That's not good. If Wal-mart is dumping them at that much of a loss, then the words "Clearance Sale" come to mind...
HD DVD Will win and this is why:
- Thread starter Skyhi
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Nah, depends on the margin of HD media. If they can eat the cost of a player and get you coming back as a loyal purchaser of software for it they'd probably eat it. That and they're probably able to get rebates from the manufacturer for the sale.
Of course, there's the '800lb elephant' option... they dont' like playing 8th fiddle to Best Buy, CC, whomever else when it comes to HD and want to make their mark on J6P to be their resource for all things HD.
/shrug, we'll probably never know, but finding out they cost $250 is not even half the story.
I went in for the HD DVD player, I bought 20 LB sack of Cat food, glue etc... wasn't planning on going in and spent an additional $45 so... 
I went in for the HD DVD player, I bought 20 LB sack of Cat food, glue etc... wasn't planning on going in and spent an additional $45 so...
I went in and got the $99 HD DVD player but left with a $210 bill.
This strategy is typical for Walmart. One of the most popular items they sell in the store is baby formula. Which they sell for less than cost because they know while you're in there you will buy baby diapers, clothes and toys and whatever else your child needs and that's where they make their money.
They've had people from other stores come into Walmart and buy baby formula because they get it cheaper from Walmart than their own supplier. They take it back to their store and resell it. This got so bad that Walmart had impose a limit on the number of cans of baby formula you could buy because the other store owners would come in and buy every can off the shelf and then regular customers had nothing to buy.
If WalMart really paid $250 each for these things, and are now just clearing them out because they couldn't sell them, then why haven't I ever seen an A2 at any WalMart before? You'd think WalMart would at least be smart enough to try to sell what they had rather than hiding it in backrooms where customers don't know about it. Then later deciding, "Hey, these things we haven't even displayed yet aren't selling too well. Time for a clearance sale." I'm not the world's biggest fan of WalMart's methods, but they didn't get where they are today by being that stupid!
Here's a good article on 1080i vs 1080p.Horribly misinformed? I prefer the term "technologically ignorant."
Home Theater: 1080i v. 1080p
I keep seeing quotes like this in all of the buying threads:
I'm in the same boat. I wasn't planning on buyng yet, but this price, coupled with the fact that I actually needed a new DVD player pushed me right into it.
So, the razor and blades strategy strikes again. I also know that my local Wal-Marts didn't have any Toshibas last week when I checked on the $199 price point. I would bet that Toshiba made them one heck of a deal, and that Wal-Mart made money on each and every one. Now the majority of buyers are going to head out and buy a half dozen HD-DVD discs to play on it, and suddenly the format gets a big boost.
I'm in the same boat. I wasn't planning on buyng yet, but this price, coupled with the fact that I actually needed a new DVD player pushed me right into it.
So, the razor and blades strategy strikes again. I also know that my local Wal-Marts didn't have any Toshibas last week when I checked on the $199 price point. I would bet that Toshiba made them one heck of a deal, and that Wal-Mart made money on each and every one. Now the majority of buyers are going to head out and buy a half dozen HD-DVD discs to play on it, and suddenly the format gets a big boost.
My local Walmart has never had any HD players of any kind before. They do have a Kiosk w/ half Blu-Ray and half HD-DVD movies. But they had no BD players. HD-DVD players were gone by 8:10-8:15 when I showed up.
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The Walmarts here have exited the HD market. They use to have about 20 HDDVD and 30 BD movies in the center of one of the DVD isles. Now they have none, all DVDs. They did not have the players today either. But, they pointed out the "high definition" upconverting to 1080i DVD players which they had a selection of on the shelf.
I wonder if they got rid of them because it was too hard to explain that HDDVD does not play in the upconverting DVD players?
I wonder if they got rid of them because it was too hard to explain that HDDVD does not play in the upconverting DVD players?
Like others I figured for that price I'm not overly concerned at what happens with the format war. My current set is only 1080i so the lack of 1080p didn't bother me overly as I can also move it with the TV when I upgrade this one and get a 1080p player.
My buddy and I went down to Walmart at 8am (we didn't realize they opened at 7) and the sales guy said they were all gone shortly after it opened. We went to another store about 10mins away and they had 1 left with a line of about 30 people (waiting for that and the other deals.) Called four other stores (at 8:15) in the area and all others were sold out as well. Finally we found one literally in the middle of no where they still had about a dozen left when we got there as well as laptops, etc. I'm still not convinced HD-DVD is going to win yet, but it was an interesting indicator to see how quick they went.
-Mike
My buddy and I went down to Walmart at 8am (we didn't realize they opened at 7) and the sales guy said they were all gone shortly after it opened. We went to another store about 10mins away and they had 1 left with a line of about 30 people (waiting for that and the other deals.) Called four other stores (at 8:15) in the area and all others were sold out as well. Finally we found one literally in the middle of no where they still had about a dozen left when we got there as well as laptops, etc. I'm still not convinced HD-DVD is going to win yet, but it was an interesting indicator to see how quick they went.
-Mike
Let me start this by saying I don't care which format ends up "winning." I just want 1 player that plays ALL DVD's. I would have bought a Toshiba today, but all the Wal-Mart’s in my area were sold out before 10 am.
Do you really think that this is anything but the first shot in the holiday season battle?
BD is not going to just give up and say you win, we can't do anything to compare to that. The $100 player probably wasn't even a real surprise to them anyway, even if it was they will have a similar response. Sony and others have been around way too long to give up that easily.
Also, HD is not going to have shot there only bullet this early in the season. You will see more offers that are similar; Toshiba will not alienate all the other retailers just to make Wal-Mart happy. Best Buy, Circuit City and others are not going to give up and say we will not match Wal-Mart. It might not be exactly the same but they will do something. So, if you didn’t get one yesterday don’t worry too much.
No matter which format you prefer just chill and watch a movie because this is far from over. Just remember even if you end up on the "losing side," it is just TV not life or death. Although some of you provide a little comedy and way too much drama the way you fight the battle you have very little control.
Do you really think that this is anything but the first shot in the holiday season battle?
BD is not going to just give up and say you win, we can't do anything to compare to that. The $100 player probably wasn't even a real surprise to them anyway, even if it was they will have a similar response. Sony and others have been around way too long to give up that easily.
Also, HD is not going to have shot there only bullet this early in the season. You will see more offers that are similar; Toshiba will not alienate all the other retailers just to make Wal-Mart happy. Best Buy, Circuit City and others are not going to give up and say we will not match Wal-Mart. It might not be exactly the same but they will do something. So, if you didn’t get one yesterday don’t worry too much.
No matter which format you prefer just chill and watch a movie because this is far from over. Just remember even if you end up on the "losing side," it is just TV not life or death. Although some of you provide a little comedy and way too much drama the way you fight the battle you have very little control.
I agree to a point. I don't think BD is capable of matching what Toshiba did today, unless they "dump" all of their profile one players. Then that leaves no final profile players. The only "plan" I have heard so far is Sony will give one of the 300 players to you if you buy one their "select" XBR4/XBR5. SOny already came out and said they won't drop prices below $399. Samsung will probably do the same.
Sony and Samsung Won’t Slash Blu-ray Prices : Dealerscope
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Sony and Samsung Won’t Slash Blu-ray Prices : Dealerscope
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For those interested almost all the other retailors are matching the $99 price (Try BB BBB CC Frys) etc. Some are even offering the A3 for $99 YMMV or $199 with 2 movies + the 5 movie rebate. Good time to jump in @ $100 if even you are wrong and BD wins it won't be that big a deal.
Good point; even though I dumped my HDdvd player and went with the panny bd10a, which blows away any of the HDdvd players I saw,( I owned 2 of them)both in PQ and sound quality, for 100 bucks, if you can find one, its gonna give your regular dvd's good pq, and of course you will be able to watch the limited HDdvd selection that is available..
Limited HDDVD selection? HDDVD has 367 titles available to BD's 389.
Hardly limited. PQ of panny blew away any of the HDDVD players you saw.
That's questionable.
I know you blubots are in retalliation mode but please keep the FUD factor to zero.
sorry, not a "blubot", just telling the facts as I see them; how many hddvd players have YOU owned?
I had the toshiba first gen player 2 days after it was released, and I just dumped my A20 because I wasn't impressed with the way it handled audio, so I think I have a pretty advanced perspective on the genre..plus, I have had hdtv since 2002, so unless your experience is similar to mine, save the insults for someone else.
And, don't even try and compare the selection of hits/blockbuster movies that are on Blu-ray VS. HD DVD..
Go try and rent an HD DVD at Blockbuster today, ok?
I had the toshiba first gen player 2 days after it was released, and I just dumped my A20 because I wasn't impressed with the way it handled audio, so I think I have a pretty advanced perspective on the genre..plus, I have had hdtv since 2002, so unless your experience is similar to mine, save the insults for someone else.
And, don't even try and compare the selection of hits/blockbuster movies that are on Blu-ray VS. HD DVD..
Go try and rent an HD DVD at Blockbuster today, ok?
You aren't neutral though, you're spinning things Blu-colored... claiming HD-DVD's catalog is 'limited' as if Blu-Ray has it all, and then qualifying it later with wishy washy 'hits/blockbuster movies' which is 70% subjective when called on it.
You are as Blu as JoeSP.
No, he is not -- I have never owned a HD-DVD player. And anyone who cares to look up the boxoffice hits of the last three years will see that BluRay has a tremendous lead over HD-DVD in that respect. Let's take a look at the last three months of this year. HD-DVD has Transformers (paid 50 mill to get this one exclusive) Shrek3 and the latest Borne Flick. BluRay has Spiderman3, Cars, POTC3, Ratatouie, Live Free or Die Hard, the Simpsons Movie and others. The second lineup include Cast Away, Independence Day, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and others. The lineup for movies on BD is much more entertaining then what is coming out on HD-DVD. And everything Warner has is for both so their movies do not count here.
I constantly hear that HD-DVD has some great movies and if that was the case then HD-DVD would be outselling BD -- but they are not - period!
I constantly hear that HD-DVD has some great movies and if that was the case then HD-DVD would be outselling BD -- but they are not - period!
