THIS FRIDAY! Toshiba HD DVD player $98.87!

[NateB1]

I agree with Boz - this is huge. Even if HD-DVD was a worse format than Blu-Ray (which it isn't), if stores can keep this price point, expect to see a huge increase in both HD-DVD player sales and HD-DVD sales. Another critical blow will be when/if Warner Bros switches to HD-DVD.

Harry Potter + HD-DVD exclusivity + $99 players = Disc sales numbers reversed.

[giantpotato]

I'll admit this is a great deal for consumers, but how many of these are going to be in stock? Retailers have been known to advertise items for well below cost just to get people into the door, then only have a few of them in stock. It's my understanding that the HD-A2's are no longer being produced, so when they're gone, they're gone for good.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

If you are not excited that you can get a A HIGH DEFINITION PLAYER for $99 with 7 movies then I'm not really sure what does excite you!

This is HUGE! 2 biggest retailers getting into price wars. I'm excited so is everyone else. IT'S GREAT DAY FOR HD DVD and finally we are very close to ending this. The only people who have problems with big letters and the reality of the situation as I can see everywhere are Blu-Ray fans.

Don't worry, you can STILL sell your PS3 now and cover some losses. I mean I blew $600 too on PS3, but it's all good. I'm not going mad, neither should you.

I agree, Boz, this is huge. However, I wouldn't go as far as saying that "finally we are very close to ending this".

At this point, it seems just as dumping with the sole purpose to make financial statements and marketing data look better. ("Look, HD DVD market share has increased! Let's now send Toshiba's stocks up to the sky!")

Boxing Day and January prices, imho, will set the tone for 2008 and what to expect.

[TranceSphere]

No 1080p, no care.

[rajputwarrior]

No 1080p, no care.

wow you actually think there is a difference between 1080i and 1080p... you really need to read up on the stuff, go back a couple of pages or google it...

hawkman said it nicely, so this way you don't have to google anything:

all movies are stored in 1080p30 on the disk

1080p players send the 1080p30 signal directly to the tv.

1080i players send a 1080i60 signal, meaning it sends ALL the information that is in the 1080p30 image to the tv, only it divides every frame in two essentially.

1080i tv's(essentially HD CRT's and some plasma models and such) then display the 1080i60 picture.

1080p capable Tv' take the 1080i60 signal, and reassembls it to 1080p30 by reassembling the divded frames into single frames.

the only way you lose quality with a 1080i player and a 1080p TV, is of you bought a cheap crap no name brand TV that's is really sucky at reassembling the frames. wich is fairly straight forward.

and if YOU can tell the difference by looking at the two.. then props, you have better eyes then 99 percent of the world

[TranceSphere]

wow you actually think there is a difference between 1080i and 1080p... you really need to read up on the stuff, go back a couple of pages or google it...

No need to read up on it, I see the difference everyday.

[shakey]

isnt "i" better for stills, where as "p" is better for motion. I swear on the shows that run their broadcast in 1080i always look a little blurry when they move, but standing still, its a great image. In "p" it seems that its a faster refresh, so no blurring. Dunno though how it really works with hd-dvd players, but atleast with the hd-tv attenna i have for my comp, it seems that i can tell.

[ZEROarmy]

isnt "i" better for stills, where as "p" is better for motion. I swear on the shows that run their broadcast in 1080i always look a little blurry when they move, but standing still, its a great image. In "p" it seems that its a faster refresh, so no blurring. Dunno though how it really works with hd-dvd players, but atleast with the hd-tv attenna i have for my comp, it seems that i can tell.

That's because US HDTV is low bitrate crap. Like 14Mbps. HD-DVD and Blu-ray are 20+ Mbps with a MUCH more efficient codecs. For me, going from HDTV to HD-DVD was like going from DVD to HDTV.

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

For me, going from HDTV to HD-DVD was like going from DVD to HDTV.

How would you describe this experience?

You know you put two different things together and you probably meant to say that you went from VHS to DVD to HD DVD and from SDTV to HDTV =)

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

this is so awesome. i was holding out for the A35, but at over $400, I couldnt justify it. im going to BB after work to see if i can snag one of these. if not, walmart tomorrow morning at 8am. the price is just too good to pass this deal up. no 1080p? dont care at this price.

[I am Reid]

That's because US HDTV is low bitrate crap. Like 14Mbps. HD-DVD and Blu-ray are 20+ Mbps with a MUCH more efficient codecs. For me, going from HDTV to HD-DVD was like going from DVD to HDTV.

No, their is no problem with US HDTV and low bitrate crap, you just have a crappy cable provider or use Direct TV.

[amr_01]

TOSHIBA HD-A2 NOW AT BEST BUY FOR $99!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;js...d=1158323325814

The A2 is no longer on bestbuy's site. The link no longer works and if you search for the a2, it isn't found.

[Boz]

Hint:

CC does 110% price match! Confirmed!

[Cormier6083]

Wow, Boz. You sure are excited for HD-DVD :D

[Huleboeren]

Wow, Boz. You sure are excited for HD-DVD :D

Excited? try obsessed :p

[sn00pie]

It's quite obvious that their just throwing out HD DVD players for dirt cheap to try to beat out BD sales. It's just strategy and it looks like it may work.

HD-XA2 HD DVD player why is it$499? :blink:

[Sethos]

Excited? try obsessed :p

I think he hides HD-DVD ads under the bed, then every Friday night he finds the lube ... :ninja:

[MGS4-SS]

The only people who have problems with big letters and the reality of the situation as I can see everywhere are Blu-Ray fans.

Don't worry, you can STILL sell your PS3 now and cover some losses. I mean I blew $600 too on PS3, but it's all good. I'm not going mad, neither should you.

With the big letters, I'm sure I'm not the only one and one doesn't have to be a BluRay fan to know when someone is shouting.

Oh, and I don't own a PS3, so try again.

[TDQuiksilver]

With the big letters, I'm sure I'm not the only one and one doesn't have to be a BluRay fan to know when someone is shouting.

Oh, and I don't own a PS3, so try again.

Don't worry about him. His passive aggressive statements towards the Playstation 3 are clearly showing how angry he is.

And to top it off, yes, the CAPITALS every OTHER word are a BIT much.

[Tech Star]

Well this is a good 2 days for HD-DVD. Now Sony, Samsung, Phillips or whoever from the BD camp need to do this also! :)

[TDQuiksilver]

Well this is a good 2 days for HD-DVD. Now Sony, Samsung, Phillips or whoever from the BD camp need to do this also! :)

Without a doubt and sure to commence due to the incoming holidays. The sales will be awesome for both sides! :yes:

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

Wow, that's an amazing deal. I think I might actually purchase it with Transformers. :p

[Ianwoollam]

HD-XA2 HD DVD player why is it$499? :blink:

If I remember rightly thats the premium model which supports 1080p, the HD-A2 dosn't, only supports upto 1080i, theres probably more little differences here and there which I don't know about and probably arn't really that important :p 1080p is the main one.

Great price though that is! I'd love to hear from Toshiba why the European version of that unit, the HD-E1, is about 4x as expensive here in the UK, I ain't buying VAT's the cause this time :p

[Ayepecks]

Must... find... Walmart... that stocks these... near me...

I haven't found one yet :( And their damn online thing doesn't tell you which stores stock, just which are available to order online and pick up.

Boz: CC's price match 110% thing doesn't apply to limited quantity sales like this.

[QuantumTrickery]

I talked with some of my friends in the Best Buy chain, and when the price change went live for them this morning, employees scooped them all up in theirs, and other employees in the surrounding stores did too. Apparently stock was already thin in most of the stores, and this wiped em out mostly. So I'd say much less of a chance getting one there at this point. As for Walmart, the thought of buying anything electronic there makes me shudder. But at $99, its pretty much a throwaway if it keels over.

I know a lot of people have been sitting on the fence on this one. Going to be interesting to see what effect this has. I really don't care who "wins" the war. I have both types, many movies from both camps, two high end players. Hopefully when the Dual format players aren't total garbage I'll have one of those instead of excess clutter of multiple players.