Funai: no BD player any time soon

[lyris]

I was at the Funai area at IFA about 10 minutes ago, and saw their prototype BD player. It looks far from complete, as it runs off what looks like a PC power supply.

I asked the rep when it'd be coming out and at what price. He said that there's still nothing solid, because it wasn't clear which format would win. I asked him, "So Funai will only jump in when it's clear that one format has won?" - to which he said yes.

Picture attached.

[Subotnik]

That's an interesting design choice.

[Ergoguy34]

Originally Posted by Subotnik

That's an interesting design choice.

Its a PROTOTYPE!!!!!!

[Subotnik]

Originally Posted by Ergoguy34

Its a PROTOTYPE!!!!!!

It still looks pretty cool. Hopefully they stick with it, should they eventually decide to make one.

[Brian Shannon]

"So Funai will only jump in when it's clear that one format has won?" - to which he said yes.

Good call!

[tteich]

Just for those of you who are interested:

The label printed right hand on the wooden stand "Ein Versuchsprodukt" is probably best translated to "early test vehicle". In german there is the word "Prototyp" which they rather would have used in case the model was closer to a market entry.

[GMan4911]

Originally Posted by lyris

"So Funai will only jump in when it's clear that one format has won?" - to which he said yes.

He was actually thinking - "Or when someone gives us a contract..."

[homerx]

They make all the off brands right emerson, durabrand, ILO and such.

I imagine the cost might be too high for their model at this time as well. As most of their players and recorders are under $100. Like $27 for a dvd players which is odd considering I've spend more on a single HD-DVD

[Cole5]

Originally Posted by tteich

Just for those of you who are interested:

The label printed right hand on the wooden stand "Ein Versuchsprodukt" is probably best translated to "early test vehicle". In german there is the word "Prototyp" which they rather would have used in case the model was closer to a market entry.

Thanks!

[metalsaber]

Kind of neat looking. I don't like the long blue light!!!

Wonder what wireless is for?

[MichaelHDDVD]

That is a neat design. It's a bit different after seeing all the black HD DVD and Blu-Ray players.

[sivartk]

the sign that interest me the most is the one to the right...."Wireless Uncompressed HDTV"

What product was that?

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by sivartk

the sign that interest me the most is the one to the right...."Wireless Uncompressed HDTV"

What product was that?

http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/29/a...s-hd-chipsets/

[Evan_H]

No Funai BD player significantly reduces the possibility of seeing low-end BD players at Walmart in the near future.

At least if Daewoo produces their BD player, us Canadians might see a Daytek-branded player at Canadian Costco stores.

[BuGsArEtAsTy]

Kinda fugly, but I sorta like the colour scheme, and it's just "Ein Versuchsprodukt" after all.

It doesn't seem that BD will have a reasonably priced player any time soon though.

However, I guess the good news is that if they do ever release it, it will have to be Profile 1.1.

Originally Posted by Evan_H

At least if Daewoo produces their BD player, us Canadians might see a Daytek-branded player at Canadian Costco stores.

I wonder who makes my Daytek DVD players (purchased at Future Shop). Are they all Daewoo-made? My Dayteks are el cheapo products, but they works fine and have for years. Plus they're region-free-able and do pretty good PAL --> NTSC conversion.

[Ayreon]

That blue bar looks cool on a display unit, but I think I would hate it if I'm in a dark room trying to watch a movie.

[Tarpon]

Originally Posted by homerx

They make all the off brands right emerson, durabrand, ILO and such.

Durabrand and ILO are part of the company that makes the Venturer HD DVD player as are Magnavox, Audiovox, TruTech and Kawasaki.

[bboisvert]

Originally Posted by Ayreon

That blue bar looks cool on a display unit, but I think I would hate it if I'm in a dark room trying to watch a movie.

Yep... I'm thinking that would get a pretty quick "customization" with some black electrical tape.

"Hey, look... it's a racing stripe!"

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by Tarpon

Durabrand and ILO are part of the company that makes the Venturer HD DVD player as are Magnavox, Audiovox, TruTech and Kawasaki.

Alco Electronics

[philnerd]

I was really expecting Funai to show an affordable ($299 maybe?) BD player with an estimated ship date. Instead they've delivered what appears to be a hand made plastic box with a light strip powerd by a PC power supply. This is as useless as the original Venturer "box" that we've been looking at for the last couple of months.

Are they just deploying a decoy and plan to unleash an actual player with prices and ship dates at Cedia or something? Totally serious, I really expected them to have something much farther along.

On the other hand, if Funai is a no-show with an affordable entry level BD player this year, that certainly is something that would have weighed on Paramount's decision to go full bore with HD DVD. I'm quite certain that Paramount was fully aware of both camps' street prices for the holidays before making their final decision. Its starting to look like BD is going to fight HD DVD at roughly double the cost this winter.

[eapleitez]

Kind of looks like the Wii version of a BD player.


With nothing from BD to counter the Venturer player, it's gonna be interesting this holiday season

[jmpage2]

Weren't BD fans pointing to some Funai quarterly statement from earlier this year that said they would have a cheap BD player out by year's end?

Or was that another Chinese/Taiwanese manufacturer?

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by jmpage2

Weren't BD fans pointing to some Funai quarterly statement from earlier this year that said they would have a cheap BD player out by year's end?

Or was that another Chinese/Taiwanese manufacturer?

Nope - it was Funai. But they all forgot the "forward looking" disclaimer at the end of the AR

It is the brick wall of 10/31/07 that is causing all the problems - the Profiles issue.

[MidnightWatcher]

It looks like a cheap plastic HTPC case that was made by Fischer Price.

[BuGsArEtAsTy]

Originally Posted by jmpage2

Weren't BD fans pointing to some Funai quarterly statement from earlier this year that said they would have a cheap BD player out by year's end?

Or was that another Chinese/Taiwanese manufacturer?

Funai was supposed to be the low cost BD saviour, but just FYI, Funai is Japanese.

I truly thought that a $299 MSRP Funai would be announced at CEDIA (or IFA), but that seems like a no go. Even $299 is too expensive IMO, but at least it would have kept BD in the game. With no such player, it's going to be much more difficult for BD to compete for standalone volume sales.

I suppose it's possible there is yet another low cost manufacturer out there that will surprise us with a BD player, but I'm definitely not counting on it.

Originally Posted by Ayreon

That blue bar looks cool on a display unit, but I think I would hate it if I'm in a dark room trying to watch a movie.

Many such products allow you to dim the light in the settings.

[jmpage2]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Nope - it was Funai. But they all forgot the "forward looking" disclaimer at the end of the AR

It is the brick wall of 10/31/07 that is causing all the problems - the Profiles issue.

Quite humerous then that the "BD Savior" with a low cost deck is bowing out and yet the "smoke and mirrors" $149 HD DVD player from China is going to be a real product that will actually be shipping for Q4.

In particular someone should call out that shmuck from Sigma Designs who insisted that a cheap chipset, etc, would allow millions of cheap BD standalones to sell this year.

I hope that clown gets fired. They probably burned some HD DVD bridges with that ass-tastic statement.

[RealEstateWagon]

Isn't this revelation of Funai's BD player just a way to ask consumers what they think of the design of the player? Kind of like when car manufacturers show off creations like Pontiac Aztek etc.

Wouldn't it be more appropriate if they ask the public what profile the player should use? 1.0? 1.1? 2.0? This seems to be more critical, no?

[jmpage2]

Originally Posted by RealEstateWagon

Isn't this revelation of Funai's BD player just a way to ask consumers what they think of the design of the player? Kind of like when car manufacturers show off creations like Pontiac Aztek etc.

Wouldn't it be more appropriate if they ask the public what profile the player should use? 1.0? 1.1? 2.0? This seems to be more critical, no?

The average member of the public doesn't know what a BD profile is or care for that matter.

Now when hyped features from Disney don't play on their BD 1.0 Profile player, then all of a sudden they will care.

[Lee Stewart]

It is a timing issue. A CEM has to be able to announce and bring to market a BD player in 60 days. It takes 4 to 6 months to bring any CE product to market as complicated as a HD player.

ANY BD player announced and streeting after 11.1.07 MUST be 1.1 compliant. So if the "big" BD CEM's can't do it - how will a high volume low feature Asian manufactuer do it?

[Steverhcp02]

Originally Posted by jmpage2

Quite humerous then that the "BD Savior" with a low cost deck is bowing out and yet the "smoke and mirrors" $149 HD DVD player from China is going to be a real product that will actually be shipping for Q4.

In particular someone should call out that shmuck from Sigma Designs who insisted that a cheap chipset, etc, would allow millions of cheap BD standalones to sell this year.

I hope that clown gets fired. They probably burned some HD DVD bridges with that ass-tastic statement.

based on the Euro prices, this is highly unlikely......before we start stating such things as facts lets wait until we get some, eh?