[donricouga]

 http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=200

Quote:
Low cost electronics manufacturer Funai (who make components for such low costs brands as Sylvania, Emerson, and Magnavox), has revealed in their latest financial report that they plan to launch a Blu-ray player. With 52% of the DVD player/recorder market in the US, it is very likely that a low cost Blu-ray player would be widely adopted, similar to the success Funai continues to have in the DVD market.


No specific player has been announced, nor any time frame, or manufacturer partnerships, but the inclusion of the bullet in their annual financial report alerts stockholders of their intention to move into the Blu-ray market. As a favorite manufacturer of Walmart (who awarded them a Billion Dollar Supplier Prize in 2006), these low cost players would most likely see wide distribution through the retail giant.

Just news to also not discount the possibility of fairly cheap Blu-ray players.

I wouldn't buy one, but probably alot of people might. So discuss

Financial report here. (Pg.12 as it relates to blu-ray)
http://www.funaiworld.com/investors/...df/ks_e554.pdf

 

[hd nOOb]

So i guess it was Chineese Blu - Ray players.

 

[asj2006]



Quote:
Originally Posted by donricouga /forum/post/0

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=200



Just news to also not discount the possibility of fairly cheap Blu-ray players.

I wouldn't buy one, but probably alot of people might. So discuss

Jeez!!!! Big news indeed....


This was my repeated point before...CONTENT sells....HD-DVD cannot just depend on CHEAP players because the cheap manufacturers will go where the money is....Plus, Toshiba and the other HD-DVD players can only go so low in price before it's economically unfeasible for them to do so...unlike Sony, which derives most of its profits from software, Toshiba and the manufacturers make their profits from selling hardware! This means that sooner or later the price of players won't matter in the format war because all the players will have roughly the same price....


Btw, i see the "W" word there, but this time in reference to Blu-ray

 

[DavidHir]

I've said this before, but the MSRP or list price between HD DVD and Blu-ray standalone players is shrinking. It was $500 a year ago - will be $200 this summer - and I'd think by early next year they will be very, very close with both sides having lower priced Chinese players.

 

[edo9125]

Theres one problm though which would you buy. A $300-400 funai, a $200 Toshiba, $150 Microsoft or $150 POS Brand HD DVD like Funai?

 

[donricouga]



Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidHir /forum/post/0


I've said this before, but the MSRP or list price between HD DVD and Blu-ray standalone players is shrinking. It was $500 a year ago - will be $200 this summer - and I'd think by early next year they will be very, very close with both sides having lower priced Chinese players.

When comparing high end players too like the XA2 and the sammy BD-P1200 there is around a $100 price difference on amazon.


Sammy = $658.87

XA2 = $566.48


So the argument of "well, HD-DVD players are cheaper !" going to be less of a factor in time because i believe people are willing to pay a bit more to get a heck of alot more movies in HD.

 

[Big J]

That's rather ambiguous.

Let me know when there's something concrete.

J

 

[JE3146]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Big J /forum/post/0


That's rather ambiguous.

Let me know when there's something concrete.

J

Are you referring to a google translated premature press release?

 

[donricouga]

Sorry, OP updated to show a PDF of their financial reports

 

[SyHD]



Quote:
Originally Posted by edo9125 /forum/post/0


Theres one problm though which would you buy. A $300-400 funai, a $200 Toshiba, $150 Microsoft or $150 POS Brand HD DVD like Funai?

Please use MRSP prices if you want to compare. Don't compare Funai with Microsoft ...I I know Funai players won't get the red ring of death.

 

[JE3146]

Just got done with both PDF's.


Huge news. I'll definately be buying a 2nd player for the bedroom.

 

[kadeeu]

Two questions:


-Why would they say "Blu-ray type player" rather than just "Blu-ray player"


-Has Sony announced the licensing of Blu-ray technology to Chinese manufacturers?

 

[Bailey151]



Quote:
-Has Sony announced the licensing of Blu-ray technology to Chinese manufacturers?

That would be my question - the BDA has been loathe to take this path so far, changed?


Be good for the consumer should it be true...........though I wonder what the current CE's will do with those $500 bricks they've just announced?

 

[asj2006]



Quote:
Originally Posted by JE3146 /forum/post/0


Are you referring to a google translated premature press release?

It's a financial report, so it's much more credible.

 

[donricouga]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kadeeu /forum/post/0


Two questions:


-Why would they say "Blu-ray type player" rather than just "Blu-ray player"


-Has Sony announced the licensing of Blu-ray technology to Chinese manufacturers?

Pg.13 says "Blu-ray Player". Probably just a typo.


As to your other question, I don't know.

 

[JuKo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kadeeu /forum/post/0


Two questions:


-Why would they say "Blu-ray type player" rather than just "Blu-ray player"


-Has Sony announced the licensing of Blu-ray technology to Chinese manufacturers?

They also say clearly

Quote:
Further enhancement of sales in LCD TV and DVDs and launching of Blu-ray player and digital STB

All this information comes from their English financial press release.

Funai is Japanese, not Chinese. They are currently the manufacturer of cheap DVD players for WalMart and they have 52% of all US DVD player market.

Quotes from Wikipedia:

Quote:
Funai is currently the main supplier of TVs and DVD players to Wal-Mart stores

Quote:
In fact, sales to Wal-Mart now account for 30% of the company's net income

 

[obispo21]

Just wanted to point out that Funai is a Japanese (not Chinese) company.


Edit: Oops - JuKo beat me to it.

 

[Big J]

OK, I just reread both links.

Its still vague, more promises.

Let me know when something actually happens.

J

 

[Grubert]



 

[donricouga]

Thanks for the jpg's grubert