Will there be a need for normal DVD player one HD-DVD players or Blue ray become cheap?

Yes. Many people who frequent the DVD player forum are looking for a $100 player and there will be no HD player at $100 in two years. In addition, if the format war continues, there will still be a lot of people sticking to SD DVD.

VHS is still around and many people are still asking what device to use to playback their VHS recordings well so that they can record to another media type. I have a feeling that standard DVD players (including this forum) will be around longer than 2 years.

When prices for those hi-def units start falling to the point that can compete with sd dvd players, manufacturers will stop making sd dvds to streamline production and reduce total costs. The hd units are also more versatile since they play either format. Maybe not in 2 yrs, maybe 4, but eventually, it will happen.

I will never buy a high-definition DVD player.

Then again, I've never bought a standard definition DVD player.

IMHO, most folks are dramatically overestimating the acceptance of high-definition disks.

If 2 formats persist, "all format" players will be the ultimate end-game. Some may even throw in hi-rez audio. Then there will be a need for only one forum for DVD players. SD-DVDs will be around for a long long time.

larry

I agree with the consensus here that SD DVDs will be around a long time. I have a bet with myself that neither HD DVD or Blu-ray will find mass acceptance. I'm betting they will both (if both survive) end up on the order of Laserdisc in terms of market popularity.

The wildcard is video on demand.

In the latest HT mag issue, something like it will take until 2012 for 50% penetration of HD players, and even by 2015, they say 1/3 of all releases/hardware (?) will still be DVD.