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Sony DHG-HDD250/500: Official Thread - Page 103

post #3061 of 28406
2/6/06 at 12:23am
I'm guessing Tweeter knows something from Sony we don't know about which would make these units not be sold even at $250 in a couple months time.
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post #3062 of 28406
2/6/06 at 12:38am
Don't really want to be negative, but Im really beginning to fear you may be right. There's gotta be some kind of catch. I hate to say it, but there always is. But I'd rather be stuck with a $249 doorstop than the $699 I paid. Gulp.
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post #3063 of 28406
2/6/06 at 4:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by videojanitor View Post

Jeez, I'm starting to feel like a real dolt for paying $499 for a HDD250 last weekend. I thought that was a good deal at the time ...

I wouldn't worry about it...I'm sure you'll be able to eBay it for at least 75% of that eventually.
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post #3064 of 28406
2/6/06 at 6:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Fontana View Post

$249 is an amazing price for an HDD500... even if you don't want the DVR, the two 250 GB hard drives alone are worth about that much!


Yes, and also the ATSC tuner is worth about $200.
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post #3065 of 28406
2/6/06 at 6:44am
Bottom line on these is this -- If you keep them, they'll likely continue to record HD just fine. If you keep them, and get a dual tuner TiVo HD unit, you will have three HD recorders. If you decide to sell it, you should be able to recoup at least half your cost.
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post #3066 of 28406
2/6/06 at 6:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by alaindelon View Post

There seems to be a lot of 500's dumped on the market very recently.The prices right now on E-Bay are LOWER on average for the 500 than for the 250 with several wholesalers offering multiple units for sale with one having NIB 500 for $499 buy it now +$30 ship.

The ebay effect may be because of recent purchases from Tweeter.
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post #3067 of 28406
2/6/06 at 7:13am
What does the USB port on the back of the box do? I've got a Sony HD300 satellite reciever that has a data port for use with "some personal recording devices". Has anyone tried connecting these two ports up? Anyone?...Anyone?...Beuller?...Beuller?

Wolfie
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post #3068 of 28406
2/6/06 at 7:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Fontana View Post

$249 is an amazing price for an HDD500... even if you don't want the DVR, the two 250 GB hard drives alone are worth about that much!

is it possible to take one of the hard drives out and convert an HDD500 into an HDD250 and a PC with an additional 250GB space?
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post #3069 of 28406
2/6/06 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray1938 View Post

I had the same thought regarding the cost of the two hard drives so $249 has got to be below Sony's cost, and obviously below Tweeter's. I think it has to be a pricing error at the central office, and just flowed down to individual stores. Also, it is illogical for anyone to sell the 500 for less than the 250.

Ray, are you getting guide data? I'm on my third unit. My second worked perfectly but I returned it and took advantage of the $249 deal at Tweeter. I did get clock data last night so I can use it manually, but that's it. No channel line-up or program data. It makes me wonder if some units receive data better than others. I did the 9012 G* test and got Pass on first three including VBI test. I got Fail on Serial and last item. Thanks

Edit: I called Sony and was told in the 9012 Dianostics the SNR should be 16.0 or higher. So I'll check that tonight.
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post #3070 of 28406
2/6/06 at 9:02am
Thanks AtlantsMichael and AndyDreww! I just purchased one from Tweeters for $249 . There were still three left, one was being held for someone that called earlier. I already had two but at this price I could not pass up this deal. Thanks again!. Now to find an HDTV for the bedroom.
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post #3071 of 28406
2/6/06 at 9:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by avnstf View Post

I actually called mission valley, and they said they were fresh out, and when I asked about other stores, he said there were no units left in the area...

Sorry... seems like you may have missed the deal...
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post #3072 of 28406
2/6/06 at 10:23am
Thank you forum!!!

I just got back from returning my HDD250 at Best Buy and purchasing a HDD500 at Tweeter. (Thanks to the forum I bought the HDD250 on Jan 7th at the great price of $499.99) I had it for a month and it it worked great. (OTA and basic cable, no CC for digital)

I have now purchased and installed the HDD500 for $249.00! (Waiting for the guide to fill in tonight.) I even had a $25 discount coupon that they applied to the purchase to bring the price down to $224.00.

When I walked into Tweeter the HDD500 was displayed on the shelf with the $699 price. The salesman that I spoke with was not aware of the price reduction. I asked him to check the computer, and there it was. Here's the kicker; while the purchase was being rung-up the manager told me that the reason for the drastic drop is the fact that these units are not compatable with Comcast Cable Cards. He wanted to make sure I was not using Comcast. According to him, Sony actually has this notice on their website now. Tweeter has worked out some kind of deal with Sony in order to offer these units at this price.
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post #3073 of 28406
2/6/06 at 10:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisS5 View Post

Tweeter has worked out some kind of deal with Sony in order to offer these units at this price.

I think the word is 'clear out' I am sure Tweeter is getting some concessions back from Sony to allow them to reduce the price to a level that will allow Tweeter to clear out their remaining inventory.
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post #3074 of 28406
2/6/06 at 11:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisS5 View Post

Here's the kicker; while the purchase was being rung-up the manager told me that the reason for the drastic drop is the fact that these units are not compatable with Comcast Cable Cards. He wanted to make sure I was not using Comcast. According to him, Sony actually has this notice on their website now.

Hmmm...

I don't see anything on the Sony support website about this, and I thought that there were plenty of people using Comcast cablecards here that were doing OK...
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post #3075 of 28406
2/6/06 at 11:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisS5 View Post

Thank you forum!!!

I just got back from returning my HDD250 at Best Buy and purchasing a HDD500 at Tweeter. (Thanks to the forum I bought the HDD250 on Jan 7th at the great price of $499.99) I had it for a month and it it worked great. (OTA and basic cable, no CC for digital)

I have now purchased and installed the HDD500 for $249.00! (Waiting for the guide to fill in tonight.) I even had a $25 discount coupon that they applied to the purchase to bring the price down to $224.00.

When I walked into Tweeter the HDD500 was displayed on the shelf with the $699 price. The salesman that I spoke with was not aware of the price reduction. I asked him to check the computer, and there it was. Here's the kicker; while the purchase was being rung-up the manager told me that the reason for the drastic drop is the fact that these units are not compatable with Comcast Cable Cards. He wanted to make sure I was not using Comcast. According to him, Sony actually has this notice on their website now. Tweeter has worked out some kind of deal with Sony in order to offer these units at this price.

Is that completely true? Hasn't anyone gotten a Comcast cable card to work with it? I wonder if he was just referring to the passing of the guide data with the CC. Because I can easily get around that with an indoor antenna which picks up all the cable channel's data from my OTA host channel.
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post #3076 of 28406
2/6/06 at 11:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by srnile View Post

Ray, are you getting guide data? I'm on my third unit. My second worked perfectly but I returned it and took advantage of the $249 deal at Tweeter. I did get clock data last night so I can use it manually, but that's it. No channel line-up or program data. It makes me wonder if some units receive data better than others. I did the 9012 G* test and got Pass on first three including VBI test. I got Fail on Serial and last item. Thanks

Edit: I called Sony and was told in the 9012 Dianostics the SNR should be 16.0 or higher. So I'll check that tonight.

I have guide data. Last night I set recordings for tonight and tomorrow night.
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post #3077 of 28406
2/6/06 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisS5 View Post

I have now purchased and installed the HDD500 for $249.00! (Waiting for the guide to fill in tonight.) I even had a $25 discount coupon that they applied to the purchase to bring the price down to $224.00.

I wonder what store you got your unit at? (I have an old friend in Naperville, and if there were still a unit convenient to him, maybe he'd buy me one and ship it to me!)

Thanks - Tony
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post #3078 of 28406
2/6/06 at 12:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Is that completely true? Hasn't anyone gotten a Comcast cable card to work with it? I wonder if he was just referring to the passing of the guide data with the CC. Because I can easily get around that with an indoor antenna which picks up all the cable channel's data from my OTA host channel.

Not likely. Salespeople like to tell tall tales. They weren't selling so they are clearing them out. It's as simple as that. They did the same thing with the Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U decks last year.
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post #3079 of 28406
2/6/06 at 1:04pm
i use the 250 with a comcast cc, and have had no problems at all.
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post #3080 of 28406
2/6/06 at 1:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rammitinski View Post

Is that completely true? Hasn't anyone gotten a Comcast cable card to work with it? I wonder if he was just referring to the passing of the guide data with the CC. Because I can easily get around that with an indoor antenna which picks up all the cable channel's data from my OTA host channel.

I have had a cable card from day one and I have had no problem with the passing of the guide data. I am not sure what he means.
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post #3081 of 28406
2/6/06 at 1:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by andydrew View Post

I think the word is 'clear out' I am sure Tweeter is getting some concessions back from Sony to allow them to reduce the price to a level that will allow Tweeter to clear out their remaining inventory.

The manager at my HiFi(Tweeter) told me too that Sony was lowering the cost of HDD500s to them so they could clear them out. I wonder if Sony is doing it to other retailers/wholesalers. But the facts on the ground don't seem to make sense with that approach. I ran into a Sony rep in charge of stocking up HDD250s at BestBuy this weekend. He said the HDD250 at BBs were selling like hot cakes. And he said he couldn't imagine Sony discontinuing the model without some new replacement. But if all this is true how does Sony expect BBs, CCs, Fryes and Tweeters to sell HDD250s well at $499 while the HDD500s are being put on firesale prices?
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post #3082 of 28406
2/6/06 at 2:14pm
just called the 3 tweeters in my zip and only have an open box so going to go get it. bought a open box that was new at BB last week for 349 and it is working great. As soon as I plugged in I had the correct time. Was around 11:30 at night. tried 3 different zip codes before finally choosing a Frisco Stonebriar. I think I have all channels scanned correctly. Will have to see if INHD 2 is one of them. So if i can get the 500 model for 249 I may take the smaller one back. I have 3 dual dvrs from comcast and I get to use 2 so maybe I can return at least one of them.
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post #3083 of 28406
2/6/06 at 2:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimatAtL View Post

I ran into a Sony rep in charge of stocking up HDD250s at BestBuy this weekend. He said the HDD250 at BBs were selling like hot cakes. And he said he couldn't imagine Sony discontinuing the model without some new replacement.

I haven't followed this too closely, but I was under the impression that both the 250 and 500 have already been discontinued. If you look on a reputable site such as Crutchfield.com, they say that it is "no longer available." I found one at a local Best Buy, but that's the only one I've seen recently. It has disappeared from the shelves of all other stores. If they're not discontinued, I would guess that the time is close ...
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post #3084 of 28406
2/6/06 at 2:21pm
You lucky guys with Tweeters near buy are killing the ones who live where there are no tweeters. So, we ask all of you that bought a 500 for $249 to be in charge of watching the internet for the lowest prices around and report it ASAP! Least you can do for us poor souls you contribute so much and ask for so little.
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post #3085 of 28406
2/6/06 at 2:54pm
$249.00 for an HDD500 - Amazing price, I paid well more for that for my HDD250 four months ago. I noticed quite a few e-bay listings today for hdd500's at a lower price than the hdd250's. And oddly enough the majority seem to be from areas where Tweeter's stores are located!!!! Hmmmm - can't help but wonder if there is any correlation. Don't have a Tweeter's in Albuquerque!!!
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post #3086 of 28406
2/6/06 at 3:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bsather View Post

I wouldn't have been able to drive to the Tweeter store closest to me due to other commitments, but I called and got the $249 price with $12 shipping.

I just tried calling Tweeters and they said they have them listed at $699 still with no plans to drop the price. Where exactly did you call??
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post #3087 of 28406
2/6/06 at 3:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisS5 View Post

Here's the kicker; while the purchase was being rung-up the manager told me that the reason for the drastic drop is the fact that these units are not compatable with Comcast Cable Cards. He wanted to make sure I was not using Comcast. According to him, Sony actually has this notice on their website now.


Quote:
Originally Posted by spiff72 View Post

Hmmm...

I don't see anything on the Sony support website about this, and I thought that there were plenty of people using Comcast cablecards here that were doing OK...


I thought that it was strange myself. Just reporting what I was told...
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post #3088 of 28406
2/6/06 at 3:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by avnstf View Post

I wonder what store you got your unit at? (I have an old friend in Naperville, and if there were still a unit convenient to him, maybe he'd buy me one and ship it to me!)

I purchased it from the Fox Valley store. They had one demo left. (The one on the shelf. Has not seen a bit of use.)
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post #3089 of 28406
2/6/06 at 3:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray1938 View Post

I have guide data. Last night I set recordings for tonight and tomorrow night.

Thanks, I just needed to be patient. I was a little paranoid because I was only able to get a floor model at Tweeters. I now have all the channels and the program data.

My "SNR" varies but averages about 20.0. I guess this may change depending on the weather, but it's a bit over the 16.0 minimum.


Thank you AlantsMicheal !!! Awsome deal

I returned the 250 yesterday in the Westwood, CA Bestbuy. Near UCLA. They asked why. I told them about the $249 Tweeter deal. He said they were reducing the price to $349 or $249 for the one I returned. If anyone is interested. It has all the cables, remote, everything.
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post #3090 of 28406
2/6/06 at 4:03pm
I got two for $250 each! Time to mess with them.
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