Toshiba Defiant After HD DVD Setback

[aberkowitz]

Sony still has to finish the job by reducing prices and in the meantime I think a lot of people who just don't know any better are going to keep buying HD-DVD players.

I disagree- I think Sony's success has come because it didn't succumb to pressure and drastically lower prices on its players. Penetration pricing has been proven numerous times to be a bad strategy at new product launch as it tends to have a negative signaling effect on the quality of the product. Considering that early adopters are still generally the only ones buying these products, Toshiba made a huge error in judgment trying to sell them on a "value" product, especially since the content for the product was still selling at an average of $28-30 a pop. Many buyers of the $99 A2 did so only b/c the price was right, but they didn't understand that it was not really a "value" product since the content was so darn expensive.

Sony also had greater success because BD prices were generally cheaper than HD DVDs- especially when you considered Toshiba was trying to push the HD/SD combos. I don't understand that the only way a user can buy 300 for the HD DVD is to pay $8 more than the BD price... it's stupid business.

Sony will lower prices as the market demands it, the same way CD players took many years to come down and the same way SD DVD players took 3-4 years to come down.

 

[crashkelly]

I should have know that HD-DVD was doomed to die.

Both Tom and I bought one

Don't forget about me. I just bought an HD-30 34 days ago and am now 4 days outside the return period. At least I got the Ultimate Matrix Trilogy and Blade Runner for Christmas

Cheers
Michael

 

[j_garcia]

At least I got the Ultimate Matrix Trilogy and Blade Runner for Christmas

Matrix is Warner, so it will be on Blu-ray soon, something I have been saying for a while, though now it is inevitable. Blade Runner is also on BD already, so no worries long term. I picked up The Matrix set on HD DVD last week too...

 

[evilkat]

I disagree- I think Sony's success has come because it didn't succumb to pressure and drastically lower prices on its players. Penetration pricing has been proven numerous times to be a bad strategy at new product launch as it tends to have a negative signaling effect on the quality of the product. Considering that early adopters are still generally the only ones buying these products, Toshiba made a huge error in judgment trying to sell them on a "value" product, especially since the content for the product was still selling at an average of $28-30 a pop. Many buyers of the $99 A2 did so only b/c the price was right, but they didn't understand that it was not really a "value" product since the content was so darn expensive.

Sony also had greater success because BD prices were generally cheaper than HD DVDs- especially when you considered Toshiba was trying to push the HD/SD combos. I don't understand that the only way a user can buy 300 for the HD DVD is to pay $8 more than the BD price... it's stupid business.

Sony will lower prices as the market demands it, the same way CD players took many years to come down and the same way SD DVD players took 3-4 years to come down.

As has been mentioned before, Sony's battle has only just begun. One of the reasons cited for the defection by WB is that they want to avoid consumer confusion by having only one choice for HD. However, they still have to convince the consumer that HD is something better than DVD...and I have a feeling they still have a long ways to go before that happens.

The best way to win that argument will be for BD to start chopping prices....something that will probably occur due to simple economies of scale/competition as more and more manufacturers start making BD players.

 

[crashkelly]

Matrix is Warner, so it will be on Blu-ray soon, something I have been saying for a while, though now it is inevitable. Blade Runner is also on BD already, so no worries long term. I picked up The Matrix set on HD DVD last week too...

Hey j_garcia,

Yeah, I knew they were both not exclusive HD-DVDs by any means. At least with those two sets I am not sitting with an HD-30 and 2 movies, excluding the 5 free I am still supposed to be getting by mail (fingers crossed). I am getting a PS3 in the very near future, but I am in no way abandoning the red pill any time soon. I would still like to see it, HD-DVD, continue on its fight against Blu-Ray, but at the very least my eyes will be wide open for some good HD-DVD fire sales.

Hopefully my HD-30 does not end up back in its box sitting on top of my Sony Mini-Disc component recorder any time soon

Cheers
Michael

 

[gus6464]

Crap I can still return my A3 to BB but I threw away the box. Only HD DVD I bought was Bourne Ultimatum so I won't lose much. Does BB take back stuff without the original box?

 

[crashkelly]

Crap I can still return my A3 to BB but I threw away the box. Only HD DVD I bought was Bourne Ultimatum so I won't lose much. Does BB take back stuff without the original box?

Not as far as I know. They only except returns in the original packing (minus all the pastic bags) with all manuals, remotes, etc... in place. Sometimes, in cases of a missing manual or something to that effect, there will be a small extra charge

Best Buy Store Return Policy

Best Buy Online Return Policy

Hope that helps
Cheers
Michael

 

[mudrummer99]

hd-dvd return

having once been a best buy employee for 2 years, i can say you have a pretty good chance of returning it as long as you have the original books and remote and everything that came with it due to the fact that most stores pitch the box and put the unit on the shelf as soon as it is checked out anyways. this is by no means a guarantee that you can return it because the leniency will vary store to store but is definitely worth a try. good luck.

 

[Kilim]

The only other downside of the PS3 is the remote issue- you can only use a bluetooth remote (the PS3 controller or add-on remote) to control the thing, so you cannot program commands into an IR/RF universal remote. It's not a huge deal, but it does get a little annoying when you have to remember that R1 skips chapters and R2 fast forwards and that there's no stop button (you have to go through an on-screen menu to stop the darn movie!).

I use my Harmony 880 for use with my PS3.

There are soem choices on the Remote solution for the PS3.
Separate BT remote or a IR-USB Dongle.

I got the IR Dongle from here http://schmartz.com/main.sc
I know there are MUCH Cheaper solutions out there, but I like the look of this one and the developer is working on a BT Solution as well.