That rumour about a sub-$200 Wal-Mart HD-A2 HD DVD player from Toshiba seems like it’s true, judging from this no-reason-to-be-blurry blurry shot of an end-cap at Wal-mart. It’s not set to be sold until 11/03 and will be in the circulars for that week, and each store will get 18 units. The guy who posted this says it’s also a “non-replenishable item”, meaning that it might be a one-time thing. Is this enough to (along with Transformers) cut away at Blu-ray’s lead and possibly force a merging of the standards? We hope so, because we want to see kitties hugging, not fighting. [AVSForum]
AU: In a local context, if a HD DVD player hit the market at $250, would you buy it? Would the format make a difference if either HD player hit that kind of price? Or are you already banking on one or the other?
Cam
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 10:57 AMI wouldn’t personally buy one @ $250 due to the fact i don’t have a HDTV. But at that price point i would certainly recommend it to others.
htfiles
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 11:16 AMYou can already buy the xbox HD DVD add-on here for under AU$250. It can be used with xbox360, or a PC (via USB). The same cannot be said for Blu-Ray in Aus.
Seamus Byrne
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 11:49 AMC’mon, that ISN’T a stand alone HD DVD player. We’re talking about buying a standard CE unit. I dig the Xbox 360 add-on player, but that is in a different ballpark.
Reckless
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 1:56 PMAt $250, I’d seriously consider it.
The only thing freaking me out about choosing HD DVD or Blu-ray is knowing that I’m gonna pick the losing horse.
At this price, I could get a PS3 (please, no flaming) and an HD DVD player without missing out on anything.
Regardless, I’m still majorly fucked off we’re repeating VHS v Beta.
David D.
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 3:29 PM$250 would get plenty of converts but there would still be plenty like me who hold off until it settles. With Blade Runner coming out I don’t want to have to buy it first on DVD and then on HD when the dust settles but the only other option is to toss a coin and commit to a format (personally HD-DVD got the edge when Transformers was announced as being HD-DVD only as I love that movie).
I have stopped buying DVD’s as they are old technology with everthing going HD now but I am in limbo until either the dual format player gets to a reasonable price or a winner is declared.
Microsoft were dumb in not having an XBOX model with a built-in HD-DVD. They could have really got the jump on Blu_ray. It’s too late now.
It doesn’t worry me too much about which format wins the war just please bring the boys home by Christmas.
incon
Friday, October 26, 2007 at 3:54 PMWhen I can get a combo player for about $400AU I will be happy to enter the hi def dvd market
RaYdeX
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 9:19 AMCombo players, and waiting tillt he market settles is such a cop out :(
It’s like saying, No I won’t vote because the shit side that has the best marketting is going to win anyway.
I put my money behind HD-DVD, buying the add on player for the 360, and constantly buying new HD-DVD’s.
If a stand alone player came out for between $250 and $300, I’d buy that too.