owners of HD-DVD, what to do?

[fmw]

I just bought the Bourne Ultimatum on HD-DVD yesterday and I haven't bought a Blu-Ray release since Spiderman 3. I don't buy that many movies but I buy a few from time to time. I mostly rent and watch HD movies from satellite. I expect HD-DVD releases will be noticeably less expensive in the next few months unless Toshiba figures out how to get through this pretty quickly. I'm sure I'll take advantage of that.

I'm not going to do anything about the WB announcement. I'm just going to go along as I always have. The HD-DVD player cost me $180 - about the same as weekly grocery bill or 4 tanks of gasoline. I'm not going to spend any time worrying about it at all.

 

[funked up]

Should I return?

I bought my HD-A3 on the 1st of the year. Got a great deal on it. It was on sale for $199 and they(Sears) knocked another $100 of it when I bought my panny plasma. So the question is should I bother returning the HD-A3 and buy a Sony blu-ray? The blu-ray isn't on sale right now and goes for $399. I think they would still give me the hundred off, so it would only be $299. Def not a great deal like the HD-A3. So in your opinion should take the HD-A3 back now, or just keep it and wait for a sale to pick up the Blu-Ray. I'm leaning towards keeping it, but just wanted to see what people think?

 

[GlocksRock]

I would dump the A3 and get a blu ray player.

 

[Tomorrow]

What a bunch of gloom and doom! As Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over till it's over". This is a marathon contest, not a sprint.

There is a substantial investment and mighty deep pockets behind HD-DVD. While it's getting late in the game, and the red team is behind....the game is still being played. The final score is not in. It is my belief that running out now and finding a deal and purchasing a BDP is potentially more costly than those of us that have already invested in HD-DVD.

As Conan O'Brien would say, "Eeeeasy, my babies." Let all the cards fall into place, first.

 

[patnshan]

I'm not getting rid of anything and I don't see why anyone would. Your player will not suddenly stop working and your HD DVD's will not dissolve. The movies already made plus those from the remaining formats will still be available. The rentals are still available and likely will be for quite some time. Will the movies suddenly lose resolution or sound quality???? Geez, you people are nuts IMHO.

I wouldn't buy a new HD DVD player now, but think it's quite irrational for people to be selling the stuff they already have

Pat

 

[GlocksRock]

In Funked Up's case, it's still early enough for him to return the player for a full refund, so why not do that... there are so many more movies out on blu ray than HD DVD, it would only make sense to have blu ray over HD DVD as of now, especially with so few studios actuall releasing movies on HD DVD. If you have the money to have a player for each format, then by all means have two players, or a univeral one, but if you are to only have one, they I would strongly suggetst blu ray, even though the war isn't compeltely over... I still see HD DVD as mortally wounded.

 

[The Dukester]

I would keep the A3 and wait for a deal on a BD player, if you can hold out that long. It also depends on what features you want, also. If you want all lossless audio options and 1080p, then take it back and get a full featured BD or combo player. Supposedly Samsung will have firmware out to fix their combo player in May to handle all the audio options.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Let's all get together at fmw's house and smash them along with his 605. It will be a fun time and we can even burn a couple of them if anyone wants to.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

I wouldn't buy a new HD DVD player now, but think it's quite irrational for people to be selling the stuff they already have

Pat

You bring up a good point....being: you would NOT buy one now. I think it depends on how long ago someone bought their player. If they've owned it long enough to eliminate a return/refund possiblity...yes, by all means....keep it. Enjoy it to the fullest!!


For those who just bought one recently and can still return it for a full refund....then yes....I'd recommend dumping it.

 

[cjschrot]

keeping mine

I also bought in the last month, and I'm keeping mine. It does a good job of upconversion (1/2 of my collection) and I'd rather play Transformers, King Kong, Bourne, etc. than buy them on Blu down the road. Picture is still great and everything works so I still feel like it was a good deal.

 

[Gasman]

I would keep the A3 and wait for a deal on a BD player, if you can hold out that long. It also depends on what features you want, also. If you want all lossless audio options and 1080p, then take it back and get a full featured BD or combo player. Supposedly Samsung will have firmware out to fix their combo player in May to handle all the audio options.

Agreed, and although I take their numbers with a grain of salt, they are one of the biggest on-line sellers.
Talking about Amazon.
And as of current, the #1 selling player for HD. (as of yesterday, it was #1 in DVD electronics, only to be nudged out today to the #2 spot)
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HD-A3-720p-1080i-Player/dp/B000U62N1S/ref=pd_ts_e_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics
Price just went down from yesterday as well, from 179 to 149.0

And the current cheapest from BD is 347.00
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDP-S300-SM-Blu-ray-Spiderman/dp/B000X22YTK/ref=pd_ts_e_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics


Granted in the end, it will have more to do with studio support.
But don't count out HD DVD just yet, remember they are backed by one of the wealthiest companies on the planet with revenue currently nearing 60 billion a year.
It is not like they are going to fold and just give up.
Expect very likely another year of HD DVD movies (with hopes of some kick-butt Paramount movies like Saturday Night Fever, Grease (both of which will get more women interested in HD movies).
Braveheart, Forrest Gump, etc...
As well movies from Universal; Austin Powers, American pie, and the huge one for A LOT of men Scarface.
And the one or 2 from Weinstein, like Sin City 2.

 

[GlocksRock]

I think I heard that microsoft has cancelled the announcement of the XBOX 360 Ultimate, with built in HD DVD drive after hearing about Warner Bros. going blu exclusive... that is saying a lot right there that even MS doens't have much faith in the format anymore.

 

[j_garcia]

Let's all get together at fmw's house and smash them along with his 605. It will be a fun time and we can even burn a couple of them if anyone wants to.

I'm in! Who's bringing the beer?

 

[patnshan]

In Funked Up's case, it's still early enough for him to return the player for a full refund, so why not do that... there are so many more movies out on blu ray than HD DVD, it would only make sense to have blu ray over HD DVD as of now, especially with so few studios actuall releasing movies on HD DVD. If you have the money to have a player for each format, then by all means have two players, or a univeral one, but if you are to only have one, they I would strongly suggetst blu ray, even though the war isn't compeltely over... I still see HD DVD as mortally wounded.

Agree totally, I'm talking about the fire sales on Ebay as irrational. Now, if I could return it, I would. Although, maybe not as I really do love transformers

Pat

 

[jcPanny]

HD Format war

Even if HD-DVD gives up, it doesn't mean that BluRay has "won" the format war. The BluRay players are going to have to drop to much less than the current $400+ price range to reach any type of critical mass. With potentially less competition, I don't see any incentive for them to drop their prices. The could end up as a nich format like SACD and DVD-A.

Case and point: My parents puchased a Harry Boxed set for my sister for Christmas in the HD-DVD format. Mom did not know what HD-DVD was or that it would not play in the current DVD player. These are the people you are trying to convince to buy a $400 BluRay player.

 

[funked up]

Yesterday I had my HD-A3 in the box and ready to return. As I was heading out the door when I realized something. This only cost $99 dollars. And if I wait for a sale on a blu-ray player, i'm sure i'll be able to find one for $299. That way I'll have both players for what a just a blu-ray player would cost me right now. I immediately turned around went back inside and enjoyed a movie on my HD player. I've been racking my brain about this since I first bought this player a couple weeks ago, heard about the eventually death of HD-DVD just a couple days after I bought it. Now I just gotta wait for a good sale somewhere on the blu-ray player.

 

[stratman]

BD player prices will tumble just wait and see, come end of spring early summer you're going to get good deals. Man I hate being right all the time!....