Wal-Mart or Best Buy or Circuit City, are not interested in high def DVDs, given that most of the equipment we have invested in over the past year or two is not capable of playing these discs at 1080p. I'll get a nice, Sony or Samsung up-convert HDMI DVD Recorder for about $150 and be happy until the war is over. Then maybe I'll upgrade my 50" 1080i HDTV to a 1080p.

  • 2 Posted by jirojas on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    Not yet. I have a bluray in the PS3. Even though I want Transformers in HD. I'll wait until their players are sub $100.

  • 3 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a DVD recorder that has HD tuning circuits in it for under $100 - they should be able to get a HD DVD player in for that price.

  • 4 Posted by godsinventor on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    Blu-Ray has already won the war. HD-DVD is just giving its dying statements. Despite the fact that Blu-Ray players are more expensive, they have more storage capacity and a higher quality. Plus, the new player cannot output 1080p. The few people who would want a HD-DVD player would at least want to have a HDTV (i.e. 1080i or 1080p). Sorry Toshiba, the war is over. Your guerilla tactics are gonna kill your profits (HD-DVD player but no HD-DVDs, hmmm. a problem

  • 5 Posted by ob1john99 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    What on earth are you talking about? The HD-A2 is 1080i, but the HD-A20, and HD-A3 (the new one)- selling at Sears on Black Friday for $169!!! are all 1080p. The few people who would want a HD-DVD player would at least want to have a HDTV????????????? what does that even mean, of course someone who buys an HD DVD player would want an HDTV...you are a misinformed person.

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