[efranzen]

When will Blu-ray players drop in price to become a mainstream product?


Glasgow: If you go back to when DVDs came into play, it took about three years until they got into price points of $299 to $399. I suspect it's about the same thing here with Blu-ray. I think it's going to take up to three years to get down to those price points, possibly a little longer. But I would assume it's similar to DVD.


We have some control over (the cost of the) components. There are a lot of components in that product. Once you get volumes up, you get yields up, and you get efficiencies up; the prices go down on the components.


http://news.com.com/Sonys+brave+Sir+...3-6150661.html

 

[hmurchison]

That won't work at all. They need to be at 299 in 18 months and 399 by years end.

 

[kjtatum]

Is the HD DVD planning a $299 stand alone within 18 months? All I see are $499. I'm not baiting, I just didn't remember it being announced. I'm thinking a stand-alone might be better than the 360 add-on if I go HD DVD.


I don't think that's unreasonable based on what I remember about DVD pricing.

 

[Chris_TC]

Some of the Chinese players are bound to be quite a bit cheaper than the Toshiba.

 

[eightninesuited]



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


Some of the Chinese players are bound to be quite a bit cheaper than the Toshiba.

Given the lack of quality control on Toshiba players so far, these should be just dandy. Toshiba needs better software than cheaper hardware.

 

[stockmonkey2000]

Im pretty picky about this stuff, as I assume that most people on this forum are, and I am very pleased with the Toshiba A1. The issues that various toshiba players have will be of little concern to most people that would be buying a $200 Chinese player. Crushed Blacks and things like that are going to have little meaning to these people.

 

[tranzparentl]

I think there will certainly be $299-399 HD DVD players by the end of 2007. Especially if Microsoft can get their player to market. The Onkyo player probably won't sell for more than $399.

 

[Snickering Hound]



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


Is the HD DVD planning a $299 stand alone within 18 months? All I see are $499. I'm not baiting, I just didn't remember it being announced. I'm thinking a stand-alone might be better than the 360 add-on if I go HD DVD.


I don't think that's unreasonable based on what I remember about DVD pricing.

Best Buy and other retailers sell out the Toshiba as fast as they get them in for $499. You can get them for under $400 online.

 

[dialog_gvf]

I doubt Stringer was talking about any company other than Sony.


If Sony will have players $299 to $399 in 36 months, what about Samsung, LG, or a Chinese company?


Sammy right now has $799 to counter a Sony $999. Do you expect Sony to drop below Sammy offerings?


Gary

 

[dialog_gvf]



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


I think there will certainly be $299-399 HD DVD players by the end of 2007. Especially if Microsoft can get their player to market. The Onkyo player probably won't sell for more than $399.

I suspect $349 for the Chinese, and $399 for Toshiba, by the fall. Assuming Toshiba doesn't let the MS design have the low end.


Gary

 

[Jarod M]



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


Glasgow: If you go back to when DVDs came into play, it took about three years until they got into price points of $299 to $399. I suspect it's about the same thing here with Blu-ray. I think it's going to take up to three years to get down to those price points, possibly a little longer. But I would assume it's similar to DVD.

I don't know about the Sony DVD players, but I bought my Panasonic A110 2nd generation player for $399 in April of 1998-one year after the DVD format debuted.

 

[darinp2]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Snickering Hound /forum/post/0


Best Buy and other retailers sell out the Toshiba as fast as they get them in for $499. You can get them for under $400 online.

I have checked in store pickup on bestbuy.com maybe 5 times in the last week and every time there have been at least 5 stores listed locally where I could just go get one. I went in one and could have bought the one they had. A couple days later my friend reported that they had 3 in stock. Then a Walmart he went to had the HD-A2W in stock. This is in the Seattle area. I have checked the amazon site quite a few over the last couple of weeks and I don't think I've seen them sold out on there even once.


As far as the subject here, I think the Blu-ray camp needs to move much quicker that Stringer stated.


--Darin

 

[briankmonkey]



Quote:
Originally Posted by stockmonkey2000 /forum/post/0


Im pretty picky about this stuff, as I assume that most people on this forum are, and I am very pleased with the Toshiba A1. The issues that various toshiba players have will be of little concern to most people that would be buying a $200 Chinese player. Crushed Blacks and things like that are going to have little meaning to these people.

I don't know, have you seen how many are up for sale here?! As well as tons of threads of complaints.



on topic: I do think prices need to drop much faster for the general public.

 

[Dixie Ruptin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Snickering Hound /forum/post/0


Best Buy and other retailers sell out the Toshiba as fast as they get them in for $499. You can get them for under $400 online.

the best buys around me all have exactly 2 of these units, and they've had them for a while (i can tell by the dust on them). they don't move off shelves, although they are hidden in a back corner of the AV section so they don't exactly get a lot of attention.


the sony and samsung blu-ray players are also usually in stock, but that seems to be due to restock, they seem to sell a couple a week. they might be out for a day or two but quickly get new ones in to sell. it doesnt hurt that these units both have sexy endcaps and lots of promotion.

 

[efranzen]



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


I don't know, have you seen how many are up for sale here?!

Did you even bother to read all of the A1 for sale posts? They are selling them because they upgraded to the A2.

 

[Mark0]

This is not good news for blu-ray.

I bought my HD DVD player for $364 almost 6 months ago. HD DVD players will hit the $300 price point by this summer (Amazon, and other online sellers), and $200 in less than 18 months.

 

[Dixie Ruptin]

Blu-ray is already at 499. this year it will hit 399, in 18 months probably 299 or less.


HD-dvd will probably not hit 200 for at least 2 years (about the time blu-ray does too), but by then it won't matter, as the format will be dead due to lack of content.

 

[Deja Vu]

I can walk into any FS or BB where I am and walk out with a least a dozen Samsung BD players and leave lots for everyone else. They've slashed the price and they're not selling! Both these formats have a tough row to hoe, but price does matter and whoever gets to that impulse buying price first is going to make a big dent. I'll put my money on HD DVD - if it gets a player out for $199.00 its going to sell an awfull lot very quickly.


Cheers,


Grant

 

[BuGsArEtAsTy]

I am convinced there will be an HD DVD player at $399 in 2007, especially since a few people have already gotten the Toshiba HD-A2 new for that price (including 3 free movies).

Robert was selling it for $449, but IIRC, that was with 2 extra free movies (on top of the 3 free ones from Toshiba) and free shipping.


I'm not as convinced about $299 for HD DVD in 2007, but I do think it's possible, and basically guaranteed for 2008. $299 in 2010 for Blu-ray would be a total disaster for Blu-ray.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarod M /forum/post/0


I don't know about the Sony DVD players, but I bought my Panasonic A110 2nd generation player for $399 in April of 1998-one year after the DVD format debuted.

I got my RCA 5200P (A100 rebadge) in Feb. 1998 for $299, and that's with a free copy of Dances With Wolves. (The only way you could buy that DVD at the time was to buy an RCA player actually, since the movie hadn't been released yet.)

 

[Dixie Ruptin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Deja Vu /forum/post/0


I can walk into any FS or BB where I am and walk out with a least a dozen Samsung BD players and leave lots for everyone else.

best buy doesnt stock more than 3-4 samsung players at a time, so much for your credibility