I was at Wal-Mart earlier today and they had the all black Toshiba model HD-D1 on the shelf for sale. The sales person told me that they have a 90 day no questions asked return policy and I noticed they are pricing the HD DVD movie titles the same as the standard DVD Movies.

I am attaching three photos of the unit. In my own opinion I think the all black model actually looks more expensive when you actually see it in real life. These were some quick shots in poor lighting and they do not do the unit justice. The HDMI cable is also included with this model even thoiugh it doesn't say so on the web.

Price ?

Price ?
$498 i believe.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4790608

I like Black

Just called my local Wally-World. They said they didn't have 'em. Judging by the person I talked to on the phone who seemed to have no clue about anything hi-def, I may just swing by and take a look in person.

They were just sitting on a shelf back by the TV's, not even a price tag and the movies were with the new releases end cap.

I checked at the Wal-Mart here and still nothing. No player or movies.
May check again later on, but my local Wal-Mart (and all the others around here) take forever to stock new stuff.

After reading the OP, I jumped in my car and went to the nearest WM Supercenter (I have one within 5 blocks of where I live), and then called two others within driving distance (3 Wal-Mart supercenters in a town of 125,000... it's insane).

Results:

1. (Visited) No D1 on display yet, but the 3 titles on display, priced at $19.99 (TLS), $19.99 (POTO), and $24.99 (Serenity). These appeared to be regular prices and not sale prices. Way cool, being $5 cheaper than BB. I knew more about HD-DVD than the department manager, although he was looking forward to seeing and playing with the unit when it arrives.

2. (Called). 3 Titles in stock as well. Without prompting, she mentioned that Apollo 13 and Doom were coming out next week. Points for cluefullness.

3. (Called). "HD What? No dude, we ain't got none of those." Allrightythen...

Wish this was more wide spread. I've got a HD-A1 on order, but would love to be able to swing by Wally World and grab a black D1. Except for my DirecTV receiver, all my other stuff will be black after the Zenith 318 gets gone.

It's cool that the they offer different colors at different stores, gives people a better chance to match their other components. The regular glossy black and silver HDA1 matches perfectly with my Harman Kardon receiver, like it was made for it.

Went to a couple yesterday after seeing that the HD D1 was "in stock" on the website, I had to buy floor fan anyway so I thought I would have a look. Not a player by Toshiba anywhere to be seen. Didn't check for HD Movies though.

Stopped by Wal Mart this morning they had the movies TLS and POTO but had no players on display. Prices look pretty good, but they were mixed in with all the other movies. Nothing to distinguish them from the other DVDs.

Stopped by Wal Mart this morning they had the movies TLS and POTO but had no players on display. Prices look pretty good, but they were mixed in with all the other movies. Nothing to distinguish them from the other DVDs.


Quick get those disks before they figure it out.

Now the WAR has truly begun. The Average Joe at Walmart will one day realize the HD DVD player and start buying them. If they will pay 400 for a XBOX 360 then they will for a High Definition dvd player...

Now the WAR has truly begun. The Average Joe at Walmart will one day realize the HD DVD player and start buying them. If they will pay 400 for a XBOX 360 then they will for a High Definition dvd player...


That makes me think of the gamespot forums, where everyday there is a "Do I need an HDTV to enjoy the 360?," now there will be, "Do I need an HDTV to enjoy HD-DVD?"

Good point TimothyB...

FYI, my BB matched the $19.99 price by just asking.

Ken

Good point TimothyB...

I'm just pointing out how some can know so little that they might think the HD-DVD player makes their tv HD quality. The gamespot forums are so hard to go through as not many there know about HD, but with the 360 being HD you get the same question everyday, like "Which is better 1080i or 720p, when say they already have the tv or only a $500 tv budget. If I had a dollar for everytime I had to say use the resolution of your're tv, or that choosing 720p for a 1080i tv won't get you the benifit of progressive just because it says it supports it, I'd be rich.

I was at Wal-Mart earlier today and they had the all black Toshiba model HD-D1 on the shelf for sale. The sales person told me that they have a 90 day no questions asked return policy and I noticed they are pricing the HD DVD movie titles the same as the standard DVD Movies.

I am attaching three photos of the unit. In my own opinion I think the all black model actually looks more expensive when you actually see it in real life. These were some quick shots in poor lighting and they do not do the unit justice. The HDMI cable is also included with this model even thoiugh it doesn't say so on the web.

Very cool. I like the all black look as well.


scout

What is the difference (besides $1) between the hd-d1 sold at walmart and the hd-a1 sold everywhere else

What is the difference (besides $1) between the hd-d1 sold at walmart and the hd-a1 sold everywhere else

I don't think there is any difference besides the color and the shape of the buttons.

so whats the point in having another model just for walmart? i don't really understand this ive noticed diff. model #'s with their car decks and dvd player etc...
but all seem to be the same items

They do that so they can more easily track sales. Pioneer and Yamaha do it with AV equipment. Usually you get a better warranty through specialty AV dealers, and less at big box retail stores. They'll use a plastic housing on big box store brands, and metal at the higher end stores. I can't say that's true with the new HD player, but it's what I've seen with "twin" type products in the past.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not calling BB a specialty store. It is strange they have a different model than Walmart. It looks like Walmart has gotten so large, they can do that to the industry.

The other reason they do it so that if one channel prices the unit very low, it won't directly impact the other channel. That is, as long as the model numbers are different, you won't be able to price match, etc.

Amir

Wally is also going to sell the RCA HD-DVD player, which is a OEM model of the Toshiba. Same price too. Why they need to sell two brands that are essentially the same device I can't figure.

b2b

Wally is also going to sell the RCA HD-DVD player, which is a OEM model of the Toshiba. Same price too. Why they need to sell two brands that are essentially the same device I can't figure.

b2b

simple. to give u false sense of competition. It happens all the time.

Wally is also going to sell the RCA HD-DVD player, which is a OEM model of the Toshiba. Same price too. Why they need to sell two brands that are essentially the same device I can't figure.



Even Walmart likes to keep its suppliers honest. 8)

Im sure RCA's deal with Toshiba would prevent Toshiba from selling their players for less than they sell to RCA (as a private labeller/rebadger.) Best practice to always have several competing sources for the same product and right now the Toshiba is the only game in town (except for the RCA.)

Now the WAR has truly begun. The Average Joe at Walmart will one day realize the HD DVD player and start buying them. If they will pay 400 for a XBOX 360 then they will for a High Definition dvd player...


the average joe will not spend $600 on a dvd player at wallyworld. the average refugee that shops at wallyworld walks out with a $40 dvd player.it will eventally happen when the prices drop to half of the price they are going for.

Looks nicer in black.

These units will probably go for 399.98... Real soon.

I like Black

I agree - stop already with all the cheesy looking silver and chrome devices.
Basic anodized black aluminum looks classy and sharp.

Is the all black Toshiba Hd-d1 only selling at Walmart?

Geeeze- I Hate to say it (cause I'm no Wal Mart fan !) - but I really like the "all black" player (matches all my equipment). And w/ a 90 day return policy (!) seems like a no-brainer to me. That is - should I get the bug and want to jump into HD-DVD right now. And w/ Apollo 13 coming out this Tuesday - I'm tempted. Now - I wouldn't even consider the Toshiba player - except for the fact that Universal's upcoming titles are just too enticing. And who knows if they will ever (or when?) release them on Blu-Ray.

I guess what I'm saying is - I may buy an HD-DVD player just for the Universal titles alone (I have a Sony Blu-Ray on order) . I did the same thing w/ Laserdisc. Bought a player just for the Criterion releases (King Kong and Citizen Kane). And ended up staying w/ that format for 15 years (along w/ VHS).

So, the question is........has anyone besides the O.P. actually seen one in a store?

The other reason they do it so that if one channel prices the unit very low, it won't directly impact the other channel. That is, as long as the model numbers are different, you won't be able to price match, etc.

Amir

This is exactly correct. They are called "sheltered models". Most manufacturers do it. It lets them sell one item at Walmart or Costco, for example., wihout affecting the rest of the market that offers price matching. It has nothing to do tracking sales numbers.

Mike K.

These units will probably go for 399.98... Real soon.

Don't hold your breath waiting for $399.98. What's the point?

There are very limited quantities available in the market, which seem to be selling through very well. The only competing models in the market are the RCA and HD-A1, both of which Toshiba manufactures. Blu-Ray, when it finally hits the market, will be twice as much money.

It's possible there would be some price movement for the Christmas season to help boost sales, at which time the "format war" should be in full swing. Availability will be much better at that time also. But even then, a 20% price drop on brand new technology the first season on the market seems unrealistic, especially when you look at the aggresive pricing Toshiba provided when the unit was released. I think they discounted it before it ever hit the street.

Mike K.

Wally is also going to sell the RCA HD-DVD player, which is a OEM model of the Toshiba. Same price too. Why they need to sell two brands that are essentially the same device I can't figure.

b2b

The Toshiba weighs twice as much as the RCA. From Walmart's web site:

Model No.: HD-D1
Shipping Weight (in pounds): 25.52
Assembled in Country of Origin: USA and/or Imported
Origin of Components: Imported
Wal-Mart No.: 000558245

Robert

Model No.: HDV5000
Shipping Weight (in pounds): 12.0
Assembled in Country of Origin: USA and/or Imported
Origin of Components: China
Wal-Mart No.: 000558236

So, the question is........has anyone besides the O.P. actually seen one in a store?

We have a number of Walmarts in Tucson and I think that I read somewhere that at least initially they were only going to be available in select walmart stores across the country that are closer to up scale neighborhoods. If you are trying to find one now I would look based on the nearby neighborhood right now.

As far as calling them to find one forget it. In the store I bought it at I asked some questions of the staff in that department and only found one person who actually new what the unit was or what it did.

Costco version probably will be called HD-C1 and will be all silver.

Nope. Costco will also be carrying the HD-D1 in a couple of weeks...MUCH less than Wal-mart too. :)

Don't hold your breath waiting for $399.98. What's the point?

There are very limited quantities available in the market, which seem to be selling through very well. The only competing models in the market are the RCA and HD-A1, both of which Toshiba manufactures. Blu-Ray, when it finally hits the market, will be twice as much money.

It's possible there would be some price movement for the Christmas season to help boost sales, at which time the "format war" should be in full swing. Availability will be much better at that time also. But even then, a 20% price drop on brand new technology the first season on the market seems unrealistic, especially when you look at the aggresive pricing Toshiba provided when the unit was released. I think they discounted it before it ever hit the street.

Mike K.

I agree 100%.

Yes, but look at the stores that are selling them. A 399.98 price tag IS very realistic. Walmart and Cost Co are discount stores. Why else do you think they are getting the other types of units? Maybe not right off the bat, but very soon they will be cheaper...

The only reason costco gets most of there stuff is discontinued and closeouts or refurbished . You think they will have these as that?? I don't think they will.

Wally is also going to sell the RCA HD-DVD player, which is a OEM model of the Toshiba. Same price too. Why they need to sell two brands that are essentially the same device I can't figure.

b2b

I believe it's because WalMart customers can identify with the RCA brand. Toshiba on the other hand with most WalMart people is like, "Never heard-tale of that'un rite there." Sorry to sound this way but that's the way it is at our local WalMart.
Grateful11

If Cost Co is getting a different model number than they aren't refurbs. And they sure won't be discontinued units... And with their great return policy Cost Co would be a safe bet for those that are on the fence...

They have 99.9% of discountinued items and refurbs in there electronics why would it be any different now? Who would make it and i dont see them losing more money then they are already buy selling it to them.

The only reason costco gets most of there stuff is discontinued and closeouts or refurbished . You think they will have these as that?? I don't think they will.

This is not even close to accurate.

everytime i have been in costco and seen what they had it was that every time. i know many people that bought from them and then they go to other electronics store and see the new model and they said they wished they bought the new one.

Looks nicer in black.

It's sad, but color is the primary reason I don't have an HD-Tivo in my theater. CE manufacturers need to offer an all-black unit with adjustable display illumination for products targeted to HT owners.

everytime i have been in costco and seen what they had it was that every time. i know many people that bought from them and then they go to other electronics store and see the new model and they said they wished they bought the new one.

Can you go to the Vizio thread in the plasma/lcd forum and show me how many wished they had not bought the vizio (which BTW, was a brand new model).

I kinda like the black and silver look. It can look sharp if you sequence your units correctly...

It's sad, but color is the primary reason I don't have an HD-Tivo in my theater. CE manufacturers need to offer an all-black unit with adjustable display illumination for products targeted to HT owners.

We have sold many thousands of HR10-250s and I have seen quite a few very easily and nicely painted front panels. They come out great.

-Robert

I will take a bet with you that they had a replacment model already out. It may be brand new but it doesnt mean its the new model.

Don't hold your breath waiting for $399.98. What's the point?
.

Mike K.

Sorry.........I'm Holding. I think I can hold my breath for about 3 to 4 months :D
$350 to $400 is my sweet spot.

A replacement model that is brand new?

I will take a bet with you that they had a replacment model already out. It may be brand new but it doesnt mean its the new model.

Wrong thread. Anyway, if you took the time to investigate you will know better. Are you a member of Costco ?

I guess if I tell you you can get xbox360 in costco you would say the same thing - "brand new but it doesnt mean its the new model" :p

You may not have to hold your breathe that long...(398.98 around the corner)...

Geeeze- I Hate to say it (cause I'm no Wal Mart fan !) - but I really like the "all black" player (matches all my equipment). And w/ a 90 day return policy (!) seems like a no-brainer to me. .

I go out of my way Not to buy from Wal-Mart. But for a 90 day return policy and the unit being in black I just might break down and buy when the price is right. But I know I will hate myself in the morning :o

Joe what i am saying the product they are selling is brand new and never opened but they have replaced that model with a newer model.

I see. So the HD DVD players they will be selling are "generic" versions of the original models?

No that is not what i am saying. What i am saying is when you walk into costco and see a tv that is cheaper then say the old good guys. You ask the person at good guys to match that price he then says that is last years model and shows you the new model. that make sense or could use best buy because they have the same thing basically as others but different model number for there own company. Or look at the hd-d1 instaed of a-1 at walmart.

In my experience, Costco has the new Samsung TVs a week before Fry's / Best Buy etc and for a cheaper price than those guys sell them for. When I got my Samsung 4667W DLP last year, it had only been out a week and was $500 less than what the other stores were selling it for. Same is still true (was looking at the models in the Seattle area stores yesterday).

Maybe your local Costco only stocks old models, but all the stores around Seattle have the latest ones.

That could be. The costco we have is not the best. they also may have chnaged becausew i ahvent been there for a few months. But the sceinero i just layed out happend quite alot. they also may be b stock which is slichty blemished or minor cosmetic flaws.

Still no show at any of my local Wal-Mart's that I can tell. No players, no HD Movies at all.

This makes me a sad panda.

so whats the point in having another model just for walmart? i don't really understand this ive noticed diff. model #'s with their car decks and dvd player etc...
but all seem to be the same itemsAlong with other things I've seen mentioned, it also goes back to some basic economic theory that things that are identical need to compete on price more than things that have differences. In this case, some of us will prefer black and some silver and black.

I would like the black one and went to Walmart in Lynnwood, WA last night. The first guy told me they wouldn't have them until Christmas. They also told me that they can't look it up in the computer by the model number (HD-D1), but could look it up if I can get the UPC code.

--Darin

darinp2, not a UPC code, but here is Walmart's stock number on the D1, straight from their website: 000558245.

HD-DVD Movies here (jackson, michigan)
but no player

HD-DVD Movies here but no player

gstspyder, where are you???

A no-show here in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Don't hold your breath waiting for $399.98. What's the point?

I think they discounted it before it ever hit the street.

Mike K.

With 12% coupon from BB, the price is $440 right now (4-23). why wait?

That could be. The costco we have is not the best. they also may have chnaged becausew i ahvent been there for a few months. But the sceinero i just layed out happend quite alot. they also may be b stock which is slichty blemished or minor cosmetic flaws.

I think you are getting confused between samsclub & costco ;)

While costco does have older models ... so do BB & CC etc. They also get costco only models. But saying 99% are discountinued/refurb is just plain wrong.

They have 99.9% of discountinued items and refurbs in there electronics why would it be any different now?

You have two choices. Either adjust your beleaf according to facts or say the facts are not "correct". Pick your choice ...

I was told last night,while in the electronics area of my Wal-Mart....they would have the special floor display set-up with HD DVD players & HD DVD movies on May 15th!!!!!My WM had the HD movies,I bought the last copy of Serenity....They had 2 copies of TLS & 3 copies of POTO...what blew me away was the Sales clerk told me they initally received 6 copies of each movie :eek: ......I live in a sort of remote area.....so if Wal-Mart can sale HD DVD here in the middle of nowere then HD DVD will THRIVE..not just survive for years to come:D ........

went to local Super wal-mart in Paintsville KY, when it was built a few years ago it was said to be the largest supercenter in Ky and bigger than anything is lots of other states

anyway they have Phantom and Samurai in the regular new release section in the DVD area, the worker said they had a ton of the players in the back but they weren't to be put out for a few days yet

I was amazed for such a small area, but it is a very large store as I mentioned above

I kinda wish I had held out for the all black version, anyone who buys a all black version and actually wanted silver to match their equipment, PM me and I will gladly trade front panels with you

-Gary

You may not have to hold your breathe that long...(398.98 around the corner)...

Still wrong.

Costco does not sell factory refurbished Toshiba products. I do. And a lot of the refurished units we get are the sheltered models sold by Costco.

I have seen some instances where Costco was selling previous generation products with a different model number (many of their Toshiba products end with the number code 15, which is for the sheltered models). Toshiba uses a different number code at the end of the model number which is indicative of the model year in which it was introduced. For example their newest plasma is a 42HP66 with the last number in the sequence indicating a 2006 intro. If Costco carried the same unit it would very likely be a 42HP15 or something along those lines.

The HD-D1 is the sheltered model, apparently designated for the discounter distribution channel.

Mike K.

went to local Super wal-mart in Paintsville KY, when it was built a few years ago it was said to be the largest supercenter in Ky and bigger than anything is lots of other states

anyway they have Phantom and Samurai in the regular new release section in the DVD area, the worker said they had a ton of the players in the back but they weren't to be put out for a few days yet

I was amazed for such a small area, but it is a very large store as I mentioned above

I kinda wish I had held out for the all black version, anyone who buys a all black version and actually wanted silver to match their equipment, PM me and I will gladly trade front panels with you

-Gary
Wal-Mart opened their first "upscale" box in Plano, TX (kinda like a Wal-Mart 2.0) that's supposedly experimental. I went there tonight to see what they had for electronics, and what they didn't have was anything Toshiba. They also didn't carry any of the new HD releases, either.

That article that came out around the time of launch (too lazy to find it but it's posted here somewhere) said there were 200 Wal-mart stores carrying the players at launch. When you consider Wal-mart has about 3400 stores total, that's a pretty small number. So it's no wonder most people aren't finding players at their local stores.

I have 2 Super Wal-Marts within 10 minutes of eachother here and while they both had HD-DVD movies neither had the HD-D1 players .

So far I have noticed that Wal-Mart , Target and Fry's are all selling the HD-DVD's at $19.99 each ( at least for TLS and POTO ) .

I would rather have the all black face model as well so I might just return my HD-A1 and get the HD-D1 when they are available , I am sure BB will have no trouble selling an open-box HD-A1 at a discounted price ;) .

------------- Jason

I would rather have the all black face model as well so I might just return my HD-A1 and get the HD-D1 when they are available , I am sure BB will have no trouble selling an open-box HD-A1 at a discounted price ;)
------------- Jason

No restocking fee ?

I thought their restocking fee was only for computers.

There is no restocking fee for dvd players.

Stopped by Wal Mart this morning they had the movies TLS and POTO but had no players on display. Prices look pretty good, but they were mixed in with all the other movies. Nothing to distinguish them from the other DVDs.

Great, I wonder how many of them are going to be returned as 'would not play in my DVD player.'

CCourtney

I think the change in color and model numbers is to prevent customers who purchase their HD player from another merchandiser from exchanging it at walmart. They do have a very liberal exchange policy.

I went into my local walmart (fay, N.C.) and asked one of the guys in electronics...

Me: " I was wondering if you are going to be carrying HD-DVD players"

Sales person: " HD-D.... it will say it on the box"


:rolleyes:
That response was almost as dumb as another place telling me they were sold out of a movie I had in my hand.. :eek:

With no restocking fees, then what is the risk?

No players or discs here.

I went into my local walmart (fay, N.C.) and asked one of the guys in electronics...

Me: " I was wondering if you are going to be carrying HD-DVD players"

Sales person: " HD-D.... it will say it on the box"


:rolleyes:
That response was almost as dumb as another place telling me they were sold out of a movie I had in my hand.. :eek:


BB takes the cake:

-----------------------

Me: "Do you have the new HD-DVD players in?"

BB Video expert: " No - we don't have those yet, but there is a display here."

Me: "OK"

I look at the "display" - its a Tivo.

I spot 2 HD-A1 boxes up on a high shelf.

Me: "Could I get one of those DVD players up there?"

Him: "OK." - He realizes its what he said they didn't have - I didn't point it out.

Me: " Do you have any of the HD-DVD Discs ?"

Him: "No - We don't have those".

I go find another Expert.

He finds 3 titles.

I leave store with (1) player, and (2) Discs - all of which "they didn't have".

------------

Unfortunately all too common in the tech arena.

- Chris

How about this response.. You can change any full screen disc to widescreen by changing the player setting...
from best buy. lol

Me: "Do you have the new HD-DVD players in?"
BB Video expert: " No - we sold the 5 we had and 300 of the disk's"
Me: "you sold how many disk's?"
BB Video expert:"we sold 300 the first day."

Five players, 300 discs sold? Hmm. So each person who bought a player bought 20 copies each of the three titles available on launch day. Sounds plausible!

I bought two titles and I don't own a player yet.............but 300 sounds way high :p

I wonder is Walmart is waiting to see how sales go from their internet site before they incur the expense of shipping these to their stores.

I have 2 Super Walmarts in town and neither has seen these players.

With BB selling out, it seems like Walmart could move all the units they have, if people could get them.

CCity has just told me they will have their units shortly. They are starting to sell HD DVDs so that would make sense. BB is still telling me they are selling all of their shipments out as they come in. They only had one or two copies of the 4 different titles in stock. That was their third shipment of discs!

Or this at Blockbuster

" The widescreen DVD's are high definition"

I'm a long-time lurker but a near-first time poster
(but I did attend the AVSForum CES2005 party...)

I just purchased one HD-D1 in a Walmart in Plano, TX.
I found out that there were 8 D1's in all of Texas from
a CSR at Walmart's 800 number -- she did the search --
with four each at the two Supercenter stores there.
I confirmed the stock with a direct call to the store;
the person at the Electronics department said that
I was the first to ask about them. They had to retrieve
one from a high shelf; the reason for their high perch
was due to it being a "high theft store" (her words).

The manager confirmed its 90-day return policy.

Attached is a picture of the unit in its box. It will have
to wait until after work before I can explore its
capabilities.

SCD

May swing thru. Ive got $100 in free cash at wal-mart.

Anyhow. brief rundown of my Best Buy experience in south eastern VA.

Walk into BB on satruday. Look at current SD DVD. nothing worth touching.

Walk to the display section- as I may be able to afford something new in a July. Just eyeing my options.

See the Toshiba A1.

Its connected to a Samsung TV.
the Movie a boxed demo. NOT even a full length HD DVD. I ask why they didnt open one, he said, the manager didnt want to waste one.

I look on. They have the output set to 720P on a display that supports 1080P.
I grab the remote, hit resolution, it takes 5 seconds, and changes VIA HDMI to 1080P.

image sharpness and clarity go up about 25%. on a display around 46-55"

I am impressed. as of late. no HD plasma or LCD impressed me with SD DVD material.

I tell the store guy, looks better now.

He says- "What'd you do?"

I said, "applied common sense."
------------------------------------------
My verdict, If I can get one cheap. ill do it. and I want an extended warranty just incase newer models have improved PQ and Options.

p.s. I checked the remote DOWN function a few members said they had problems with, the BB demo unit had no remote issues.

HOWEVER, the hard to read print was obvious. what idiot designed that remote...?

Can someone explain the difference between this Walmart D1 version and the other A1 version?

Now the WAR has truly begun. The Average Joe at Walmart will one day realize the HD DVD player and start buying them. If they will pay 400 for a XBOX 360 then they will for a High Definition dvd player...


what in the world does the 360 have to do with hddvd? I have a 360 to play games with, fantastic by the way. I will be buying a hd in the future but i have seen beta max, laser disks, mini disks all fail so i will wait for the end. But the 360 isnt going to fail, already the best selling new console ever. There is a big difference between a gaming system and watching movies. The average person does not watch a lot of dvds. I do want one though and will wait to the hd comes out for the 360 and see what the price is.

Can someone explain the difference between this Walmart D1 version and the other A1 version?

Identical players, only the D1 from wally is entirely black in color vs the silver tone on the A1

-Gary

Can someone explain the difference between this Walmart D1 version and the other $500 X1 version?

The XA1 is the flagship model, I believe you are referring to the A1.

Other than square buttons and a black face no one actually knows if Toshiba made any other changes to the D1 model. I would assume not, but it is the discount promotional model.

A detailed photo of the inside or list of the major chips would help us all know if their is any difference other than chassis color and square buttons.

-Robert

I called 3 local Walmarts and no go. 2 of 3 told me the second week of May. One even said "We'll have both blue ray and hd dvd players coming in that week". Can't believe that one, but I'm impressed that he at least knew of the two formats.

I just picked one up at a local WM Superstore. I called first and asked if they had any. They said that they did not. I gave them an item number for them to look up in the computer so see if any local stores had them. After a long hold, the CSR came back on the line and said that they indeed have them in stock. I went to the store and saw 3 on a shelf. Picked one up and brought it home.

My first impression is that I think that I like the appearance of the A1 better. I'll have to go to my local BB to take a closer look to see which one I like better. I have the A1 on order from HIDEF Lifestyles. The D1 will probably go back as soon as I receive the A1 (for $90 less I might add). If I do decide that I like the D1 better, I'll still probably return it as soon as Costco has one available - probably better pricing and return policy.

Also of note, the only discs they had available were 1 copy of Serenity, and 1 copy of Last Samurai. I don't know if they had more which were already sold.

I just picked one up at a local WM Superstore. I called first and asked if they had any. They said that they did not. I gave them an item number for them to look up in the computer so see if any local stores had them. After a long hold, the CSR came back on the line and said that they indeed have them in stock. I went to the store and saw 3 on a shelf. Picked one up and brought it home.

My first impression is that I think that I like the appearance of the A1 better. I'll have to go to my local BB to take a closer look to see which one I like better. I have the A1 on order from HIDEF Lifestyles. The D1 will probably go back as soon as I receive the A1 (for $90 less I might add). If I do decide that I like the D1 better, I'll still probably return it as soon as Costco has one available - probably better pricing and return policy.

What item # did you use?

I have the Walmart # 000558245 from the website but the CSR couldn't find anything using this #.

What item # did you use?

I have the Walmart # 000558245 from the website but the CSR couldn't find anything using this #.

I gave them the same number. I'm not sure if the CSR looked it up, or just found it on the shelf. I got the impression that she looked it up though.

Called Wal-Mart CS and the lady informed me that 1 store in Birmingham, Alabama got 4 delivered to them. Called that store and the lady checked in the back and said they had 3 left. Now they have 2. For now, until I get a receiver that has HDMI switching, I'll be using component and analog 5.1 being that the only digital input I have on my display is taken up by my DirecTV H10receiver.

Called Wal-Mart CS and the lady informed me that 1 store in Birmingham, Alabama got 4 delivered to them. Called that store and the lady checked in the back and said they had 3 left. Now they have 2. For now, until I get a receiver that has HDMI switching, I'll be using component and analog 5.1 being that the only digital input I have on my display is taken up by my DirecTV H10receiver.

What customer service # did you dial? I tried the one on the website and was told they didn't have access to local store inventories.

Identical players, only the D1 from wally is entirely black in color vs the silver tone on the A1

-Gary
DTV TiVo Dealer-

Thanks guys. That is a tough one to turn away from when compared to months out and $800+ for BRD.

No luck at my nearest wal-mart. They didn't have the player or any of the movies. :mad:

Still nothing here in E. TN

Does anybody know what titles are available in HD DVD right now? I'm not concerned about particular locations. I just want to know what movies I could buy if they were available. I keep seeing the same 2 or 3 titles mentioned on all 3 threads concerning owners of the three different models (X1, A1, D1).

I went to the walmart up the street from my office this afternoon (dallas on Marsh Ln.). They didn't have any players, or at least I didn't see any, though I didn't look too closely since I have an A1 already. But they did have both Phantom of the Opera and Last Samurai. They weren't out in a special display or anything, they were just mixed in with the other recent release dvds. I picked up both since Amazon still hadn't gotten around to shipping my order for them yet. Price was $19.98. The employees had no idea the hd-dvds were anything different from normal dvds, but they did think the new cases were "so adorable!"

Does anybody know what titles are available in HD DVD right now? I'm not concerned about particular locations. I just want to know what movies I could buy if they were available. I keep seeing the same 2 or 3 titles mentioned on all 3 threads concerning owners of the three different models (X1, A1, D1).

http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/releasedates.html

I'm just pointing out how some can know so little that they might think the HD-DVD player makes their tv HD quality. The gamespot forums are so hard to go through as not many there know about HD, but with the 360 being HD you get the same question everyday, like "Which is better 1080i or 720p, when say they already have the tv or only a $500 tv budget. If I had a dollar for everytime I had to say use the resolution of your're tv, or that choosing 720p for a 1080i tv won't get you the benifit of progressive just because it says it supports it, I'd be rich.
thats so true when you say," use the resolution of your tv" not many folks understand the resolution they get caught up in the 1080i or 720p heck the XBOX cant even do 1920x1080 resolution the highest it goes is 1380xsomething I dont remember, but damn imaagine 1980x0180 full resolution...

I never ask questions like do you have this? I would say I came to pick up and that I called and talked to the manager already and it is in stock. Then they will usually go looking for it right away. It's a bluff because I didn't talk to any manager.

Checked at two Bay area (Mountain View and Milpitas) WalMarts and neither had the unit. But, I did talk with a media rep that was at the Milpitas store and he was certain at least two Bay area stores were scheduled to receive HD-DVDs this week and he was sure they would also be receiving the units at the same time. Also, he had a internal flyer with upcoming releases and it was consistent with the listed at http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/releasedates.html.

web

What customer service # did you dial? I tried the one on the website and was told they didn't have access to local store inventories.

I just used the 1-800-WALMART. The lady was very helpful and told me that only 235 units were shipped to select Wal-Marts across the country. She told me exactly which one in my town had them.

I placed an order through their website. Two days later and it still hasn't shipped despite there being a charge against my credit card. Hopefully it will ship today. If not I'll cancel my order and look elsewhere. Our local Fry's had some as well as one Tweeter location (but I didn't want to buy their demo unit) so its only a matter of time before they get more in I guess.

I just picked one up at a local WM Superstore. I called first and asked if they had any. They said that they did not. I gave them an item number for them to look up in the computer so see if any local stores had them. After a long hold, the CSR came back on the line and said that they indeed have them in stock. I went to the store and saw 3 on a shelf. Picked one up and brought it home.

My first impression is that I think that I like the appearance of the A1 better. I'll have to go to my local BB to take a closer look to see which one I like better. I have the A1 on order from HIDEF Lifestyles. The D1 will probably go back as soon as I receive the A1 (for $90 less I might add). If I do decide that I like the D1 better, I'll still probably return it as soon as Costco has one available - probably better pricing and return policy.


It is consumers like you that make it bad for the rest of us. There are very valid reasons for returning a product to a store, such as poor performance or incompatibility. But in your case, your idea of "borrowing" a unit and returning it to each store because you want to get a different color, or have one to use until the price goes down somewhere else is just wrong. You are leaving a trail of open box items that ultimately affects the honest consumer.

If you can buy it somewhere else for a better price, then I would suggest waiting for it to arrive, but don't abuse your local retailer.

Mike K.

It is consumers like you that make it bad for the rest of us. There are very valid reasons for returning a product to a store, such as poor performance or incompatibility. But in your case, your idea of "borrowing" a unit and returning it to each store because you want to get a different color, or have one to use until the price goes down somewhere else is just wrong. You are leaving a trail of open box items that ultimately affects the honest consumer.

If you can buy it somewhere else for a better price, then I would suggest waiting for it to arrive, but don't abuse your local retailer.

Mike K.

I think that Walmart is due a little "payback" for all the time I have wasted standing in their checkout lines over the years. ;) Ordinarily I avoid them like the plague, but under certain conditions they deserve exactly what business I give them.

b2b

I placed an order through their website. Two days later and it still hasn't shipped despite there being a charge against my credit card. Hopefully it will ship today. If not I'll cancel my order and look elsewhere. Our local Fry's had some as well as one Tweeter location (but I didn't want to buy their demo unit) so its only a matter of time before they get more in I guess.

Looks like its finally going to ship. I placed an order on Sunday and it now has a tracking number assigned to it. Hopefully it will arrive in one piece.

Go WALMART!!!

It is consumers like you that make it bad for the rest of us. There are very valid reasons for returning a product to a store, such as poor performance or incompatibility. But in your case, your idea of "borrowing" a unit and returning it to each store because you want to get a different color, or have one to use until the price goes down somewhere else is just wrong. You are leaving a trail of open box items that ultimately affects the honest consumer.

If you can buy it somewhere else for a better price, then I would suggest waiting for it to arrive, but don't abuse your local retailer.

Mike K.


Amen...

Just wait and get the one you want.

Exploiting a companies return policy is not being responsible...

Called my local Super Walleys (Marysville, WA), the electronics dept. said they don't stock any Toshiba DVD players and didn't know anything about HD-DVD.

According to their website anything you buy from Wal-Mart.com can be returned in store. I say this not to abuse their policy, but like everyone I want to reserve the right to return the player if I'm not satisfied with it. So at this point I'd say ordering from them is probably one of the best ways to try and get one. Last I looked they are still in stock. 2-3 days shipping was $30...

Well, my local Walmart has them and I'm on way to pick one up. I'll report back later.

Well, my local Walmart has them and I'm on way to pick one up. I'll report back later.

Would you mind opening the top cover and either taking a detailed photo or listing a few of the major chips so we can see if everything is exactly the same inside the D1 as the A1?

-Robert

I just stopped at my local Walmart to look for new titles and they had everything released thru today available on the shelf for sale for about 10 bucks below list price and they even had clear signs below them saying they were for HD DVD players. The salesperson even mentioned that to me when she saw me pick up one of them.

They also had restocked the shelves with Toshiba HD DVD players also, so basically you could walk out of the store today at least here in Tucson with the player and every available released title at one time. It appears Walmart is taking this for real and actually giving the sales staff some information also.

I had stopped at BB on the way to look for titles and they had only two from the first release and no players other than the display unit. At this point it appears Walmart is a better source than BB.

Ya, also the WalMart HD-DVD title prices are better than BB too...Apollo 13 is some 20% lower - ALWAYS BABY!

Robert, I also have the D1. I'll see if I can post some pics today.

Even Walmart likes to keep its suppliers honest. 8)

Im sure RCA's deal with Toshiba would prevent Toshiba from selling their players for less than they sell to RCA (as a private labeller/rebadger.) Best practice to always have several competing sources for the same product and right now the Toshiba is the only game in town (except for the RCA.)

Believe it or not there is a federal law that forbids price discrimination and essentially requires that a manufacturer sell its products at the same price to everyone. It is called the Robinson Patman act and has been around for like 80 years.

The problem with Robinson Patman is that it is easily avoided. Manufacturers dress up the same product in different ways and they claim that they are selling different products so they don't have to charge the same price. The Best Buy product may be the same internally as the Walmart version, but I would be that Best Buy is paying more. If it was the exact same model number, Toshiba could be sued for this.

This is the reason why so many products in Costco or Walmart are either exclusive products or different in size or other ways from those found elsewhere. Stores like Costco and Walmart essentially set their own terms. If a manufacturer wants access, it gives in.

I'll wait till they release the Led Zeppelin DVD, then I'll have to have one. Although I noticed that Rattle and Hum is soon to be released. An early adopter trying to stay in the pen. Maybe if I just stayed off this expensive free forum.

Looks like its finally going to ship. I placed an order on Sunday and it now has a tracking number assigned to it. Hopefully it will arrive in one piece.

I placed my order with walmart.com on Sunday as well, but I just received an email saying that they don't have any units available and they don't know when they will be receiving any and cancelled my order. I have checked my local walmarts and BB's, but nobody seems to have one. I guess Denver is a dry spot for the Toshiba players.

I picked up the D1 along with Serenity, Doom and Last Samurai. I also had to get a damn HDMI switcher for $150 that is MANUAL!! I'll order one online that's remote controlled and return that manual one to BB.

The salesmen at Walmart are still pretty clueless. One Walmart had the DVDs out in their own little section, but had NO clue they sold the players. The guy called two stores and was surprised (that they existed) when the second store said they had two. Then when picking up the player at the second store, they had no movies out. I asked a sales guy about the HD DVDs and he was stumped adn pointed at the SD DVDs. I said no, HD DVDs and he said they have the players. I pointed to the box in my cart and stated the other Walmart has the HD DVDs and where theirs were. Again, he was clueless. I walked around again, saw none and this time asked someone else. The young lady said yes, they are in this cart as they were in the process of putting them onto the shelves.

I'll watch Serenity tonight to see if it (HDDVD) is all it's hyped to be.

It is consumers like you that make it bad for the rest of us. There are very valid reasons for returning a product to a store, such as poor performance or incompatibility. But in your case, your idea of "borrowing" a unit and returning it to each store because you want to get a different color, or have one to use until the price goes down somewhere else is just wrong. You are leaving a trail of open box items that ultimately affects the honest consumer.

If you can buy it somewhere else for a better price, then I would suggest waiting for it to arrive, but don't abuse your local retailer.

Mike K.

I disagree with your characterization of my purchase.

I bought the D1 because #1 it was available and I wanted one. As you can see from this forum, any model of these players are hard to come by right now. #2 - many people have commented on how they like the all black look better. I thought that I would as well, and would cancel my A1 order.

After looking at the unit, I now think it looks cheap. The A1 looks nicer. To me, this is a perfectly valid reason to return it. I don't think that it is any different than returning, say, a piece of clothing if you decide it doesn't look right when you put it on.

Generous return policies and price matching policies are part of the retail business. That's how they expect to earn your business. Wal-Mart and Costco are the 2 top retailers as far as where I spend my money. I occasionally take advantage of their generous return policy, but I certainly do not abuse it.

I will admit that if it turns out that I am effectively "borrowing" the unit, this is wrong. However, if HIDEF Lifestyes does not come through, and if Costco does not have them available very soon, I will end up keeping the unit.

For anyone in the SE Virginia area who is interested: the Wal-Mart on Military Highway in Norfolk had several remaining D1's this morning around 11:30.

BTW, the cashier asked me: What does this thing do to make it cost $500?

I placed my order with walmart.com on Sunday as well, but I just received an email saying that they don't have any units available and they don't know when they will be receiving any and cancelled my order. I have checked my local walmarts and BB's, but nobody seems to have one. I guess Denver is a dry spot for the Toshiba players.


Try Sears, their web site shows HDA1's are in stock. My local stores didn't have any, so I ordered one for store pickup a week from now. Good return policy.

I placed my order with walmart.com on Sunday as well, but I just received an email saying that they don't have any units available and they don't know when they will be receiving any and cancelled my order. I have checked my local walmarts and BB's, but nobody seems to have one. I guess Denver is a dry spot for the Toshiba players.

Sorry to hear that. I guess I was right to be worried about Wal-Mart and their ability to deliver (I hate websites that don't have real time inventory information available). I just checked their page again and they are still showing it in stock. I suppose its the usual 'let the buyer beware' jazz. Not sure I'll use them again even if my order works out. I don't like places that run your credit card before actually shipping the product. Makes me nervous.

Just got off the phone with a customer service from 1 800 Walmart. Looks like the only stores that carry the D1 is up North. She claims that there were 4 up in Gilroy and 4 in San Leandro. None in Socal..... :mad:

I disagree with your characterization of my purchase.

I bought the D1 because #1 it was available and I wanted one. As you can see from this forum, any model of these players are hard to come by right now. #2 - many people have commented on how they like the all black look better. I thought that I would as well, and would cancel my A1 order.

After looking at the unit, I now think it looks cheap. The A1 looks nicer. To me, this is a perfectly valid reason to return it. .

I think it was a smart move on Toshibas part to have 4 different looks (including the RCA) on pretty much the same unit. I had the choice of the A1 and the D1 when I bought and after looking at both I thought the D1 looked better with my other equipment. The price and features were the same so it was strictly looks that I liked and that swayed me to the D1. When I looked at the A1 it had too much of a Retro look for my taste. If I had a HK receiver it would have gone perfectly but the silver and black look just didn't go with my equipment. The all black goes better with my pioneer equipment and it really goes well with the black pioneer elite receiver. I guess if we all had the same taste it would be a lot easier for manufacturers, they would only have to build one kind and color of each thing.

I also like the black...my audio equipment is pretty ancient but still providing good service: Denon AVR-3200, DCM-260 CD Player and of course my cable boxes are all black.

I just got back from stopping at wal-mart on my way home from work and I got the typical retail employee's response. I asked if they knew when they were getting the HD DVD players to the guy in electronics, he said" The what?" and I repeated it to him and he just stood there like he didn't know what the hell I was talking about and then replied with " I only work with the cell phones in electronics, go ask someone else". Okay, I then go ask the other electronics employee who was stocking video games and asked him " do you know when you are getting the high definition dvd players and he too looked lost and puzzled before saying, " I have know idea". Huh, typical responses I figured I'd get. I guess I'll just wait some more then. Oh yeah, no HD-DVD movies either!!

Just got off the phone with a customer service from 1 800 Walmart. Looks like the only stores that carry the D1 is up North. She claims that there were 4 up in Gilroy and 4 in San Leandro. None in Socal..... :mad:

The Fountain Valley Fry's had a new A1 box sitting on a shelf at 1 pm today...

Just got off the phone with a customer service from 1 800 Walmart. Looks like the only stores that carry the D1 is up North. She claims that there were 4 up in Gilroy and 4 in San Leandro. None in Socal..... :mad:

I called and they told me the samething :( Im going to check out the Fry's in Anaheim off Tustin Ave tomorrow.

Well, I just watched Serenity. Man, the D1 hiccuped quite a few times. I don't know, I'll watch Doom tomorrow and see what happens.

With the Walmarts this new format will definitely be hit or miss...

Try Sears, their web site shows HDA1's are in stock. My local stores didn't have any, so I ordered one for store pickup a week from now. Good return policy.

Thanks for the info. I will give Sears a try.

Different colors by different manufacturers was a great idea. Something for everybody...

Thanks for the tip about calling Wal-Marts 1-800 number. I called this afternoon and the lady gave me a list of Wal-Marts in my state that had them. Picked it up tonight along with Doom.

As noted in another thread, Amazon.com has stock, free shipping, and if you are a prime member, $4 buck upgrade to overnight.

For those looking for D1's at Walmart: If you haven't already, you can use the 800-Walmart number during normal business hours to have them do a search. That's what I did to get mine, as have others. If there aren't any in your area, the CSR there should be able to tell you that, too.

Funnily enough, mine had a bill of lading attached to it indicating that there were 12 shipped to North Texas (Sanger, TX). The Special Instructions said

Do Not Ship Before: 01-APR-2006
Do Not Ship After: 13-APR-2006

The print date of the document was 04/19/06, however.

Somebody asked about a picture of the remote. As it turns out, I won't be opening the box until early next week (it is a birthday present from wife/kids), so I can't check out the remote until then. Man, that birthday cannot come soon enough!

For those looking for D1's at Walmart: If you haven't already, you can use the 800-Walmart number during normal business hours to have them do a search. That's what I did to get mine, as have others. If there aren't any in your area, the CSR there should be able to tell you that, too.

I called that 800-Walmart number today and the guy that I talked to told me that there was no way he could check if a store in my area had the player. He advised me to call the all the stores myself to check on availability. I guess I got the lazy CSR.

Yeah, depending who you get you may have to coax them a bit. The lady i spoke to today kindly offered to take my number and someone would get back to me in a few days with the info. i needed.. I told her i needed to know today so she called someone and got the list for me in a matter of minutes.

That's one heck of a birthday present... HAPPY BIRTHDAY (a little early)...

I think that Walmart is due a little "payback" for all the time I have wasted standing in their checkout lines over the years. ;) Ordinarily I avoid them like the plague, but under certain conditions they deserve exactly what business I give them.

b2b

Then don't buy there. That is not justification for blatantly ripping them off.

Mike K.

Thanks a million for the tip, While I despise Walmart and all they stand for, I like the color black and even more I like having it in my home.

I spoke with Tammi in customer service who was very helpful, she asked if I minded waiting on the phone a bit and I said no. (I had to put my calls into voicemail for 20 minutes). When she returned to the line, she said there were quite a few calls about this player. She then told me that they have them in stock in only two locations in NJ, four in Linden and I believe the other was Turnersville. She gave me the phone numbers and I did my best not to call until I was about to leave work. (I knew I couldn't leave early and didn't want to get dissapointed with the "you should have been here two minutes ago" line.

Linden was totally oblivious when I asked about a Toshiba (we don't carry Toshiba) and it was the only DVD player that costs $500.00 (we don't have anything like that). As she was about to say good bye, I told her that I just got off the phone with "the central office" and they said you have four in stock. This actually got their attention and after being put on hold for 10 minutes they returned to the line and said "yeah, we have 3".

When getting to the store, they were on a high shelf (4, not 3) and were in clear sight of whoever answered the phone.

A swipe of the credit card and the player and a philips DVI to HDMI cable was mine.
I have a 60" Grand Wega (Vega, for the logo impared) which I think is a 2nd or 3rd generation. It does have one DVI and it is HDCP compliant.

The good news, is no problems at all! I think that the audio sounds too bright, but I'll look through the previous threads to see what you guys have said about this. I do need to find a switcher (I think that the monoprice may be a good idea) as I have no intention of losing my Denon 3910, which has a beautiful upscaling picture, and I have every intention of getting a Blu-Ray when they come out too. No need to choose a side, I'll just get both and have the pick of the (software) litter.

Anyway, Thank you Tammi (Tammy?) and good luck to you other guys in my area, and you now know where to go tomorrow at 7AM.

Cheers,
Mitch


I'm a long-time lurker but a near-first time poster
(but I did attend the AVSForum CES2005 party...)

I just purchased one HD-D1 in a Walmart in Plano, TX.
I found out that there were 8 D1's in all of Texas from
a CSR at Walmart's 800 number -- she did the search --
with four each at the two Supercenter stores there.
I confirmed the stock with a direct call to the store;
the person at the Electronics department said that
I was the first to ask about them. They had to retrieve
one from a high shelf; the reason for their high perch
was due to it being a "high theft store" (her words).

The manager confirmed its 90-day return policy.

Attached is a picture of the unit in its box. It will have
to wait until after work before I can explore its
capabilities.

SCD

According to their website anything you buy from Wal-Mart.com can be returned in store. I say this not to abuse their policy, but like everyone I want to reserve the right to return the player if I'm not satisfied with it. So at this point I'd say ordering from them is probably one of the best ways to try and get one. Last I looked they are still in stock. 2-3 days shipping was $30...

I support you and your return privelages 100%. There is a huge difference in returning a product because you aren't satisfied, and "borrowing" one as a bridge until you can buy it elsewhere for less.

Mike K.

I disagree with your characterization of my purchase.

I bought the D1 because #1 it was available and I wanted one. As you can see from this forum, any model of these players are hard to come by right now. #2 - many people have commented on how they like the all black look better. I thought that I would as well, and would cancel my A1 order.

After looking at the unit, I now think it looks cheap. The A1 looks nicer. To me, this is a perfectly valid reason to return it. I don't think that it is any different than returning, say, a piece of clothing if you decide it doesn't look right when you put it on.

Generous return policies and price matching policies are part of the retail business. That's how they expect to earn your business. Wal-Mart and Costco are the 2 top retailers as far as where I spend my money. I occasionally take advantage of their generous return policy, but I certainly do not abuse it.

I will admit that if it turns out that I am effectively "borrowing" the unit, this is wrong. However, if HIDEF Lifestyes does not come through, and if Costco does not have them available very soon, I will end up keeping the unit.

I characterized your purchase correctly based on your previous post. I think you could have decided it looked cheap when you saw it on the shelf at Walmart. It was pretty clear that you decided to flip it when the other unit became available. You wanted one to play with until the less expensive unit arrived.

You may want to re read your previous post, and perhaps examine them thoroughly before you post in the future, if you feel your true feelings weren't represented.

Mike K.

Exploiting a companies return policy is not being responsible...


Obviously there is such thing as return abuse and exploitation. However, Wal-mart advertises the fact they have a "90-day no hassle" return policy as a selling point to attract customers.

"Sure, if you don't like it, bring it back. We have a 90 day hassle free return policy."

They know that many people will buy from them because of the "peace of mind" they get from the risk-free return policy. They know that the many sales made because of the policy will more than offset the few returns.

So, if I buy from Wal-mart and I don't like what I see from HD-DVD, I WILL take it back within the 90 days for a full refund. The good thing for Wal-mart is that because of that policy I will continue to buy from them and most of the items I will never return. They make plenty of money off me.

There is a difference however with intent to return. They could easily change their policy tomorrow if to many people abuse it. That's the problem with policies, once they are in place, to many oppurtunists find ways to screw you...

I recently bought Serendity and last samurai from the lady couldnt scan the Serendity so she gave it to me for free since its not in their data base this was 2 days ago I hope walmart updated thier computer system. I walked out with two movies one for free spent only 23 bucks. thanks walmart...

How did she give you one for free? Was it your sister?

How did she give you one for free? Was it your sister?
some old lady I dont know her she was nice though. She kept trying to run it over the scanner thing and it didnt scan correctly it kept saying to her, "free" like it was some kind of demo or something. I mean it rang up on my receipt, but it said, "free" so I took it and the alarms didnt even go off when I walked out no biggie to me like I said I got two HD dvds one for free. she put it in my bag and said, "oh heck with it"

Hahahaha, that's awesome.

As a buyer for over 13 years with a major consumer electronics retailer, I feel compelled to remind folks of the danger in frivolous returns. Understandably, people want to get a hot item like this HD-DVD player in their hands so much they are willing to do ANYTHING to touch it, run it, play with it..... and then... once the "heat" wears out... finally return it.

Unlike the apparel industry with high margins, consumer electronics run on slim profits. So, when that player is returned to Wal-Mart as an open boxed item, it is marked down first 10%, then 15%, then 20% until somebody buys this item at zero profit (or negative profit) from them. It gets worse: This item is classified as an "open boxed" item in their computer system and separate from fresh boxed goods.

Then, the merchandise director looks at this aged inventory and decides to NOT purchase any more Toshiba HD-D1 units because he is sitting on $36,000 worth of this product at cost sitting in open boxes on the store shelves. His "open to buy" for this product category was $400,000 and almost 10% of it is now aged goods-- as a typical example.

It gets worse: The combined $36,000 net cost HIT is blended with the cost of the in-stock fresh merchandise and a reduced overall profit margin is realized.

It is at that point that a major retailer contacts the vendor and does either one of three things:

1. Take this stuff back-- we will prepay the freight if you take the entire Wal-Mart inventory back into stock.

2. Price protect us on our loss or risk Wal-Mart's participation in this HD-DVD rollout.

3. Jack up the retail price to $599 so we can absorb some of the loss of frivolous returns.

From my experience, Toshiba will not accept chargebacks for open stock goods that are not defective. If they are found in working order once a RMA is given, then Wal-Mart is once again charged a re-stocking fee and the unit is now re-classified at Toshiba as "B" stock with a 90 day warranty-- sold at great loss to a "B" stock retailer.

This is a retailer's biggest nightmare. And, if it were not for Wal-Mart's high profit margin on domestic and apparel merchandise to absorb this sort of thing, their 90 day return policy would not be available to anyone.

Here are a few examples where aged goods drowned retailers: Tandy's "Incredible Universe", Tandy's "Computer City", "COMP USA" (bought at auction), "The Good Guys" (bankrupt), SILO (bankrupt), and others. In many cases, these retailers were sitting on 20-30% aged and returned stock for years. And all of these companies had liberal return policies. And the bank won't extend credit for aged goods.

So, for better or worse, its the Wal-Mart's of the world that can absorb some (but not all of this hit), and thankfully bring to market a device that is normally out of step with their typical merchandsing line-up. Now, I'm not defending Wal-Mart and other politics around that company, but I do applaud them for courting a risky product rollout that is normally reserved for up-scale retailers.

Abuse that-- and you'll see those players dissapear from their shelves as fast as they are sold. And never be ordered again until the market is saturated and their risk is greatly reduced.

Then don't buy there. That is not justification for blatantly ripping them off.

Mike K.

I've never "ripped off" Walmart or any store for that matter. They don't have any problem stealing my time with long check out waits or shoddy merchindise forcing me into a second trip for returns, stealing even more of my time. So if I do decide to purchase a player from them and am not 100% satisfied, I will have zero concern if it costs them time or trouble. If I follow the rules (which they made, not me) they aren't getting ripped off, they are just having to live up to the policy they made.

b2b

I've never "ripped off" Walmart or any store for that matter. They don't have any problem stealing my time with long check out waits or shoddy merchindise forcing me into a second trip for returns, stealing even more of my time. So if I do decide to purchase a player from them and am not 100% satisfied, I will have zero concern if it costs them time or trouble. If I follow the rules (which they made, not me) they aren't getting ripped off, they are just having to live up to the policy they made.

b2b

This is bordering on insanity. They "steal" your time with long check out waits? HELLO, they have the best prices around, and a lot of people shop there. Lots of people buying stuff = lines.

Shoddy merchandise? WTF? You're looking at the product before you buy it right? What are you complaining about?

Way to go there...buying and returning stuff will teach them a lesson.

Here's a thought - If you don't like the store, DON'T shop there. Go to a high priced store where checkout lines are shorter and products meet your expectations.

Then you should just shop online. Everybody has to wait in line. If you are complaining of them stealing your time then go somewhere else to shop. They can't afford extra employees to speed up your checkout times when people are to busy doing B.S. returns...

No players nor disks here in Visalia. I just want some $ 19.99 disks that some of you were lucky to snag, and one of you that got it for FREE.

I characterized your purchase correctly based on your previous post. I think you could have decided it looked cheap when you saw it on the shelf at Walmart. It was pretty clear that you decided to flip it when the other unit became available. You wanted one to play with until the less expensive unit arrived.Mike K.

I don't think so. They had 3 in boxes, no display models. The only view I got were pictures on this site. It looked pretty cool. Many people have stated that they prefer this look. I don't after actually seeing it.

Like it or not, the return policy is what it is. If I can get a model I like better, or if I can get a better price, I will. If I can't, I'll keep the player.

If this is bad for business, then change the policy. If I make a purchase at Wal-Mart, Costco, BB or such stores, I fully expect to be able to return an item if I am not satisfied for any reason.

My intent when I purchased was not to borrow it. As of right now, that is what I am in effect doing. I admit to that. Think of it what you may.

No players nor disks here in Visalia. I just want some $ 19.99 disks that some of you were lucky to snag, and one of you that got it for FREE.

Ha I'm driving down to Visalia this Friday to set up a home theater system for my mother. No players and no discs but I bet if you needed some cattle feed they have that. :)

Plonk is the sound you make when you wine about long lines at Walmart... I am sure you have nothing better to do anyway (well except make B.S. returns)...

I am not in retail, but Moviebear's comments sound reasonable.

Personally, I rarely return electronic products because they almost always work as expected. If they don't, I usually try to find out why. I take the knowledge gained from and provided by early adopters on discussion boards like this one as part of my expectations when buying. It's pretty amazing if you think about it -- its only been 10 days or so since the Toshiba players have been available, and already much about what they will and won't do is known through posts on this board.

To keep the thread on track: Walmart's 90-day return policy without a restocking fee is generous to me, the consumer. My plan is to keep the D1 unless it is defective, malfunctioning, or incompatible with my existing equipment. A call to Toshiba customer service should confirm the problem as real (and not user error) if one crops up.

SCD

This is bordering on insanity. They "steal" your time with long check out waits? HELLO, they have the best prices around, and a lot of people shop there. Lots of people buying stuff = lines.

Shoddy merchandise? WTF? You're looking at the product before you buy it right? What are you complaining about?

Way to go there...buying and returning stuff will teach them a lesson.

Here's a thought - If you don't like the store, DON'T shop there. Go to a high priced store where checkout lines are shorter and products meet your expectations.

OMG! What was I thinking. You've convinced me. Why in the world would anyone like shopping at Walmart. Unless they like long lines and watching fat women beat their kids. Y'all have fun now, ya hear... :rolleyes:

b2b

Plonk is the sound you make when you wine about long lines at Walmart... I am sure you have nothing better to do anyway (well except make B.S. returns)...

If you are going to try to make feeble attempts to disrespect someone with S.A. comments, then you should at least not show your ignorance in the meaning of words. The cardinal rule in being a S.A. is that if the smart is missing, then that only leaves the other. I would continue with this little debate, but you're right, I have better things to do with my time. I also try to hold honor by not taking advantage of unarmed men. :rolleyes:

b2b

Is this the sub forum? By the way, I'm still enjoying my D1 that I got off the shelf at Wal-Mart.

I'm retuning my D1 to Walmart tomorrow. The player is just too slow and most of the time unresponsive and too flaky with HDMI and video playback and it freezes.

I'll wait for the next wave of players as the Toshiba isn't there yet.

This product blurs the line between a piece of electronic gear and a PC. The power up and load takes a little time, but after that, the unit is responsive to me.

Load times don't bug me, my Yamaha DVD player was already slow, and turning on my Rear Projection takes a while too, plus even my harmony remote takes time to finish setting things up. What's a minute before a 2hr movie.

I also kept Serenity from freezing while taking pics by only using the pause button while fast forwarding and rewinding to resume play, compared to hitting play button that caused it to freeze now and then.

I've never "ripped off" Walmart or any store for that matter. They don't have any problem stealing my time with long check out waits or shoddy merchindise forcing me into a second trip for returns, stealing even more of my time. So if I do decide to purchase a player from them and am not 100% satisfied, I will have zero concern if it costs them time or trouble. If I follow the rules (which they made, not me) they aren't getting ripped off, they are just having to live up to the policy they made.

b2b

1. I wasn't pointing a finger at you for "ripping them off". I was talking in generalities. Sorry if it seemed I was acccusing you. Not my intent.

2. Return polices are there for a reason, and protect good consumers. I have no problem with returning something because it doesn't work or you are dissatisfied with the product. I have done it many times myself.

3. My whole point, which has been affirmed by a number of other posts, is about the frivolous or abusive return. The scenario described by you does not fit that profile.

4. I also understand the challenges of doing business with Wal-Mart and many other large discounters. If you feel you are not treated well when you go there, then I would suggest not doing business with them. It does not justify other unethical actions. (Again, I am not pointing a finger at you. It is meant as a general statement, which I feel applies to others).

Sorry again if there was some misinterpretation.

Mike

Man you must truly hate Walmart. Then why do you even go in there? Maybe you like watching the fat women beat their kids!

Man you must truly hate Walmart. Then why do you even go in there? Maybe you like watching the fat women beat their kids!

Actually, they don't beat their kids there. They usually just let them scream. :(

Good point Chris! :D

Just picked up my HD1 at the San Leandro Walmart in the SF bay area. I called the 800 number and they located 4 at the San Leandro store and 4 at the Gilroy store. The lady said these are the only alocations in the SF bay area as of today. They don't have it on display so you'll need to ask them to take it out of the cage.

I'm so sick of Wal-marts employees not having a f'en clue!! I just called the 1-800 number and was told " the people who can look that stuff up are gone for the day" okay fine. So then I call one of my local stores and they act like they can't look stuff up for you so I ask them if they have any of the new hd-dvd players and I he says " I think we have one, let me go check" I thought great, I may be in luck but then he comes back and says " yeah, we have one, it's $49.99 and it's and rca." I said no I'm looking for a toshiba and he says " we don't carry toshiba". Fine, whatever dumb @sses. Nobody has a f'en clue around here what the F hd-dvd even freakin' is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 :mad:

I'm so sick of Wal-marts employees not having a f'en clue!! I just called the 1-800 number and was told " the people who can look that stuff up are gone for the day" okay fine. So then I call one of my local stores and they act like they can't look stuff up for you so I ask them if they have any of the new hd-dvd players and I he says " I think we have one, let me go check" I thought great, I may be in luck but then he comes back and says " yeah, we have one, it's $49.99 and it's and rca." I said no I'm looking for a toshiba and he says " we don't carry toshiba". Fine, whatever dumb @sses. Nobody has a f'en clue around here what the F hd-dvd even freakin' is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 :mad:

Why are you surprised? I wouldn't expect them to know what it is. They haven't received any training. Wal-Mart is a store where you walk in, take it off the shelf and walk up to the cashier. To expect anything else is a colossal mistake.

So I would suggest you go over there and see for yourself, instead of wasting time and posting your frustration on the internet.

Mike .

yup.. i would suggest calling 1800 number first and have them locate which store in your area has them in stock. Then next comes the hard part trying to convince the sales people at the store that they actually sell these Toshibas. When I called the San Leandro store they told me they don't carry Toshiba DVD players. I had to tell them that CS rep at 800walmart told me they have them in the store. Finally the lady went to the back cage and found 4 sitting on a shelf.

I called the 800 number this afternoon, and was directed to a store in Cape Coral, FL. I went to that store, and none were there (as others have said; you must check for yourself). Thinking that she might have made a mistake I went to another store, and lo and behold, there were four sittiing on the top shelf with none on display.

All of the movies were there, too. Picked up TLS, A13, Serenity, and POTO.

I have the player connected via HDMI directly to an ISF-calibrated 60" SXRD. Other than needing to press a button on the remote to get the HDMI signal to function set-up was a snap.

Initial impressions are very positive on my display. Much better than SD DVD, and better than or equal to broadcast HD. Build quality is very good even if the remote is worthless. Long load times are worth the wait, IMO.

As for the infamous long Wally World lines and screaming kids (or, in my area, whiny old people) I bypassed this problem by checking out in the Electronics section, and showing my reset at the door. Took all of five minutes...not too bad.

Jim

Just picked up my HD1 at the San Leandro Walmart in the SF bay area. I called the 800 number and they located 4 at the San Leandro store and 4 at the Gilroy store. The lady said these are the only alocations in the SF bay area as of today. They don't have it on display so you'll need to ask them to take it out of the cage.

I wish I knew what you guys are saying to these customer service rep's to get them to help you. I called again today and talked to another rep and she told me the same thing as the 2 reps before her that there is no way she could check which stores had the player in stock. She insisted that I had to call each individual store myself to find out if one of them had them in stock.

I am sure the info at Walmart will get better, we just have to give them a little more time (and patience)...

I wish I knew what you guys are saying to these customer service rep's to get them to help you. I called again today and talked to another rep and she told me the same thing as the 2 reps before her that there is no way she could check which stores had the player in stock. She insisted that I had to call each individual store myself to find out if one of them had them in stock.

I told the CS rep at 800walmart that I am trying to locate the availability of an item at a local store. She then asked me if I have the item number which I gave her. She then asked for my zip code and I said anything within 50miles would be fine. A couple of minutes later she came up with the two stores in the area that carries them. You'll have to call before 5pm Central time in order for them to check the inventory.

Five players, 300 discs sold? Hmm. So each person who bought a player bought 20 copies each of the three titles available on launch day. Sounds plausible!

That's hilarious!

...Angelo

Ha I'm driving down to Visalia this Friday to set up a home theater system for my mother. No players and no discs but I bet if you needed some cattle feed they have that. :)


Yep, out here its High Definition odor.

Walmart (Huntsville, Alabama) had The Phantom of the Opera and the Last Samurai. Both were mixed in with regular DVDs and both were listed for $19.99. No players for sell (yet). Will be checking this weekend.

Wonder if the RCA version will be any good? Will all HD DVD players play the DTS instead of DD from the digital outs?

Just wondering...

<><

Called 800wally first thing this morning and asked to check anywhere in the state (I'm in IA) and not 1 was found. They said I could go to a local super and request one be shipped in.

Went to the Renton, WA Walmart tonight and picked up Apollo 13 for $25 - they also had TLS, POTO, Doom and Million Dollar Baby for $20 but no Serenity. They had a little HD-DVD section (actually marked!) within the new release stack down the aisle in the electronics section.

The guy at the checkout asked me if I had an HD-DVD player (not yet, I was hoping they had them) and informed me they expected to have some for Saturday. He also mentioned how he prefers BR technology wise, but HDDVD price wise.

David.

Walmart should be starting to trickle more and more in...

i live in baton rouge, louisiana and this evening i called 800-walmart to see if any stores in my area had the HD-D1 in stock. according to the customer service rep, one store in the whole state had a single unit, but not exactly in my area. it was in a town called thibodaux, which is about 80 miles away, deep in cajun swamp country.

so i drove down there and got it!

:)

i live in baton rouge, louisiana and this evening i called 800-walmart to see if any stores in my area had the HD-D1 in stock. according to the customer service rep, one store in the whole state had a single unit, but not exactly in my area. it was in a town called thibodaux, which is about 80 miles away, deep in cajun swamp country.

so i drove down there and got it!

:)

Was it worth the drive? :)

Was it worth the drive? :)

I sure hope so! I'm off from work tomorrow and will spend all day getting it set up properly.

:)

Keep us posted....

Well, the wal-mart web site was showing out of stock all night and then I was just now doing a comparison between the silver a1 and the black d1 from best buy and wal-marts web sites and when I looked at the black version on wal-mart's site it said in stock so I talked myself into it and went ahead and plunged head first into the next generation of dvd by buying it! I must have gotten the last one or only one available as it immediately went to out of stock again. Now the hard part.......the wait for it to arrive!!! :D

Still no players or discs at the local Wal-Mart. BB is sold out of players, but has a few discs.

i live in baton rouge, louisiana and this evening i called 800-walmart to see if any stores in my area had the HD-D1 in stock. according to the customer service rep, one store in the whole state had a single unit, but not exactly in my area. it was in a town called thibodaux, which is about 80 miles away, deep in cajun swamp country.

so i drove down there and got it!

:)

I got the second to last one from there last night :)

Why aren't there any players in So Cal :(

I think all of us in So Cal need to unite :D

I got the second to last one from there last night :)

Well here's to both of us!

I called that 800-Walmart number today and the guy that I talked to told me that there was no way he could check if a store in my area had the player. He advised me to call the all the stores myself to check on availability. I guess I got the lazy CSR.
Actually, Wal-Mart does not have a computer system to check the units available in each store. They're cheap.

Go WALMART!!!
Wal-Mart gets tons of Funai-made electronics on the shelf. Funai is the maker of Emerson, some Magnavox, Sylvania, and Symphonic brands.

Why aren't there any players in So Cal :(

I think all of us in So Cal need to unite :D

Temecula, does have lots of horses, wine makers and great country. Great place to live.

I think you could import a HD DVD player with little to no trouble.

-Robert

Still wrong.

Costco does not sell factory refurbished Toshiba products. I do. And a lot of the refurished units we get are the sheltered models sold by Costco.

I have seen some instances where Costco was selling previous generation products with a different model number (many of their Toshiba products end with the number code 15, which is for the sheltered models). Toshiba uses a different number code at the end of the model number which is indicative of the model year in which it was introduced. For example their newest plasma is a 42HP66 with the last number in the sequence indicating a 2006 intro. If Costco carried the same unit it would very likely be a 42HP15 or something along those lines.

The HD-D1 is the sheltered model, apparently designated for the discounter distribution channel.

Mike K.
Toshiba video equipments, like DVD/VCR, DVD players, and VCRs, that sell at Costco come with the letter "K" before the number. It is possible that Costco will sell a Toshiba HD-DVD player under model HD-K1.

Actually, Wal-Mart does not have a computer system to check the units available in each store. They're cheap.

Walmart runs the largest and most sophisticated inventory tracking and management system in the world using the Teradata DBMS.
One of the key reasons that Wal-Mart continues to lead the retail industry is the
company’s commitment to applying the latest networking, information technology and
Internet technology to improve operations. By using innovative high-tech solutions to
address each of the needs outlined above, Wal-Mart has:

Streamlined its supply chain. Supplier relationships have been largely automated.
•
Computers in-store and at Wal-Mart headquarters keep track of inventory as it is
sold, and purchase orders are sent to vendors automatically to ensure each store is
capable of meeting customer demand. And vendors can access sales information
and forecasts for the products they provide, allowing them to adjust manufacturing
levels in sync with Wal-Mart sales. These automated, online systems help Wal-
Mart keep its overhead low, which translates to lower prices for customers.
Improved in-store operations. Wal-Mart’s in-store computers are connected to
corporate headquarters through a powerful frame relay network, allowing near
real-time tracking of inventory, prices and purchase orders on a store-by-store
basis

b2b

wish the industry would stick to black in most a/v equipment, and in this case its certainly more impressive

Temecula, does have lots of horses, wine makers and great country. Great place to live.

I think you could import a HD DVD player with little to no trouble.

-Robert

Trust me I would have already but believe it or not I have a ton of Walmart store credit so Im trying to be patient and use that before ordering online.

I just checked and in Georgia they only have four. They are all in Pooler, GA which is in the Savannah area. Too far a drive from the Atlanta area!

Funny how these things seem to be turning up, in fours it seems, not in the big metro areas, but in the smaller towns surrounding them.

Jim

Anyone have any idea what other major retailers are carrying HD DVD Players? Target? ABC? Sears? Radio Shack?

Anyone have any idea what other major retailers are carrying HD DVD Players? Target? ABC? Sears? Radio Shack?

Sears. I ordered an HD-A1 on their web-site yesterday for store pick-up, available on Wednesday May 3.

Funny how these things seem to be turning up, in fours it seems, not in the big metro areas, but in the smaller towns surrounding them.

Jim

Yes, in louisiana, none of the Baton Rouge stores have or have ever had them (and BR is wal-mart central, we have about 9 super centers), but a store in thibodaux, way off the beaten track down in the swamp/bayou, did.

strange.

The delivery trucks could have gotten lost... :D

Crazy stuff, the closest location that has the HD-D! in stock to Long Island, NY is upstate NY either Middletown, or Fishkill, Nothing in NYC Nassau, Suffolk, or Westchester

the walmart csr said this was a limited release and if a local store does not have it to check back in 4 weeks they expect another shipment within the next 4 weeks, umm thanks, lol

The unit I ordered from Wal-Mart.com is sitting on my porch as I write this if the tracking information from UPS is correct. Hopefully my girlfriend will be home in a few minutes to verify that it arrived intact...

I bet this time next week the Walmarts will be filled with them...

Has anyone who actually received an HD-D1 opened the unit up to determine that it is board for board and chip for chip an exact replica of the HD-A1? If I decide to get one, I'd much prefer the black front panel for my theater but I certainly wouldn't want to take a step down in quality just for that.

If any of you guys are ambitious enough, how about popping the hood to see what's underneath!

Thanks!

-Gary.

That is a good question. They are supposed to be the exact same specs, but seeing is believing...

I found 3 in Gilroy, and "quite a few" in Stockton. I'm off to Stockton tonight!

Have a safe trip... And report back...:)

And now there are only 2 in Stockton. :D

Walmart told me 372 players were allocated between all the stores this week

Great you got one in Stockton!

I'll be returning mine to Walmart today or tomorrow so anyone In Orlando might not only be able tog et one, they might get it at an Open Box price.

They are in stock at Walmart San Leandro.

Allen

California only has 4 stores that carry them....

store numbers are


2002

2648

1660

1554


most are N cali

Just left my local Walmart. I spoke to the electronics mangager there. He said next week they were expecting the D1s. He also said they are getting a 61" DLP for 2800.00 and it will be on display in their store... Walmart?

The electronics manager at one Walmart that I called said they didn't carry this player because "we don't have a cell phone kiosk yet." :rolleyes:

I think this is the same as the HD-A1, except for the color and the buttons are rectangular instead of circular. The remote is the worst I have ever seen. All buttons feel the same, their configuration is different for play, pause, etc. than I am used to. Its as if I purchased a Porche with a Chevy drivetrain and the steering wheel is on the right side.

Has anyone who actually received an HD-D1 opened the unit up to determine that it is board for board and chip for chip an exact replica of the HD-A1? If I decide to get one, I'd much prefer the black front panel for my theater but I certainly wouldn't want to take a step down in quality just for that.

If any of you guys are ambitious enough, how about popping the hood to see what's underneath!

Thanks!

-Gary. Another way, is to see if the internals are the same is to get firmware versions posted from both units (HD-A1 & HD-D1).

...Angelo

Another way, is to see if the internals are the same is to get firmware versions posted from both units (HD-A1 & HD-D1).

...Angelo

The HD-D1 that I got when I checked the firmware version it was 1.0/1.09/2.00 which I believe is the same version I saw posted elsewhere for the HD-A1

The HD-D1 that I got when I checked the firmware version it was 1.0/1.09/2.00 which I believe is the same version I saw posted elsewhere for the HD-A1 That's good news, as I too like the all black case that will match all my other AV components.

THX...Angelo

Great!

Just purchased a unit in Pensacola, Fl. (about 40 miles from my home) 3 Pensacola stores had stock.


An interesting comment from the Electronics manager - she said when the Blu-Rays arrive, they are setting up a special area with a large screen TV to demo it. It makes me wonder if Sony (or a combination of several manufacturers) is subsidizing the display - otherwise, why not do the same for HDDVD now?

That is funny. The Walmart manger I spoke with today said they were getting a 61" DLP to set their HD DVD player up with. All within the next week or two...

Just got my shipping confirmation from walmart.com! :D . Can't wait to get this next week! :cool:

Walmart is in the game!!!

Note Walmart is now stacking in the aisle Sanyo 30" HDTV widescreens CRTs with integrated HD tuners at prices so low even I was shocked

Walmart is becoming quite the electronics department store. Now they have everything!

Crazy stuff, the closest location that has the HD-D! in stock to Long Island, NY is upstate NY either Middletown, or Fishkill, Nothing in NYC Nassau, Suffolk, or Westchester

After calling the Fishkill store this morning, I drove upstate, NY from Queens, NY today and got an HD-D1. They had one left this afternnon. I called every store within a 100 mile radius and this was the only location that had one. First time I have ever been in a Walmart...It is a lot like Target.

I ordered mine Sunday from Walmart, ground shipping, and watched Last Samurai last night on it. Unbelievable image on my JVC SX21. Walmart rocks! The black panel is superior. My components when powered off are hidden behind the smoke glass of my component rack.

Note Walmart is now stacking in the aisle Sanyo 30" HDTV widescreens CRTs with integrated HD tuners at prices so low even I was shocked


how low?

how low?

I think they're $279.

Note Walmart is now stacking in the aisle Sanyo 30" HDTV widescreens CRTs with integrated HD tuners at prices so low even I was shocked

from the price you mentioned, I'd have to believe these are the clearance sanyos that they've been clearing out for a year now.

Sanyo was making a 30" set with HDMI and it was going for about 499.99 which was a steal considering the build quality. Supply couldn't keep up with demand and either wal-mart or sanyo was losing too much money. The "replacement" model for this tv is the 28" Sanyo minus the HDMI. I believe that is 499.99.

Is the only difference between the HD-D1 and the HD-A1 the color? What's all of the hype about? The Wal Mart player is no cheaper than the A1. If fact, the HD-A1 can be had for $399!