Sony drops $100 from price of new Blu-ray player

Sony drops $100 from price of new Blu-ray player
Sony Corp. had a pleasant and welcome surprise for anybody who was waiting for its BDP-S300 player, announced back in February, to become available with a price tag of $599. Sony announced today that the Blu-ray player will cost $100 less, retailing for $499 instead. That figure is half of what the company's first Blu-ray player was priced at just six months ago.

The new player has essentially the same capabilities as the older BDP-S1 but is smaller. Sony cited lower production costs and growing demand for Blu-ray disc products for the surprise price cut. On the other side of the battlefield, Toshiba is now selling a HD DVD player for less than $300, about 14 months after Toshiba's first player hit stores in the United States.



Neither format has caught on strong enough to have a "definite" advantage over the other in the market, but declining prices combined with the growing number of homes equipped with a HDTV set could set the stage for a big showdown as earlier as the 2007 holiday season.

Source:
Yahoo (AP)

Written by: James Delahunty @ 4 Jun 2007 19:23
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  • 22 comments

  • borhan9

    It is so true that price is going to decide the new HD DVD format war.

    4.6.2007 23:48 #1

  • tomino

    how about drops $100 from PS3?

    5.6.2007 00:35 #2

  • hughjars

    I wonder where all the claims about 'desperation' or 'clearance sale' are now, eh?

    This Sony isn't even fully compliant with the BD 'profile 1.1' that is supposed to be mandatory from Oct - new model after Oct? - no-one is saying for certain, we just get a vague 'it might be with future firmware upgrades'.

    .....and $499?
    Well they're getting better but it's still not very good value when set against the HD DVD competition.

    Right now the 720p/1080i (which, seeing as most people with an HD TV have 720p/1080i HD TVs, is all they need) Toshiba HD A2 which is currently available at Amazon USA for $250 with 7 freebie HD DVD movies
    or you could buy the
    1080p (if you're one of those who insist that 1080p is the most important thing ever) Toshiba HD A20 which is currently available through Amazon USA for $309 with 7 freebie HD DVD movies.

    No wonder Sony reacted but their 'entry level' BD player is still double the price of the entry level HD DVD player.

    All the way through BD pricing is always significantly higher than HD DVD's pricing for a quality level that is (at best) exactly the same - and with many BD titles omitting things like the new sound standards (or giving poor image quality by using an ancient MPEG2 codec) HD DVD is regularly the best option to buy when given the choice.

    5.6.2007 03:02 #3

  • NexGen76

    Great looks like the prices are coming down fast plus this would go great with my collection off BD exclusives i have, that can't be found on HD-DVD.LOL

    5.6.2007 04:08 #4

  • spydah

    Keep them prices dropping. The more it drops the better it looks. This is kinda like Coke vs Pepsi with this format war. Except whom ever prices are better format looks better to me lol.

    5.6.2007 04:33 #5

  • mspurloc

    It's a PLAYER. The prices on these things, for both HD DVD and Blu-ray, are ridiculously inflated. The only core components different from SD players out there are worth about $100 in the market and cost Sony maybe, MAYBE, $50 more. The Toshiba sounds like it's worth a look, but it's hard to get excited about $499 PLAYER. Besides, I'm still not willing to invest until the format issue is settled or until I have the supporting equipment, which is also overpriced. So meh.

    5.6.2007 04:58 #6

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by NexGen76:would go great with my collection off BD exclusives i have, that can't be found on HD-DVD.LOL - You're on a site like this one & you still want to talk about 'exclusive' movie formats as if they really have much meaning to us here?

    Wow.

    Just about every BD & HD DVD release made yet is out there to d/l either as a straight rip or an encode on DVD5 or DVD9.

    Right now that catalogue of BD 'exclusive' studios/titles really couldn't be more meaningless.

    5.6.2007 06:23 #7

  • SProdigy

    You said it Hugh, I can just stream my HD-DVD/BD rips to my 360 or PC connected to my HDTV. No point in getting a player at this time.

    5.6.2007 07:20 #8

  • NexGen76

    Quote:Originally posted by NexGen76:would go great with my collection off BD exclusives i have, that can't be found on HD-DVD.LOL - You're on a site like this one & you still want to talk about 'exclusive' movie formats as if they really have much meaning to us here?

    Wow.

    Just about every BD & HD DVD release made yet is out there to d/l either as a straight rip or an encode on DVD5 or DVD9.

    Right now that catalogue of BD 'exclusive' studios/titles really couldn't be more meaningless.
    When are you going to get back on topic here.You talking about piracy I'm talking about BD exclusives that you cant get on HD-DVD Etc....ghost rider,Pirates of the Caribbean 1,2.Spiderman which is the highest grossing Movie right now you now going to be able to get this on HD-DVD it sucks balls but its a format war.

    5.6.2007 11:03 #9

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by NexGen76: When are you going to get back on topic here. - Jayzuss wept, that's so utterly shameless, as well as rich.

    You're the one who shifted off topic to try & take a swift dig over so-called 'format exclusivity' and what is or is not available on HD DVD.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:You talking about piracy - Actually I'm talking about how meaningless your crowing about this 'BD exclusivity' is
    (particularly to the clientel of a site like this who are by and large bound to be au fait with what is out there on download).

    Originally posted by NexGen76: I'm talking about BD exclusives that you cant get on HD-DVD - ......and I'm saying that waving that at me as if it means anything to me is just laughable.

    Just about everything that is out now on BD release I can get either as a straight BD-rip or a DVD5 or DVD9 encode.

    The market right now, as the very tiny sales numbers show, is full of 'early adopting' types like me (and few others), 'we' have a degree of savvy that renders the current so-called 'format war' BS as utterly meaningless.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:.Spiderman which is the highest grossing Movie right now you now going to be able to get this on HD-DVD - I can't even decipher this - seriously, is English not your first language?

    I guess you want me to be green with envy about the recent Spiderman3 movie not being out on HD DVD?
    Well want away.
    Each to their own but IMO it's bit of a kids film - and I genuinely don't rate the Spiderman story as 'worth' 3 movies.
    I could care less
    (but if I was in the least bit interested I'd d/l it anyways).

    Right now I'm after a copy of Apocalypto; I hear it's a very very nice movie visually and a little more 'grown-up'.
    It's supposedly 'BD exclusive'; but anyway, as with all of them, we'll see when it comes to the distribution & publishing rights if it will appear on HD DVD here in Europe - as more than a few of those supposed 'BD exclusive' movies have done.....and with HD DVD being 100% region-free every time you can buy from anywhere in the world.

    But a nice little DVD9 encode would be just spot-on as the BD rip is a little heafty @ 36gb. ;)

    5.6.2007 11:48 #10

  • NexGen76

    Originally posted by hughjars:Right now I'm after a copy of Apocalypto; I hear it's a very very nice movie visually and a little more 'grown-up'.Only on Blu-ray for High-def my friend(BD exclusive).But i seen Apocalypto last weekend very good movie.

    5.6.2007 11:52 #11

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by NexGen76:Only on Blu-ray for High-def my friend(BD exclusive). - No, sorry but once again HD DVD's 100% region free everytime feature springs into action and it is available somewhere in the world on HD DVD thanks to the publishing & distribution rights being different in different places......and with the space these discs offer there's no need to worry about the english soundtrack
    (which, happily for the English speaking among us, is the one track guaranteed to be in the highest quality sound on the HD DVD).

    Mind you since Apocalypto is neither English, nor any other comprehendable language everyone is dependent on subtitles.....which won't be taxing the capabilities of the format too much either!

    http://www.movieman.de/Bericht.php?bid=23864&nid=4000

    Highlight Films has the distribution rights for the DVD. And Highlight is producing HD-DVD only, not BR.

    First notifications about Apocalyto in germany are stating that the studio having the rights for germany will consider a HD-DVD launch, if their first production "The Perfume" is selling well on HD-DVD.

    So chances are good, because "The Perfume" is #1 in Amazon germany HD-DVD charts.

    It's simply a fact that there is a long list of movies which are 'BD exclusive' but only in the USA, elsewhere in the world they are available on HD DVD.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:But i seen Apocalypto last weekend very good movie. - So I hear. :)

    I'm looking forward to seeing it in HD.

    5.6.2007 12:27 #12

  • eatsushi

    Quote:Just about every BD & HD DVD release made yet is out there to d/l either as a straight rip or an encode on DVD5 or DVD9.First off I think this price war bodes well for both formats.

    Secondly, I think downloads of encodes are fine but there's a significant limitation at least for me. If you encode a disc with lossless audio then you lose this data. Case in point is the Apocalypto BluRay release. The uncompressed PCM 5.1 soundtrack at 48kHz/24-bit/6.9mbps is demonstration quality and gave my new Denon 3806 and Bowers & Wilkins 700 series speakers a very good workout.

    You can argue that >90 percent of users won't mind losing the lossless audio feature but this is simply a deal breaker for me.

    5.6.2007 13:21 #13

  • hughjars

    Quote:You can argue that >90 percent of users won't mind losing the lossless audio feature but this is simply a deal breaker for me. - Well ok, but I've yet to hear anyone with the both formats & the audio kit to enjoy the highest of the new standards really going out to argue that Dolby HD is the inferior standard.

    ......and your comment about more than 90% is so true; once you go to a decent bespoke 5.1 DD system you've already gone further than many will ever do.

    I'm willing to bet that those kinds of 'deal breakers' for the best-healed (or most dedicated) early adopters rarely carry through to the mainstream mass-market.

    Obviously high def and high def audio ought to eventually bring about a lift in the standard of audio in many homes but it's also worth bearing in mind that for the mass-market it really isn't going to be so noticable.......no doubt Walmart/Asda/Currys/Best Buy will offer some £150/$300 all-in-one 5.1 system (it happens now) and a large proportion of the regular punters will think it's just brilliant.

    5.6.2007 16:25 #14

  • hughjars

    ooops double post for some reason.

    5.6.2007 16:25 #15

  • error5

    I agree with eatsushi on this. I'd rather have the actual disc with Dolby True HD or uncompressed LPCM intact rather that download an encoded rip without the lossless audio and with lower bitrate video.

    Quote:my new Denon 3806 and Bowers & Wilkins 700 series speakersSweet!

    5.6.2007 17:02 #16

  • hughjars

    Well I'm not saying it's not desirable but I would say that when you can have full DTS or Dolby Digital+ on an encode you're not going to find too many who will be tearing their hair out at the 'great loss'.

    ......and what happened to NexGen76, where'd s/he go?

    I'd have thought s/he might have been genuinely interested that more than a few of those supposedly 'BD exclusive' movies (like Apocalypto) are in fact coming or have already come to HD DVD.
    There is quite a list of them (I have seen it somewhere).

    6.6.2007 03:14 #17

  • NexGen76

    Quote:I'd have thought s/he might have been genuinely interested that more than a few of those supposedly 'BD exclusive' movies (like Apocalyto) are in fact coming to HD DVD.
    There is quite a list of them (I have seen it somewhere).
    Apocalyto is a Buena Vista Home film which is Disney.Disney don't support HD-DVD so that release date you seen for Apocalyto was someone wishfully thinking.

    6.6.2007 03:51 #18

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by NexGen76:Apocalyto is a Buena Vista Home film which is Disney. - No, not in Germany.

    Don't you get it yet?

    So much of that supposed 'BD exclusivity' only applies in the USA and because HD DVD is region free - everytime - you can take advantage of the deals made outside of the USA to get movies on HD DVD.

    Once you go beyond the USA other and different publishing and distribution rights often apply, depending on the contracts signed.

    In this case it is the HD DVD exclusive German 'Highlight Films' company that have the rights, so (seeing as they said an HD DVD Apocalyto release would depend on how well 'The Perfume' that they had released would do - and 'The Perfume is No.1 in the German charts) the chances of them releasing Apocalypto on HD DVD are excellent.

    So much for all the slamming that went on about HD DVD's 'small and meaningless' Euro movie studio support, it's turned out to be a little goldmine. ;)

    Originally posted by NexGen76:Disney don't support HD-DVD so that release date you seen for Apocalyto was someone wishfully thinking. - Well clearly you just either don't 'get' this or you just don't want to get this.

    Here's a list of some more of that "wishful thinking" - ie supposedly BD exclusive movies that are out on HD DVD (including details of where and how to get them, enjoy HD DVD owners :D ) -

    http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?p=45960#post45960

    - You can dismiss this and run away from it all you like but it's the truth, someone's either been leading you up the garden path or you're afraid to tell the truth on this one.

    :P

    6.6.2007 04:29 #19

  • NexGen76

    Quote:Originally posted by NexGen76:Apocalyto is a Buena Vista Home film which is Disney. - No, not in Germany.

    Don't you get it yet?

    So much of that supposed 'BD exclusivity' only applies in the USA and because HD DVD is region free - everytime - you can take advantage of the deals made outside of the USA to get movies on HD DVD.

    Once you go beyond the USA other and different publishing and distribution rights often apply, depending on the contracts signed.

    In this case it is the HD DVD exclusive German 'Highlight Films' company that have the rights, so (seeing as they said an HD DVD Apocalyto release would depend on how well 'The Perfume' that they had released would do - and 'The Perfume is No.1 in the German charts) the chances of them releasing Apocalypto on HD DVD are excellent.

    So much for all the slamming that went on about HD DVD's 'small and meaningless' Euro movie studio support, it's turned out to be a little goldmine. ;)

    [quote=NexGen76]Disney don't support HD-DVD so that release date you seen for Apocalyto was someone wishfully thinking.     - Well clearly you just either don't 'get' this or you just don't want to get this.

    Here's a list of some more of that "wishful thinking" - ie supposedly BD exclusive movies that are out on HD DVD (including details of where and how to get them, enjoy HD DVD owners :D ) -

    http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?p=45960#post45960

    - You can dismiss this and run away from it all you like but it's the truth, someone's either been leading you up the garden path or you're afraid to tell the truth on this one.:P[/quote]



    Dude you don't get it do you this has nothing to do with region coding.Your not going to see a exclusive BD movie on HD-DVD no matter which country your in.You gave a link to a forum..lol.Not every movie on BD is a exclusive.Fox, Sony, MGM, Disney, and mini-major Lionsgate are Blu-ray-exclusive studios your no going to get these movie on HD-DVD right now but that could change.This will be my last post to whatever you post again because you don't own either format so why waste my time with you when i can be helping someone that need help & not some HD-DVD Fanboy thats looking for a flame everyday.

    6.6.2007 06:59 #20

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by NexGen76: Dude you don't get it do you this has nothing to do with region coding. - Of course it does.

    Thanks to HD DVD not (ever) being region coded you can source movies from anywhere in the world.

    That ought to be obvious.

    So when movies are exclusive & tied to BD in the USA but are not elsewhere in the world then that region free status comes in very very hardy for HD DVD owners who can then import a supposedly 'BD exclusive' title from elsewhere.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:Your not going to see a exclusive BD movie on HD-DVD no matter which country your in. - Ah, that just playing with words, spin and evasion.

    Of course (thanks to the various publishing and distribution rights) some titles are 'exclusive' to one format or the other in different territories.

    The fact still stands that many of those titles trumpeted as 'BD exclusive' in the USA are out and available on HD DVD in the various countries of Europe and around the world.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:You gave a link to a forum..lol.Not every movie on BD is a exclusive. - You're just trying to confuse the issue now.

    Those movies were claimed to be BD exclusive in the USA but turned out to be available on HD DVD in Europe.....which is exactly what I have been saying all along.

    ......and it's thanks to these arrangements that it looks very likely that we'll be seeing Apocalypto on HD DVD soon too.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:Fox, Sony, MGM, Disney, and mini-major Lionsgate are Blu-ray-exclusive studios your no going to get these movie on HD-DVD right now but that could change. - Did I ever say Fox, Sony, MGM or Disney would be directly releasing on HD DVD?

    The point is that sometimes they are partners in a movie deal or do not hold publishing or distribution rights outside of the USA thus opening up the chance for movie to come to HD DVD depnding on who does hold those rights in other territories.

    You'll find that quite often the 'BD exclusivity' only applies in the USA and is not the case elsewhere and that many of those supposedly 'BD exclusive' titles are out on HD DVD in Europe and the rest of the world.

    ......oh and Lionsgate have connections to the HD DVD group member Studio Canal in Europe (as well as links to Microsoft and the IPTV system they are developing) I wouldn't be so sure about imagining them staying 'BD exclusive' forever.

    Originally posted by NexGen76:This will be my last post to whatever you post again - Run away all you like the truth still stands.

    Originally posted by NexGen76: because you don't own either format - LMAO

    .....and you get this from what, exactly, huh?

    Just for your information I own the XBox 360 HD DVD add-on which I use with my PC, thank you very much.

    Originally posted by NexGen76: so why waste my time with you when i can be helping someone that need help & not some HD-DVD Fanboy thats looking for a flame everyday. - Ah, there's the regulation personal attack.

    How charming.

    6.6.2007 07:44 #21

  • Unfocused

    $299 or $199 might warrant a glance, but that is a big maybe.

    23.7.2007 21:31 #22

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