[MohaimenK]

I am impressed that Toshiba is taking charge and advancing their marketting but I would really like to see something that would get them instant 12 million HD DVD players to consumers. Instead of trying to give away free HD DVDs, I propose that they should parner with Microsoft and give a free HD DVD drive to all the 360 owners. That'd definely beat the Sony PS3's high number of HD players out there. That'd definely raise many eyebrows and not just by consumers but also by every single studios. Even Sony (although, they wouldn't really join or be the last to join). Toshiba should really look at what's killing the format, which is the PS3 and go against that first rather than to just worry about getting cheaper players out because HD DVD players are already seling more than all blu-ray players combined.

Well, that is my proposal to Toshiba/Microsoft. I know and we all know that would work very well and get multi-million hd dvd players out in the market within a very short time. Thank you

 

[Necropolis]

You know things are desperate when you have to start giving out players for free.

 

[MohaimenK]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Necropolis /forum/post/12882120


You know things are desperate when you have to start giving out players for free.

Very true but do you honestly think studios will care if the players are free or bought? Also, do you honestly think consumers will say "no thanks, O don't want you to give me a free hd dvd player"?

 

[euchreprof]

I like this idea.

 

[LostInPa]

I am just wondering what % of people that buy 360s and PS3s look at it as a player. I know a few people that them and a movie disc never made it close to the disc bay in those things. So that would be great for 360 owners but Toshiba may not get any real kickback from the deal.

 

[guitarplayer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by LostInPa /forum/post/12882286


I am just wondering what % of people that buy 360s and PS3s look at it as a player. I know a few people that them and a movie disc never made it close to the disc bay in those things. So that would be great for 360 owners but Toshiba may not get any real kickback from the deal.

On one hand I want to disagree with you, however, when you add in the fact that the 360 didn't force you to take an HDM drive of some sort in the first place (unlike the PS3), I think your point may very well be valid. Still, it would definitely tip the scales in favor of HD-DVD, no doubt about it.

 

[Necropolis]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MohaimenK /forum/post/12882129


Very true but do you honestly think studios will care if the players are free or bought? Also, do you honestly think consumers will say "no thanks, O don't want you to give me a free hd dvd player"?

Of course people would take it if it was free, but aren't Toshiba in the business to make money off these things? If they're giving out tens of millions of free hd-dvd players, can they ever make back a profit from it?

 

[MohaimenK]

Of course they can. Think about it. 7 to 10 free movies at average of $25 retail is more expensive than the HD DVD drive itself. On top of that, they have also lowered the prices for players. Even if you look at the price of making the disks or the drive, it's a lot cheaper. I also thought Toshiba made those drives themselves for Microsoft? If they don't, then they should. HD DVD player itself is cheaper than an external drive so we know Toshiba can drop the price alot more. If toshiba gave away 10 million HD DVD drives, in retail price they'd be $1.8 billion but in reality, it's not as much if you only count that amount just for manufacturing which could lower that # by half or even 3/4. Even if toshiba gave way 10 million A3s that'd end the war right away. I guarantee you Toshiba will not lose that much $$ giving away either the A3 (WITHOUT THE 5 FREE HD DVD OFFER) or the 360 external drive.


Also, I believe both formats are worried about the future than present. They want that exclusivity and if HD DVD becomes the format, then guaranteed that Toshiba will walk away with more than $10 billion for the next decade. Also, as much as Toshiba wants the future, they're willing to give a way something to get there. But BDA is being very stubborn and will not help by lowering the price.

 

[misfit410]

What they need to do is get more storage space on the next generation of Toshiba players and enable them to have Xbox Live Marketplace videos available, the Xbox 360's HD downloads have support from ALL of the studios from what I can tell, this would fill in the gaps and be a loophole to make HD-DVD players have all of the studios watchable in HD.

 

[Dying Atheist]

They need to ship trailer discs in the press (a DVD9 encoded as a HD DVD, for example). This should have been done early on, put on the new blue laser format discs in peoples hands (include them on the front of film magazines, maybe) and it will peak peoples curiosity!

 

[jwv651]

Where is Microsoft????????

$179 for the add on is waaaaay to high. Should be no more than $79 at this point in time. Has Microsoft given up on HD DVD????? They were NO help in the last quarter of 2007! Really

where they stand now!

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Sorry OP...never going to happen. Even if it did, the software just isn't there anymore.

 

[MovieSwede]

Well push the addon as low as possible, but not for free.


If you dont even want to pay 25$ for the drive, you wouldnt want to pay 20-25$ for a movie.


But they have to wait until the end of the month before they do a deal, because of the 5 movie deal.

 

[dcrum]

Free won't work - reduces percieved value.


$79 would work. Anybody who can afford an x-box and wants HD can afford $79. There are many that have an x-box that would not need the add on even if it was free (they may already have a stand alone etc.).


I would even buy one for $79 to put in my computer- even though I don't have an x-box and do have a stand alone.

 

[trojanwr21]

At this point, Toshiba is just using reactive strategies. I wrote/replied to some posts back in October when I first bought my A35 that the one thing I noticed was poor advertising on Toshiba's end to let the consumers know what HD DVD is while I saw an onslaught of Blu-ray advertising. Amongst my friends, they knew what blu-ray was but didn't know squat about HD DVD until I told them and they aren't even into HDM. I can't agree that the perceived value goes down because people want to buy an affordable product, it's only a perceived value when you have the money to buy it...such as having a $700 budget, do you get the sub $100 player or do you buy the $500 player that gives you more options? However, what Gordon posted above is right, the software just isn't there anymore. The only entity that you can blame is Toshiba, they weren't agressive enough and this is the end result.

 

[efjay]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jwv651 /forum/post/12882874


Where is Microsoft????????

$179 for the add on is waaaaay to high. Should be no more than $79 at this point in time. Has Microsoft given up on HD DVD????? They were NO help in the last quarter of 2007! Really

where they stand now!

MS doesnt care one jot about HD DVD, clearly evident from their current inactivity. Toshiba is best served by going it alone, as demonstrated by Warner, todays friends are tomorrows back-stabbers.

 

[omeaga66]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Necropolis /forum/post/12882120


You know things are desperate when you have to start giving out players for free.

That has been sony's strategy with the PS3 and has worked quite well.

 

[omeaga66]

Microsoft's add on was great value in Nov. 2006 but you are right now they could do alot more to help hd dvd now. Their add on retails for more than the A3.

 

[1jzgte]

they may as well sell them cheap now..


if HD DVD fails then what's the point of having all those ADD ON players in stock amirite?

 

[omeaga66]



Quote:
Originally Posted by 1jzgte /forum/post/12884370


they may as well sell them cheap now..


if HD DVD fails then what's the point of having all those ADD ON players in stock amirite?

The key word is if, alot of the time consumers decide the format or successful rather than companies. I am using the fact some say the warner decision killed hd dvd. If consumers still buy it , it isn't dead.