So I went to Fry's today. It is a little out of the way so I don't usually go, Amazon is my primary source of HD DVD movies.

But Fry's is great! In their HDTV section they had so many HD DVD and Blu-Ray players hooked up. Unlike Best Buy they were actually giving HD DVD a chance! They had a HD-XA2 hooked up to a 73" 1080p HDTV, and an HD-A2 hooked up to a 50" 720p HDTV. On the Blu-Ray side they had a PS3 and a Sony Blu-Ray Player (standalone) both hooked up to 60" HDTVs.

Its nice to see a company giving HD DVD a chance. Best Buy has 3 Blu-Ray players playing movies, one HD-A2 is hooked up, but it is never on.

I like Fry's here in WA. I just have to drive so far to get there.

I have bought most of my HD-DVD's there.

Great selection and prices.

no fry's here in Berkeley/oakland except the french kind...

:(

Always buy my HD DVD's there great selection and prices even if they aren't on sale.

easily the best prices on HD DVDs that i've found.

Come to think of it, I HAVE bought the majority of mine there also. From $14.99 on sale to $26.99. (And ZERO from BB)

Little tidbit on Fry's.

I try to buy the Discovery HD DVDs, release date on price sticker passed. Of couse, they won't sell them to me. Not out yet, you know the drill. This time, I got them complimentary (after street date of course). I can't bash 'em again (at least for a while)

Some of the best retail prices on HD DVDs I've seen have been at the store I love to hate.

no fry's here in Berkeley/oakland except the french kind...

:(

...which is odd considering how many are in the Bay Area in general.

I grew up near Stanford, and shopping at the Palo Alto Fry's was a regular weekend affair. The South Bay stores weren't too far away either. :D

Having one near Seattle is great!

hmm... bout Fry's... went their last Friday and asked 1 sales people where the HD-DVD's are. Can you guess what he said and where he directed me?

They said: "Oh, you mean the BluRay DVD's!". "They're over there by the PS3". "Do you have one yet?".
My answer was "No I have an HD-DVD player(Xbox360 add-on)".
They respond: "Oh... but you need a PS3 to play BluRay's!" at which time he gives me a 'duh!' look.
I respond: "BluRay and HD-DVD are two different things", but he responds "well maybe someone over by the BluRays can help you then"

Talk about retailers not been informed. Wonder what they tell other customers and how many people they've burned.

FYI the HD-DVD's are located under 3 shelves of BluRay titles, not categorized even by title, and are located after the magazine rack that's after the PS3 and PS2 stuff on your way the cash registers at the Fry's in Redondo Beach, California. Dont ask anyone that works there. My experience is that 50% of them don't know what the heck they sell there.

edit: They do however have the better prices on HD-DVD's. $15 for NIN concert (weekend sale) 19.99 for most of last years titles, and 29.99 for newest titles. Combos vary but I've seen one (can't remember title) for 29.99 and up to 39.99.

Location Info for Southern California:

Redondo Beach: Very small Fry's (compared to the other 2 I've visited) and very un-informed representatives. Surprising because there are so many of them running around all the time.

City of Industry: A very new Fry's (right off of the 60 FWY just east of the 605 inter-change). Very large with lots of displays. I like this one a lot! HD-DVD's, BluRay's, SD-DVD's all displayed equally. Large game section. Huge computer section. Housewares (fridge's, AC units, microwaves, stoves). I haven't even been all the way to the back of the store yet! Of course the ba-jillion snacks and drinks conviently placed before the cash registers.

Fountain Valley: A large Fry's (not quite as big as Industry) with almost the same number of items as the Industry location. The difference I see in this one is that everywhere you look there is a display with a movie playing, or a radio station blasting, or a TV on, or a game playing. Nice location.

hmm... bout Fry's... went their last Friday and asked 1 sales people where the HD-DVD's are. Can you guess what he said and where he directed me?

They said: "Oh, you mean the BluRay DVD's!". "They're over there by the PS3". "Do you have one yet?".
My answer was "No I have an HD-DVD player(Xbox360 add-on)".
They respond: "Oh... but you need a PS3 to play BluRay's!" at which time he gives me a 'duh!' look.
I respond: "BluRay and HD-DVD are two different things", but he responds "well maybe someone over by the BluRays can help you then"

Talk about retailers not been informed. Wonder what they tell other customers and how many people they've burned.

FYI the HD-DVD's are located under 3 shelves of BluRay titles, not categorized even by title, and are located after the magazine rack that's after the PS3 and PS2 stuff on your way the cash registers at the Fry's in Redondo Beach, California. Dont ask anyone that works there. My experience is that 50% of them don't know what the heck they sell there.

edit: They do however have the better prices on HD-DVD's. $15 for NIN concert (weekend sale) 19.99 for most of last years titles, and 29.99 for newest titles. Combos vary but I've seen one (can't remember title) for 29.99 and up to 39.99.

but I thought HDDVD had the name recognition? seems not entirely so.

I just we we had a Frys in our area. Whenever I go to Phoenix I always visit one...

but I thought HDDVD had the name recognition? seems not entirely so.

They do, just not with people who have an IQ lower than the capacity of a 50 GB BR disc.

I still believe BluRay has better name recognition. HD DVD creates confusion in the general consumer's mind. BluRay is catchy and sounds cool and the name is out there (please don't tell me how it sounds like some star wars weapon or whatever). This is a prime example that a lot of people think BluRay is HD DVD. This is why HD DVD needs to get much more advertising out there to distinguish itself.

I feel the HD-DVD's at the Sunnyvale, CA Fry's are outselling the Blu-Rays because they rarely go on sale. The Blu-Ray's have weekly sales lately. I have bought almost all my HD-DVD's at Fry's (11 of 12).

The Fry's in Dallas definitely has more BluRay discs in stock. I don't know if this means they are just ordering more BluRay or if no one is buying them. It is irritating that BluRay discs go on sale almost weekly and HD DVD almost never does.

Its nice to see a company giving HD DVD a chance. Best Buy has 3 Blu-Ray players playing movies, one HD-A2 is hooked up, but it is never on.
Best Buy's around here haven't got a new HD DVD in stock for quite some time. Don't see any new blus either.

Fry's needs to open a store in SLC.

Just got back from the Fry's in Renton Wa and noticed something "new".
All of the recent (say last 2 months) BD releases are like $27.99 and up!
With a couple of exceptions all non-combo HD DVDs were $19.99.
I was looking for WFI but no joy.
I did however pick up 3 titles.

I work around the corner from this store so I check there often.
Their stock has improved on both sides in the couple weeks since I was there.
But I was kind of surprised to see their pricing on BD because up to now they've been pretty even.

As far as BB, they've been off my list for awhile.
They're just too damn dense to put up with.

I used to go to the original Fry's Sunnyvale? and that Weird Stuff surplus place. I actually like it more than Fry's sometimes. That was great for finding odd old ancient computer/mainframe parts and electronics junk you never knew existed. Even had pre solid state, pre IC stuff like vacuum tubes, punch cards, typesetting machine parts. Everytime I went there I said WTF!!