AfterDawn: News

Kmart drops Blu-ray for the holidays

Kmart has announced that they will be dropping Blu-ray players for the holidays due to their high prices. The company will be focusing solely on HD DVD instead.

The HD DVD Promotions Group said the move was made because Blu-ray players "are more tailored to home theater enthusiasts" while HD DVD has players under $200 USD available now and most likely for under $150 after Thanksgiving.



Best Buy is selling the Toshiba HD-A2 for $179 USD, and other retailers such as Amazon and Circuit City have it for $198 USD making it by far the cheapest standalone HD player on the market. The Microsoft Xbox 360 add-on drive meanwhile, is selling for $164 USD with the first season of Heroes, which normally retails for $70 USD.

Sears, on Black Friday, will be offering the new Toshiba 1080i HD-A3 for $169 USD with 7 free movies, a deal that should make any interested buyer more than excited.

Will Kmart's decision begin a trend?

Source:
BetaNews

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 31 Oct 2007 23:04

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• 30 comments

• Mr-Movies

  I think I'll wait for the A3 Sears has with 7 movies over the Wallywolrd deal for the A2 under $100. 7 movies x $20 each is a value of around $140 so you get the player for $3o or less, that's a no-brainer!

  1.11.2007 09:03 #1

• c1c

  Yeah but what movies do you have to choose from? I don't want to watch some chick flicks in High Definition. What's the difference between the A2 fro 98$ and this one, the A3?

  1.11.2007 10:19 #2

• laddyboy

  The A3 is 1080p, 1080i, and 720p. The A2 is only 1080i and 720p. I agree about the free DVD selections. There's not one I want to own on the list to choose from.

  1.11.2007 10:27 #3

• Wanpa-Kun

  According to Best Buy and the Toshiba websites, the A3 has a maximum display output of 1080i.
  
  What's new with respect to the A2? I don't know.

  1.11.2007 10:37 #4

• laddyboy

  My bad. The HD-A30 is the 1080p player. About the only difference I see between the A2 and A3 is the A3 has a bit better audio, 7.1 vs. 5.1. Now I wonder if Sears will be offering the HD-A30 and not the HD-A3. That would make sense at the price point offered for Black Friday.

  1.11.2007 11:15 #5

• c1c

  12 Monkeys [HD] $20.99
  16 Blocks [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  2 Fast 2 Furious [HD] $20.99
  2001: A Space Odyssey [HD] $19.99
  300 [HD] $30.99
  40-Year-Old Virgin [HD] $20.99
  Accepted [HD] $30.99
  Adventures of Robin Hood [HD] $19.99
  Aeon Flux [HD] $20.99
  Alexander: Revisited - The Final Cut [HD] $19.99
  Alice Cooper: Live at Montreux, 2005 [HD] $18.99
  Alpha Dog [HD] $30.99
  American Me [HD] $20.99
  American Werewolf in London [HD] $25.99
  Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy [HD] $20.99
  Animal House [HD/DVD Hybrid] $25.99
  Ant Bully [HD/DVD Hybrid] $31.99
  Ant Bully [HD] $25.99
  Antarctica Dreaming [HD] $14.99
  Apollo 13 [HD] $20.99
  Army of Darkness [HD/DVD Hybrid] $25.99
  Army of Darkness [HD] $20.99
  Assault on Precinct 13 [HD] $20.99
  ATL [HD] $30.99
  AVIATOR (2004/HD-DVD/WS-2.35/ENG-SP-FR-PRT SUB) $19.99
  Backdraft [HD] $25.99
  Barry Manilow: Manilow Live! [HD] $16.99
  Batman Begins [HD] $19.99
  Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Season One [HD] $69.99
  Being John Malkovich [HD] $20.99
  Best of HD DVD, Vol. 1 [HD] $56.99
  Best of HD DVD, Vol. 2 [HD] $56.99
  Best of HD DVD, Vol. 3 [HD] $56.99
  BEST OF HD DVD-ACTION (HD-DVD/4PK/ALEXANDER REV/BLOOD D/TROY-DC/WYATT EARP) $56.99
  BEST OF HD-DVD-FAMILY (HD-DVD/4PK/ANT BULLY/HAPPY FEET/SCOOBY-DOO/CORPSE B) $56.99
  Big Lebowski [HD] $20.99
  Billy Madison [HD] $20.99
  Black Christmas [HD] $20.99
  Black Rain [HD] $20.99
  Black Snake Moan [HD] $27.99
  Blade Runner [HD] $67.99
  Blade Runner [HD] $30.99
  Blades of Glory [HD] $28.99
  Blazing Saddles [HD] $19.99
  Blood Diamond [HD] $19.99
  Blue Planet [HD] $19.99
  Bone Collector [HD] $20.99
  Born on the Fourth of July [HD] $20.99
  Bourne Identity [HD] $20.99
  Bourne Supremacy [HD] $20.99
  Breach [HD] $27.99
  Break-Up [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  Breakfast Club [HD] $25.99
  Brokeback Mountain [HD] $25.99
  Bruce Almighty [HD] $20.99
  Bulletproof [HD] $20.99
  Caddyshack [HD] $19.99
  Carlito's Way [HD] $20.99
  Carlito's Way: Rise to Power [HD] $20.99
  Casablanca [HD] $19.99
  Casino [HD] $20.99
  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory [HD] $19.99
  Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire: Live at the Greek Theatre [HD] $16.99
  Children of Men [HD] $27.99
  Christmas Story [HD] $19.99
  Chronicles of Riddick [HD] $20.99
  Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black [HD] $20.99
  Chronos [Special Edition] [HD] $15.99
  Cinderella Man [HD] $20.99
  Clerks 2 [HD] $20.99
  Clockwork Orange [HD] $19.99
  Coming to America [HD] $20.99
  Complete Matrix Trilogy [HD] $63.99
  Constantine [HD] $19.99
  Contract [HD] $20.99
  Cowboys [HD] $19.99
  Cream: Royal Albert Hall, London - May 2-3-5-6, 2005 [HD] $19.99
  Dante's Peak [HD] $20.99
  Darkman [HD] $20.99
  Dawn of the Dead [HD] $20.99
  Daylight [HD] $20.99
  Dazed and Confused [HD DVD/DVD] $25.99
  Dead Silence [HD] $27.99
  Deer Hunter [HD] $20.99
  Deliverance [HD] $19.99
  Departed [HD] $25.99
  Derailed [HD] [Unrated] $20.99
  Digital Video Essentials [HD] $19.99
  Dirty Dozen [HD] $19.99
  Discovery Atlas: Australia Revealed [HD] $16.99
  Discovery Atlas: Brazil Revealed [HD] $16.99
  Discovery Atlas: China Revealed [HD] $16.99
  Discovery Atlas: Italy Revealed [HD] $16.99
  District B13 [HD] $20.99
  Disturbia [HD] $28.99
  Dog Day Afternoon [HD] $19.99
  Doom [HD] $20.99
  Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Combo Format [HD] $25.99
  Dragonheart [HD] $20.99
  Dreamgirls [HD] $28.99
  Dukes of Hazzard [HD] $19.99
  Dune [HD] $20.99
  Eagles: Farewell Tour - Live From Melbourne [HD] $19.99
  Elizabeth [HD] $20.99
  End of Days [HD] $20.99
  Enter the Dragon [HD] $19.99
  Erin Brockovich [HD] $20.99
  Evan Almighty [HD] $27.99
  Evening [HD] $27.99
  Excalibur [HD] $20.99
  Eyes Wide Shut [HD] $19.99
  Face Off [HD] $24.99
  Failure to Launch [HD] $20.99
  Fast and the Furious [HD] $20.99
  Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  Fast Times at Ridgemont High [HD] $25.99
  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas [HD] $20.99
  Feast [HD] $20.99
  Field of Dreams [HD] $20.99
  Fireplace HD [HD] $14.99
  Firewall [DVD/HD] $30.99
  Flags of Our Fathers [HD] $28.99
  For Love of the Game [HD] $20.99
  Forbidden Planet [HD] $39.99
  Forbidden Planet [HD] $19.99
  Fountain [HD] $31.99
  Fountain [HD] $25.99
  Four Brothers [HD] $20.99
  Freedom Writers [HD] $27.99
  Freedom, Vol. 1 $24.99
  Friday Night Lights [HD] $20.99
  Frighteners [HD] $20.99
  Fugitive [HD] $19.99
  Full Metal Jacket [HD] $19.99
  Full Metal Jacket [HD] $19.99
  Galapagos [HD] $19.99
  Galaxina [HD] $14.99
  Getaway [HD] $20.99
  Gods and Generals [HD] $19.99
  Golgo 13: Kowloon Assignment $14.99
  Good Night and Good Luck [HD] $19.99
  Good Night, and Good Luck [HD] $31.99
  Good Shepherd [HD] $27.99
  GoodFellas [HD] $19.99
  Gothika [HD] $19.99
  Grand Prix [HD] $19.99
  HAIRSPRAY (2007/HD-DVD) $28.99
  Half Baked [Fully Baked Edition] [HD] $25.99
  Happy Feet [HD] $25.99
  Happy Gilmore [HD] $20.99
  HARRY POTTER 1-5 GIFTSET (HD-DVD/WS/LTD/12 DISC/GAME/CARDS/BOOKMARK COLL) $107.99
  Harsh Times [HD] $20.99
  HD Window: Great Southwest [HD] $16.99
  HD Window: Hawaii [HD] $16.99
  HDscape Sampler [HD] $4.99
  Heart: Alive in Seattle [HD] $16.99
  Heroes: Season 1 [HD] [7 Discs] $69.99
  Hitcher [HD] $27.99
  Hollywoodland [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  Host [HD] $23.99
  Hot Fuzz [HD/DVD Combo] $27.99
  House of Wax [HD] $19.99
  Hulk [WS] $20.99
  Hurricane [HD] $20.99
  Hustle and Flow [HD] $20.99
  In Good Company [HD] $20.99
  Inside Man [HD] $20.99
  Interpreter [HD] $20.99
  Italian Job [HD] $20.99
  Jack Ryan Collection [HD] $58.99
  Jailhouse Rock [HD] $19.99
  Jarhead [HD] $20.99
  Jerk [HD] $20.99
  Jet Li's Fearless [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  King Kong $26.99
  KING OF CALIFORNIA (HD) $21.99
  Kiss Kiss Bang Bang [HD/DVD Hybrid] $31.99
  Knocked Up [HD] $27.99
  Kukahi: Live in Concert [HD] $19.99
  Lady in the Water [HD] $31.99
  Lady in the Water [HD] $25.99
  Lake House [HD] $31.99
  Lake House [HD] $25.99
  Land of the Dead [HD/DVD Hybrid] $25.99
  Lara Croft: Tomb Raider [HD] $20.99
  Last Samurai [HD] $19.99
  Last Starfighter [HD] $20.99
  Lethal Weapon 2 [HD] $19.99
  Lethal Weapon [HD] $19.99
  Letters from Iwo Jima [HD] $25.99
  Letters from Iwo Jima [HD] $31.99
  Liar Liar [HD] $20.99
  Living Landscapes Collection [HD] $80.99
  Living Landscapes: The World's Most Beautiful Places [HD] $14.99
  Lost City [HD] $20.99
  Lost in Translation [HD] $20.99
  Lucky Number Slevin [HD] $20.99
  Mallrats [HD] $20.99
  Manchurian Candidate [HD] $20.99
  Matador [HD] $20.99
  Meet Joe Black [HD] $20.99
  Meet the Fockers [HD] $20.99
  Meet the Parents [HD] $21.99
  Mercury Rising [HD] $20.99
  Miami Vice [WS] [Unrated and Rated Versions] $30.99
  Midnight Run [HD] $20.99
  Mighty Heart [HD] $28.99
  Million Dollar Baby [HD] $19.99
  Mission: Impossible - Ultimate Missions Collection [HD] $58.99
  Mission: Impossible 2 [HD] $20.99
  Mission: Impossible III [HD] [2 Discs] $27.99
  Mission: Impossible [HD] $20.99
  Monty Python's the Meaning of Life [HD] $20.99
  MOZART:DIE ZAUBERFLOTE $28.99
  Mummy Returns [HD] $20.99
  Mummy [HD] $20.99
  Muriel Anderson: A Guitarscape Planet [HD] $19.99
  Music and Lyrics [HD] $30.99
  MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute Honoring James Taylor [HD] $13.99
  Mutiny on the Bounty [HD] $19.99
  Mystery Men [HD] $20.99
  Nacho Libre [HD] $26.99
  National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation [HD] $19.99
  Nature's Journey [HD] $16.99
  New Orleans Concert: The Music of America's Soul [HD] $23.99
  Next [HD] $28.99
  Nip/Tuck: The Complete Fourth Season [HD] $53.99
  Norbit [HD] $27.99
  Notting Hill [HD] $20.99
  Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry [HD] $27.99
  Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps [HD] $20.99
  Nutty Professor [HD] $20.99
  Old School [HD] $20.99
  Omega Man [HD] $19.99
  Out for Justice [HD] $19.99
  Out of Sight [HD] $20.99
  Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up-Live [HD] $18.99
  Patch Adams [HD] $20.99
  Perfect Storm [HD] $19.99
  Phantom of the Opera [HD] $19.99
  Polar Express [HD] $19.99
  Poseidon [HD] $19.99
  Pride and Prejudice [HD] $20.99
  Pulse [HD] $20.99
  Purple Rain [HD] $19.99
  Rattle and Hum [HD] $20.99
  Ray [HD] $20.99
  Reaping [HD] $30.99
  Rebelion de Las Muertas [HD] $14.99
  Red Dragon [HD] $20.99
  Reds [HD] $24.99
  Requiem $20.99
  Retorno del Hombre Lobo [HD] $14.99
  Return to House on Haunted Hill [HD] $25.99
  Rio Bravo [HD] $19.99
  River [HD] $20.99
  Road Warrior [HD] $19.99
  Room with a View [HD] $19.99
  Rumor Has It [HD] $25.99
  Rumor Has It... [HD/DVD Hybrid] $31.99
  Rundown [HD] $20.99
  Sahara [HD] $20.99
  Scanner Darkly [HD] $19.99
  Scary Movie 4 [HD] $20.99
  Scent of a Woman [HD] $20.99
  School for Scoundrels [HD] $20.99
  Scooby-Doo [HD] $19.99
  Scorpion King [HD] $25.99
  Sea of Love [HD] $20.99
  Seabiscuit [HD] $20.99
  Searchers [HD] $19.99
  Seed of Chucky [HD] $20.99
  Serenity [HD] $20.99
  Serenity: Southern Seas [HD] $14.99
  Shaun of the Dead [HD] $20.99
  Shining [HD] $19.99
  Shooter [HD] $28.99
  SHREK THE THIRD $28.99
  Sister Street Fighter [HD] $14.99
  Skeleton Key [HD] $20.99
  Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow [HD] $20.99
  Sleepy Hollow [HD] $20.99
  Slither [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  Smallville: The Complete Fifth Season [HD] $53.99
  Smallville: The Complete Sixth Season [HD] $53.99
  Smokey and the Bandit [HD] $20.99
  Smokin' Aces [HD] $27.99
  Sneakers [HD] $20.99
  Song Remains the Same [HD] $19.99
  Sopranos: Season Six - Part 2 [HD] $85.99
  Sopranos: Season Six, Part 1 [HD] [4 Discs] $85.99
  Space Cowboys [HD] $19.99
  Spartacus [HD] $20.99
  Spy Game [HD] $20.99
  Stained Glass Christmas With Heavenly Carols [DVD/HD] $20.99
  Sting [HD] $20.99
  Streets of Fire [HD] $20.99
  Superman II [The Richard Donner Cut] [HD] $19.99
  Superman Returns [HD] $25.99
  Superman Returns [WS] [HD DVD/DVD] $31.99
  Superman: The Movie [HD] $19.99
  Swan Lake [HD] $28.99
  Swordfish [HD] $19.99
  Syriana [HD/DVD Hybrid] $25.99
  Talk to Me [HD] $27.99
  Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines [HD] $19.99
  That's the Way of the World [HD] $14.99
  THATS ENTERTAINMENT TRILOGY GIFTSET (HD-DVD/4PK/I/II/III/BONUS DISC) $53.99
  Thing [HD] $20.99
  Tim Burton's Corpse Bride [HD] $19.99
  TMNT [HD] $30.99
  Top Gun [HD] $20.99
  Toto: 25th Anniversary - Live in Amsterdam [HD] $18.99
  Trading Places [HD] $20.99
  Traffic [HD] $20.99
  Training Day [HD] $19.99
  Transformers [HD] $28.99
  Tremors [HD] $20.99
  Troy [HD] $20.99
  Troy [WS] [Unrated Director's Cut] [HD] $25.99
  Twilight Zone: The Movie [HD] $19.99
  Twister [HD] $19.99
  U-571 [HD] $20.99
  ULTIMATE FORCE $11.99
  Ultimate Matrix Collection [HD] $74.99
  Under Siege [HD] $19.99
  Unforgiven [HD] $19.99
  Unleashed [HD/DVD Hybrid] $25.99
  Unleashed [HD] $20.99
  Untouchables [HD] $20.99
  V for Vendetta [HD] $19.99
  Van Helsing [HD] $20.99
  View from Space with Heavenly Music [HD] $20.99
  Visions of the Sea: Explorations [HD] $14.99
  Viva Las Vegas [HD] $19.99
  Waist Deep [HD/DVD Hybrid] $30.99
  War [HD] $20.99
  Warriors [HD] $20.99
  Watcher [HD] $20.99
  Waterworld [HD] $20.99
  We Are Marshall [HD] $30.99
  We Were Soldiers [HD] $20.99
  Wedding Date [HD] $20.99
  What Dreams May Come [HD] $20.99
  Wild Bunch [HD] $19.99
  Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory [HD] $19.99
  Wolf Creek [HD] [Unrated] $20.99
  World Trade Center [HD] $27.99
  Wyatt Earp [HD] $19.99
  You, Me and Dupree [HD/DVD Hybrid]

  1.11.2007 12:03 #6

• hughjars

  If you buy on-line you can (easily) add another 70+ movies to that list.
  
  A lot of the supposedly 'exclusive' Blu-ray movies are nothing of the sort internationally and are available on HD DVD (which is perfectly safe and easy to use as HD DVD is, unlike Blu-ray, region free everytime).
  
  You can add titles like Apocalypto; Terminator 2; Underworld; Underworld Evolution; Fantastic Four, rise of the Silver Surfer (coming out on Dec 14th); Saw Trilogy (out in Feb 2009) etc etc.
  
  See here - http://areahd.dvdtiefpreise.com/?p=109
  
  and here - http://forums.highdefdig...d.php?p=45960#post45960
  
  and here - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=855923
  
  Divx/Xvid support would be very handy & nice and (as it is supported on various SD DVD players - including Toshiba's SD DVD players - might well end up as an upgrade at some point (hopefully).

  1.11.2007 12:24 #7

• Mr-Movies

  Here are you 5 free choices. What I don’t like is that they categorize them why not just let you select ANY 5. I could find 5 using this method, they might not be my first choice but I could be happy with them. Category D would be the poorest one for me to select from but for free what the H*ll.
  
  Category A (choice #1)
  Aeron Flux
  Babel
  The Italian Job
  
  Category B (choice #2)
  The Hulk
  Pitch Black
  The Thing
  
  Category C (choice #3)
  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  Swordfish
  Full Metal Jacket
  
  Category D (choice #4)
  Firewall
  The Frighteners
  U2: Rattle and Hum
  
  Category E (choice #5)
  Black Rain
  Darkman
  Troy

  1.11.2007 12:39 #8

• sk8flawzz

  well the article does say the NEW 1080p HD-A3, so hopefully it is the 1080p one..
  that'd be great I might go pick it up..anyone know if its only in the AM or anything like that?
  
  p.s. @ hughjars..i see you know what you're talking about when it comes to HD DVD stuff, on the BetaNews link it reads that some newer TV's do better 1080i to p conversion than players do, what does this mean? also, this is my HDTV ... Sony KDS-60A2020 (clicking the link will take you to the CNET review) is that one that can be paired up with the cheaper HD-A2 player and have the TV do the conversion? thanks in advance if you understand what im asking and can help me out. =]
  

  
  

  1.11.2007 14:29 #9

• DVDBack23

  Sorry guys, let me clear up a typo in the article..the HD-A3 is infact 1080i while the HD-A30 is 1080p. I have updated the article :)

  1.11.2007 14:47 #10

• sk8flawzz

  aw crap so its not the 1080p one..
  
  sigh oh well

  1.11.2007 14:55 #11

• Mr-Movies

  Too bad it's not progressive scan but still for the money not bad.
  
  sk8flawzz, if this was 1080p you would have no conversion issue. If you were talking about a DVD player that upconverts then it would be a question of which is going to be better, the TV or Player. Because we are talking about two variables the best thing to do is hook both signals up and toggle between them to see which is better. It is a good idea to do this anyway in case you run into an issue you can always switch back and forth.

  1.11.2007 15:40 #12

• andy8442

  Oh my God!Here in the UK you can't get a HD DVD or Blue ray machine for less than £300 or $600 to you folks. And we are now paying nearly $10 for a gallon of diesel or unleaded!

  1.11.2007 16:40 #13

• vinny13

  K-Mart is a dump. I'm surprised it's in business. It's usually filled with a bunch of old crap or at least the ones I've been to in New York, South Carolina and Florida.
  
  Anyways I don't really thing it will set any trends. I think everyone is waiting on Wal-Mart

  1.11.2007 17:25 #14

• 24Lover

  Originally posted by vinny13: K-Mart is a dump. I'm surprised it's in business. It's usually filled with a bunch of old crap or at least the ones I've been to in New York, South Carolina and Florida.
  
  Anyways I don't really thing it will set any trends. I think everyone is waiting on Wal-MartThats the truth i was just in K-mart today & they are one step away from bankruptcy.

  1.11.2007 18:34 #15

• gallagher

  I don't care how dumpy they are. Quote:Sears, on Black Friday, will be offering the new Toshiba 1080i HD-A3 for $169 USD with 7 free movies, a deal that should make any interested buyer more than excited. If you can choose ANY seven flicks, I will be waiting in line.

  1.11.2007 20:43 #16

• DXR88

  This is martha stewarts way of getting k-mart back on track

  1.11.2007 20:57 #17

• Wanpa-Kun

  This might be old news for some of you but Best Buy was selling the A2 model for $99.99 earlier. I checked in the morning and they were sold out. It is not in their inventory anymore.

  1.11.2007 21:02 #18

• Mr-Movies

  I've checked around and your right most places don't carry it any more so get them while they last at KFart. :)

  2.11.2007 00:03 #19

• hughjars

  Predictable.
  
  Bash the product and then look down your noses at the outlet.
  
  Nevermind giving any consideration that all the major US retailers have now come out behind HD DVD, eh?
  
  ....and if you really do have a 1080p HD TV and you 'feed' it a 1080i signal you'll only see 1080p.
  
  If your HD TV is of the correct resolution (1920x1080) it can only display that 1080i signal progressively anyways.
  
  It will look no different.
  
  The only difference that you might see is if you have a 1080p/24 capable HD TV (which is a tiny fraction of all the HD TVs out there).
  They can look 'smoother' than a 1080p/60Hz set, but like I said there are not many of them around & the chances are that your own set is not one of them.
  
  But if you wish to get suckered by the lying marketing BS feel free......

  2.11.2007 07:40 #20

• NexGen76

  Quote:Despite reports to the contrary, Kmart says it has no plans to choose to sides in the high-def format war.
  
  In a statement released late Thursday, Kmart VP Jonathan Magasanik said the following:
  
  There have been numerous statements in the media today, attributed to Toshiba, indicating exclusive support for the HD DVD format in Kmart stores. These statements are false. Kmart intends to support both the HD DVD and Blu-ray platforms, and has no plans to support either platform exclusivelyhttp://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/K...ere_Purple/1137
  
  Rumor bebunked...............

  2.11.2007 10:18 #21

• ZippyDSM

  "dropping Blu-ray players for the holidays"
  basically it means they are focusing on HDVD for the holidays.
  
  one must see underneath the underneath to see anything now adays!

  2.11.2007 10:56 #22

• SProdigy

  Didn't someone mention that the A2 has a firmware update to output 1080p in one of the other HD-DVD articles' comments?

  2.11.2007 11:19 #23

• Mr-Movies

  Quote by hughjars:
  
  “Nevermind giving any consideration that all the major US retailers have now come out behind HD DVD, eh?”
  
  Your bias for the cheaper product is showing here. I don’t see this to be true I think retailers have been supporting both pretty equally. Target has pushed BD but guess what they still sell HD. Personally I don’t think retailers care much either way as the bottom line is their only concern. The movie industry though is another thing entirely, it seem they are started to favor BD more with exception to Universal possibly.
  
  My bias is with BD but for purest reasons that have way more capacity which makes them more useful for me. I can always rip an HD to BD but can I always do the reverse, possibly not. Quite honestly I’m glad there are two formats, which goes against how most people feel, because this provides competition and helps quell the price.
  
  
  SProdigy, that was a good dig they did and makes the A2 more appreciable I really could see getting one with that in mind.

  3.11.2007 16:27 #24

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Quote by hughjars:
  
  “Nevermind giving any consideration that all the major US retailers have now come out behind HD DVD, eh?”
  
  Your bias for the cheaper product is showing here. I don’t see this to be true I think retailers have been supporting both pretty equally. Target has pushed BD but guess what they still sell HD. Personally I don’t think retailers care much either way as the bottom line is their only concern. The movie industry though is another thing entirely, it seem they are started to favor BD more with exception to Universal possibly.
  
  My bias is with BD but for purest reasons that have way more capacity which makes them more useful for me. I can always rip an HD to BD but can I always do the reverse, possibly not. Quite honestly I’m glad there are two formats, which goes against how most people feel, because this provides competition and helps quell the price.
  
  
  SProdigy, that was a good dig they did and makes the A2 more appreciable I really could see getting one with that in mind.
  meh BR can only do 2 layers stable HD DVD can do 3 and equal BR,HDVD has started to assault the consumer market heavily with players that are almost as much as DVD players.
  
  BR has a few months to bite the bullet and match thee cheap players by 50$ if they fail to do this they have pretty much lost the game.

  3.11.2007 17:21 #25

• Mr-Movies

  You’re deceiving us Zippy! It’s not an HD-DVD it is a DVD that has 3 layers and can be used for HD content, in an HD player as well. It isn’t going to provide more capacity then even a single layer BD disc.
  
  Here are two links to info on that in which they don’t tell you its true capacity my best guess here is around 12+GB.
  
  MAC World
  [url=http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=15820][/url]
  
  NeoWin
  [url=http://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=35031][/url]
  
  And again you’re wrong about the BD. Hitachi has revealed a 1 Terrabyte Blu-ray recorder at the Harvey Norman retail conference being held at the Melbourne Convention Centre. This isn’t the only MFG that is going this route either.

  3.11.2007 20:23 #26

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Mr-Movies: You’re deceiving us Zippy! It’s not an HD-DVD it is a DVD that has 3 layers and can be used for HD content, in an HD player as well. It isn’t going to provide more capacity then even a single layer BD disc.
  
  Here are two links to info on that in which they don’t tell you its true capacity my best guess here is around 12+GB.
  
  MAC World
  [url=http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=15820][/url]
  
  NeoWin
  [url=http://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=35031][/url]
  
  And again you’re wrong about the BD. Hitachi has revealed a 1 Terrabyte Blu-ray recorder at the Harvey Norman retail conference being held at the Melbourne Convention Centre. This isn’t the only MFG that is going this route either.And the cost?
  maybe in 10 years it will be the price of BR now,but until then HDVD offers a 51GB disc its players already below 200, 4 years it will be the price of DVDs and it can well sustain the indutry for a decade until a better cheaper product replaces it.
  
  Now theres the combo disc that dose offer DVD compatibility AND the 51GB disc that offers 51GB worth of data at 3 layers of 17GB each, these are 2 different items, and to add to it theres a 3 layered DVD that offers 8GB a layer.
  
  the facts are clear cheaper with a 51GB disc that will become a standard in a year, sure it "might" run on older players but it balances out BRs issues and price.
  
  And it still falls to sony (who is without a doubt heading the BR movement) to offer BR at a cheaper price to get it to fight DVD, until they do this they are losing the fight, it dosent mean they have lost it just means they are waning and after a certain point they will not be able to to climb any higher.
  
  The format war has alot of fight in it but this dose not mean BR is NOT taking a beating this season.
  
  Bascily the war is advancing to bi yearly trade offs from nearly every other month to every other few months.
  
  It could be over in a year or 2 if sony dose nothing about prices or if they let the stock build for a year and then release it at over half off but without a more drastic change in the game (IE HDVD/BR players are 50-130 for normal and 150-250 for advanced) its not going to be over 3 more years if not more.

  3.11.2007 20:59 #27

• alphabit

  No HDDVD burners that I can find at Newegg....Yet. Major point for BD. $31.99 to watch the Ant bully at home is steep. Only $12.50 to watch my BD back-up. (Thanks sly!!)

  5.11.2007 23:28 #28

• alphabit

  OMG!! A $67.99 version of Blade Runner. Not even filmed originally in a def higher than standard DVD.. Like many others in the list of titles. Too expensive for either format in my opinion.

  5.11.2007 23:36 #29

• borhan9

  KMART should should not be dropping them all together they should be dropping the prices. :P

  11.11.2007 16:45 #30