Re: Blu-Ray prices down? Don't count on it ( read article)

This is yet another FUD thread posted by a biased HD-DVD fanboy... (when will it end?)

FYI -

> FUNAI '$300' Blu-ray player by Q2

"The optical head for the unit will be provided by Sony and the core system will be the Matsushita / Panasonic UniPhier chipset."

So, with MSRP of $300, the online price will end up being lower, and by the end of the year, perhaps as low as $199. Why do people complain about buying a player for a reasonable price, but don't seem to mind paying higher-than-DVD prices for hi-def discs (usually between $15 to $30, also online discounts).

-JIMI (the Voodoo Child)

Quote:
Yes but we waren't talking about selling one for 350 the cheapest PS3 in the begining was 499.

Unfortunately I paid more than that for my HD DVD player. Since I bought mine before the fire sales... darn why couldn't they make an HD DVD player as cheap as a PS3 before the format was in trouble? I must admit, I was a little jealous of people in the last 6 months buying them for less than $300.

Good point Skyhawk. When I purchased the Toshiba A1 HD-DVD player in July 2006, the retail price was $499, and I saved $60 (or $439 net) by using a 12% discount coupon (BBuy Card member).

If people don't want to pay a reasonable price at this time for adoption in to Blu-ray (or buy any Blu-ray discs), stick with Standard DVD for another year or so, and then see how low Blu-ray prices are then. I doubt they are ever going to be as low as $99 in that money-losing promotion (thru Walmart last November), but definitely down to $250 MSRP by Spring 2009, in my opinion.

-JIMI (the Voodoo Child)

Hendrix, you're still lucky because except during the past 6 months or so we Canadians were getting gouged by prices on electronics. 18 months ago I believe the A1 at Future Shop was selling for over $600. The HD-A2 was $499 there at its debut, and managed to get to $299 by last early fall when currency exchanges were first starting to have an effect on Canadian retailers - about 6 months after the fact!

Damn, when was the a35 available for $99?

going down is one thing. how about if they go up? After all, if its not a concern to get everyone into Blu now as Skyhawk has said, why not just raise prices on your base now?

JServo, not sure of what words you're trying to put into my mouth, but nice try.

Anyway, I think we all know that Blu-ray must compete against standard DVD now in any case. Quality will be one factor (HD versus NTSC), although I'm sure the price will always be an average of $5 to $10 dollars more for the media even as both Blu-ray and standard DVD prices drop. I'm sure studios will be monitoring the market closely and adjusting their prices to gain the maximum return in the price versus volume sold ratio. Just as it always has been.