Wal-Mart Secretly Choosing Sides in HD-DVD Format War?
Filed under: RumorMonger, Tech Stuff, Home Entertainment
Seeing as I just received a marvelous 46-inch Sony flat-screen LCD TV (w/HD) for my 30th birthday (yes, in true movie geek fashion, I chose to celebrate this monumental event with a new TV instead of a party), I feel like I can finally start entertaining the idea of purchasing an HD-DVD player. Like most of you out there, I am more inclined to wait until a) prices go down and/or b) HD-DVD and Blu-ray either merge or fight to the death. With everything so divided right now, I refuse to cough up six beans for a player that might be obsolete in a year or two. Ah, but there is good news on the horizon ...
According to Film Junk, there's a rumor going around in certain "we know way more about this than you" circles that claims Wal-Mart has just made a deal with a Chinese electronics manufacturer for two million HD-DVD players at $50 a pop. That means the ginormous retail outfit would be able to turn around and sell those HD-DVD players for $299 USD or less, making it the most affordable player on the market by at least $100, so says Film Junk. Only problem is, we have no idea which format this player is in. Since the original source was in Chinese, the translation has been a bit sketchy. Seeing as -- and this is a direct quote from Film Junk -- "Wal-Mart is supposedly responsible for 40% of all regular DVD sales," choosing a side (be it HD-DVD or Blu-ray) on a deal like this could potentially destroy the other party. It's important to note that nothing has been made official, but, for those out there who watch the majority of their programming in HD (myself included), seeing any kind of light at the end of that long, dark tunnel is (hopefully) a sign of good things to come.
For those that currently own an HD-DVD player, what kind of advice can you give to us folks who want desperately to join the party, but are afraid of wasting a little too much of their hard-earned cash?
[via Movie Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-24-2007 @ 4:02PM
Kevin said...
Simple! wait for the samsung total hd player to arrive. Yes it will be expensive, but it does support both formats functionality fully! then you can buy any format and let hd dvd and blu ray fight it out untill doomsday! when it is all said and done--YOU WIN!!
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4-24-2007 @ 4:32PM
marc said...
My advice is...do what I did. If you have an X-Box 360 already....spend the $199 and get the ad on. I did and it works great. Later this month, Xbox 360 Elete is coming out with HDMI Output. But the picture and sound it great with VGA or componant cables. I only reccomend this option if you already have a 360
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4-24-2007 @ 4:49PM
bgdc said...
***"That means the ginormous retail outfit would be able to turn around and sell those HD-DVD players for $299 USD or less, making it the most affordable player on the market by at least $100, so says Film Junk."***
Jim's a f^cking moron then. Amazon has an HD-DVD player from toshiba that's priced at $348. http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HD-A2-HD-DVD-Player/dp/B000IJV4BC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6571188-1011102?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1177447663&sr=8-1
$300 player from a no-name outfit and it's got tax on it, so it's really $323 at Walmart. So now there's a narrow $25 gap from Walmart to Amazon and amazon has a name brand product. Plus that same player was 309 at amazon last week.
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4-24-2007 @ 5:33PM
matty blue said...
"secretely?"
geez, i can't read another word.
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4-24-2007 @ 5:48PM
Erik Davis said...
yes, thanks Matty. I just noticed that now. It's been fixed; hopefully you'll be able to read it through that thick, smug cloud.
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4-24-2007 @ 5:57PM
Joseph Moore said...
"HD-DVD" refers to one of the two formats, not a generic term for either. Technically, BlueRay is not a DVD. I know it's confusing, but you'd be better to refer to the two genericly as "high-def disc" formats. You'd also do better to wait for a winner, or to skip the physical mediums outright and look to digital distribution (ala Xbox Live.)
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4-24-2007 @ 6:07PM
Joseph Moore said...
Sorry, "Blu-ray."
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4-24-2007 @ 8:01PM
Ed said...
The numbers are in and Blu-ray is as of now outselling HD-DVD 3 to 1. (Thats excluding the Blu-ray give-a-way's for buying a PS3). A mass move from Wal-mart could shift tides in favor of HD-DVD if its true, and if it's the format their choosing. My advice: let them fight it out and see who's on top in 2008.
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4-24-2007 @ 8:36PM
josh said...
I agree with first post" get the samsung total hd player" there will be no more need to keep googling hd dvd or blu ray! f%^@-em! I say samsung is the clear winner in this war, right along side of the consumers. Yeah sammy!! well done
by the way, when hd dvd finally puts more movies out, hd dvd will once agin be on top
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4-24-2007 @ 10:08PM
ill trooper said...
"You'd also do better to wait for a winner, or to skip the physical mediums outright and look to digital distribution (ala Xbox Live.)"
The XBLM downloads are rentals, not something you get to keep, so it's comparing apples to oranges.
I have the PS3 so I got blu-ray covered. And if HD-DVD starts taking off, maybe I'll consider getting that god-awful attachment for my 360... But by that time, there will likely be stand-alone HD-DVD players that are comparable in price.
Either way, it's not too serious.
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4-24-2007 @ 10:29PM
matty blue said...
erik - apologies back...i couldn't resist the snark.
love the site, keep it up. and don't let the bastards...er...me...get you down.
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4-25-2007 @ 9:06AM
josh said...
"I have the PS3 so I got blu-ray covered. And if HD-DVD starts taking off, maybe I'll consider getting that god-awful attachment for my 360... But by that time, there will likely be stand-alone HD-DVD players that are comparable in price."
seeing that you "have a ps3" you of all people should note that as of now there are no good games for ps3 that you cant get on 360,(except rfom) so the only thing you can do to justify spending 600.00 dollars is at least go and buy some blu ray movies. I did not say the ps3 is crap---just the games at this point-fanboys
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4-25-2007 @ 12:08PM
bgdc said...
Josh,
Some people won't give MS money. I'm one of them. The Xbox could be free and the games could be 50% cheaper and like an american car, I'd never consider it. Not for an instant. I'm a bigot when it comes to american products. MS will not get my money and neither will Walmart with their crappy HD-DVD player. I'll gladly buy an HD-DVD player by Toshiba from Amazon.
That said, I don't own a PS3 for exactly one reason: nothing of interest on it. When GTA 4 and Madden 08 release, I'll consider it.
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4-25-2007 @ 3:38PM
Peter said...
This news has already been busted as being an inaccurate translation of the original press release and that there is no proof, yet, that the manufacture has sided with HD DVD or Blu-Ray.
It was one of your own family that busted the news, too:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/04/20/the-wal-mart-299-hd-dvd-player-on-the-way/
I personally hope it is true, as I've already sided with HD DVD, but let us early adopters not celebrate yet.
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