Already have a PS3, two in fact. I'm intrigued to see how standalones fare against the PS3, afterr seeing how the E1 compares to the 360 addon.

Judging from how the stalwarts and hardcores are reacting at the AVSForum, standalones do have their advantages. If you're not particular about image quality/audio fidelity, then the present console solutions are perfectly fine to go by with.

thanks for the info string, i think im gonna ask a frend to source for me

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Added on July 10, 2007, 10:03 amSpore is sellin for sgd999 though

This post has been edited by rx330: Jul 10 2007, 10:03 AM

Good news people


barely a year and half after the launch of the first HD DVD player, the player price has hit the magical point of $199[COLOR=red].

This time the price is not an error. At least one retailer has hit the magic price of $199 and with free shipping and HDMI cable too. Bare in mind that with that price, buyers get 5 Free HD DVD movies too. With the 5 Free HD DVD valued at $150, the Toshiba HD A2 is now a no brainer purchase.

http://www.valueelectronics.com/htf.htm

As for the falsely and utterly content advantage of the competing format, these are the contents available in the USA as off July 24th. HD DVD 257 vs Blu-ray 267. If taking into consideration of other exclusive Blu-ray released on HD DVD in Europe that any HD DVD player owners can import as there is no region coding on HD DVD, there would be MUCH MORE titles available in HD DVD. The HD DVD promotional groupd also announced the availability of more than 1000 HD DVD titles worldwide by the end of the year

Here are July 24th Releases,

Blu-ray

* The Host (Magnolia)
* Out for Justice (Warner)
* Purple Rain (Warner)
* Weeds: Season Two (Lionsgate)

HD DVD

* The Bourne Identity (Universal)
* The Contract (First Look)
* Deep Purple: Live at Montreux 2006 (Rhino)
* The Host (Magnolia)
* In Good Company (Universal)
* The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps (Universal)
* Out for Justice (Warner)
* Purple Rain (Warner)
* Santana: Hymns for Peace - Live at Montreux 2004 (Rhino)
* Scent of a Woman (Universal)
* Streets of Fire (Universal)
* Yes: Live at Montreux (Rhino)

wow, time to get a HD dvd player

g5sim, how many HD DVD mobies u own now?

nada - i am just spreading the love. I am tempted to order one from Value Electronic (the owner's name is Robert Zohn) will let you guys know what happen.

Btw- i might get myself few HD DVD titles first just to force myself to get the player.

and oh yeah - KL AV show is this weekend at Marriot .. the 'theme' hidef : expect to see lots of HD DVD and Blu-ray

i think u will see more LCDs and plasma than players though

who is value electronic? he selling it cheap? better get urs soon
its a shame after which u show so much support but not owning any yet

go go go!!

Value electronics is the retailer that I noticed officially reduce the price to $199. The owner was also the one who hinted that other retailers will follow suit with the price reduction. I am trying to get him to ship to Malaysia. Right now, he only ships to USA. BH photo who ships to Malaysia is still selling the player at $234 with > $120 shipping to Malaysia

pls do let us know the outcome, if he is willing to shipo to msia

You guys are throwing your money away. Read the reports, blu-ray is winning the battle. I personally wouldn't spend so much money on a player that will not have much capability in 1-2 years.

I don't mean to start a flame war, just giving advice.

But hey, if you wanna buy your hd-dvd's now and enjoy the available movies now, then go on ahead. However, I would buy something that has long term-value.

This post has been edited by OmniAtlas: Jul 24 2007, 02:39 PM

whoa..... kena lecture....
wat has long term value anyway?

that is the problem 'reports'. kindly show us with with concrete evidence that HD DVD will be dead in 2years. MS do not invest in dead formats. Sony does You have not heard the HD DVD sales increase from Quarter 1 to Quarter 2 where as BD sales both hardware and software inclusive of PS3 drops 23% for the same period. Dying formats do not gain in sales. They opposite happens and that is exactly what is happening to Blu-ray but dun worry, Sony Pictures will continue to put Spiderman 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 on Blu-ray. You BD player owners would have plenty of contents to watch

Here you go, I've even been nice enough to provide the links for you

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray


now scroll down to the number of exclusive movie studios with blu-ray vs. hd-dvd, sure beats the only one the hd-dvd camp has -- Universal Studios (yawn). There are also more computer manufacturers backing blu-ray. MS has pulled their support for HD-DVD but their x-box add-on has not been stellar; they had the add-on only to compete with the PS3 on the gaming front.

Heres are more recent article:

http://www.t3.co.uk/news/247/entertainment..._the_format_war

http://www.current.com.au/2007/06/14/article/RXJGTXFTAR.html

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/artic...070624/2dvd.htm


There are hundreds more articles on the web -- they all the same thing -- BLU-RAY IS WINNING THE BATTLE.

But hey, don't follow the crowd, do what you gotta do man, and if you really wanna buy a HD-DVD, go ahead; noone's stopping you. I'm just saying, at this stage, I would recommend you stick with DVD if you don't trust the numbers. I got a PS3 because I'm confident blu-ray win the battle.

So where are your articles stating that hd-dvd is winning?

This post has been edited by OmniAtlas: Jul 24 2007, 07:50 PM

Hahaha...let me quote here on one of the link that u had listed here...an interesting reading..... http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/artic...070624/2dvd.htm

"HD DVD advocates say it's too early to suggest either format has the upper hand. For one, Blockbuster's business is primarily rentals-sales of disks at retailers like Wal-Mart are more important, says Kevin Collins, spokesman for a group promoting Toshiba's format. And so far, the new high-def disks account for less than 1 percent of today's DVD sales.

Sony last year boosted Blu-ray by including the drives in its PlayStation 3 game console. That resulted in a steep, $600 price that has hurt its gaming sales but put Blu-ray players in about 1.4 million U.S. homes. Sony gambled that sales of Blu-ray disks would more than offset a loss in games share, says Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities. The advantage might widen as studios loyal to Blu-ray have potential big sellers in Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

But the HD DVD camp notes it has sold about 150,000 stand-alone players, compared with Blu-ray's 90,000. Consumers with those players will eventually buy more movies than those with game consoles, Collins argues. Those Sony drives, the theory goes, will eventually get busy with PS3 games, which so far are lacking, and those consumers will rent fewer movies or buy a separate player.

Also, as sales volume picks up, the cheaper cost of producing HD DVD drives and disks could become more important. Already, Taiwanese manufacturers are racing to produce cheap HD DVD players under licensing deals with Toshiba. Toshiba now sells one for $300, versus $500 for the least-expensive Blu-ray. A $200 player would appeal to Wal-Mart shoppers, who also buy more than 40 percent of all DVDs. That would be a far bigger "get" than winning over Blockbuster. Then there is online movie rental giant Netflix, which has yet to pick sides.

The HD DVD folks have taken to suggesting the two formats can coexist, much as three game consoles share most of that industry's $12.5 billion in retail sales. They're talking less of vanquishing the competition. For now, at least, the smack is left to Blu-ray."

And the keywords here is cheaper players for HD-DVD will be released soon...and this will be a determining factor in HD war...
By the way, if u go for the current figure...should I say for gaming industry....people shouldnt go for PS3 as it now far far behind than the no of xbox 360....ccc...light up dude....it is still too early to say that HD-DVD is a dead format especially when the new high-def disks account for less than 1 percent of today's DVD sales.....no ofense

This post has been edited by silencer: Jul 25 2007, 03:12 AM

everyone that watch dvd with their ps2 last time always encounter lens problem...if use ps3 to watch blueray..then the lens will spoilt easily like ps2 or not
if so i rather get a standalone player..be it BD or HD

if you read my post carefully you would know why instead of the must hyped studio support, there are still plenty of people buying into HD DVD, why, its cheaper and they believe in HD DVD's long term business model not Blu-ray's.

why. Everybody knows that Disney, Fox, MGM, Lionsgate and other so called exclusive content backers are obviously 'paid' to be do so. The problem with that is:

1. How long can Sony 'pay' them to do so?
2. They only announce their support, their do not produce titles to suppor the format. That is why we are seeing only 10 more BD titles than HD DVD in the US. To make things worst, BD Exclusive titles are released in HD DVD in other parts of the world. Sony's Underworld, for example can be imported as HD DVD is without Region Coding. Even Harry porter is released in HD DVD already in the Europe.

More woes to BD's business model:

- How long can Sony keep on subsidizing BD replication. Even with the subsidy, the single layer BD is more expensive than HD DVD double layer. BD people are even ashamed to let the world know the cost of the BD50 replication.

- How long can Sony pay each consumer $240 so that 1 of the 6 consumers who bought the PS3 buy one BD movie! How long can Sony deliberately sabotaging their gaming business by deprieving gamers with PS3 of games so that they are forced to buy BD movies?

- BD is working against those who wants to put their contents on BD - porn producers for example. Also there are currently only Sony who replicate BD50. Two more are expected to join the party by year end. This is not a problem on HD DVD DVD plants can easily be converted to produce and replicate HD DVD.

Therefore the chances of seeing a HD DVD production plant in Malaysia is much more higher than BD! No one in the right mind would built a plant to produce only BD when they can do DVD with HD DVD plants. So what is going to happen to titles that are sensored by Finas? will be replicated the censored one locally as may happen with HD DVD or are we sending it back for Sony to re-replicate them?

Now compare it with HD DVD's business:

Price the amazing consisten price reduction of the HD DVD players is threatening BD every second. At $199 with 5 free HD DVDs and free tax and free shipping n free HDMI cable, it makes the purchase of a HD DVD player a NO BRAINER. Lots of Blu-ray player owners will buy the HD DVD players because of that. in order for BD to triumph, the need to kill off HD DVD as soon as possible. EVery single additional HD DVD player count, creates problem to BD. Why, because BD cannot co exist with HD DVD because the alone will kill off BD. Imagine Warner and Paramount sell BD at $29.99 and HD DVD at $24.99 with the Cheapest BD player at $499 and HD DVD players at $199.

HD DVD promotional group together with MS are actively getting disk producers and replicators, independent content producers to set up their HD DVD line. Broadcom and MS has already presented their SoC HD DVD player design to manufacturers. There are people willing to bet that more HD DVD brands will be seen by year end. Toshiba was alone last year. This year, they had the backing of LG and Samsung. There are now three HD DVD capable brands. How can one say HD DVD is dying in 2 years time is beyond me.

++++++++++++++++++

But then here we are again, taking about the additional storage and support for BD. WAKE UP PEOPLE !! 'smacking heads' . Check the BD and HD DVD disk sets, The Sopranos and Season 4 of Smallville for example. Despite almost 2x the storage of BD, the disks quantity is the same on both. Worst, titles such as 300, there are more feature on HD DVD then BD. So what do you think about that? More storage = more contents and more features - but the oposite is happening ! Expect to see more than 1,000 HD DVD titles worldwide by year end is what the HD DVD promotional groupd announced to the world. The BDA did not even dare to announce their expected figure yet keep on screaming exclusive support. Well the consumers has news for you, exclusive supports doesnt mean rat when they exclusive supporter doesnt release title!!

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Added on July 25, 2007, 6:13 am

the cheaper player is already there and its selling at $199 with 5 Free HD DVDs valued at $150 + free shipping and other freebies such as HDMI cable. I would say that BD is screwed. All the BD owners will now rush out to buy a HD DVD player.

and oh expect the the XBox 360 HD DVD add on to drop in price. Its is now $199 but with Toshiba's HD DVD player selling at the same price with the mentioned freebies, only retards will be the Add On !!

And another oh, the add on can be used on PCs two. The cheapest BD ROM in the market right now is the $399 Pioneer drive.

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Added on July 25, 2007, 6:23 am++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

and another oh BIG Oh

Blu-ray now has its own Picture in picture capable BD standalone player. Its by the remarkable Denon. Guess what, its official now that to enjoy picture in picture in BD, a consumer has to fork out $2000. consumers can view picture in picture on a $199 player

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9749310-1.html

Not to be outdone by all the other manufacturers making a mint overcharging for Blu-ray players (PS3 notwithstanding), Denon announced its own Blu-ray player today for the ice-cool price of $1999. The DVD-3800BDCI will be available this fall.

The at-least-$1000 premium over current Blu-ray players gets you BD-ROM Profile 1 Version 1.1, which will enable, according to the press release, "simultaneous playback of a secondary audio and video track which may be used for interactive audio and commentary and for picture-in-picture capability (respectively). Additional information (subtitles, audio streams, camera angles, trailers, games, etc.) can be downloaded from the Internet via computer and stored on a SD card that either player will accept." Translation? Unless you're really into special features, version 1.1 hardly makes current Blu-ray players seem obsolete.

We're still scratching our heads why Denon couldn't include an Ethernet connection, found on players like the Samsung BD-P1200, instead of making you rely on SD cards. Aside from version 1.1, the new "reference standard" player will include the step-up version of HQV's video processor, known as Realta. Current HQV-equipped units, like the aforementioned Samsung, get the step-down Reon processing, which to our eye works pretty dang well. Realta is said to improve the video quality of Blu-ray discs, and so it may inspire purchases Version 1.1 wouldn't. It's worth mentioning that simultaneous secondary AV track playback, along with an Ethernet port, are standard on all HD DVD players regardless of price.

In terms of audio, the DVD-3800BDCI will internally decode the new higher-quality surround Dolby True HD soundtracks (we're not sure yet if it can also decode DTS Master soundtracks, although the one we photographed was missing the DTS-HD Master logo) and can pass both Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio via bitstream to compatible receiver like one of Denon's new models, the Onkyo TX-SR605 or Sony STR-DA5300ES, for example. Unfortunately the new Denon Blu-ray player lacks DVD-Audio and SACD playback, which might make it a more-compelling purchase for audiophiles invested in those formats. Speaking of formats, Denon's spokesman was careful to mention that the release of the DVD-3800BDCI didn't necessarily mean the company was an exclusive supporter of Blu-ray, a statement that naturally leaves open the possibility Denon producing a combo HD DVD/Blu-ray player.


_________________________

to prevent BD propanganda machines from screaming ANOTHER CE GOES BD EXCLUSIVE, i highlighted the part where Denon said there are not a exclusive backer of BD

This post has been edited by g5sim: Jul 25 2007, 06:32 AM

Wow..never expected that reply....if the price of HD-DVD add on for xbox 360 is cost less than US$100, I cant imagine how many PC users will grab it to enjoy the HD movies...and plus with cheapo standalone HD-DVD player, chrtsmas is looking good for HD-DVD camp. Bear in mind that the disk itself wont be useful without the player.....and cant wait for my HD-DVD copy of 300 to be arrived here with A FULL INTERNET INTERACTIVE FEATURES....yehaaaa

yupe: something all the extra 20GB of disk space in BD wont give consumers .

Oh god, you guys are still at it again?

*Turns on E1 with his copy of 300 and HP4 HDDVDs in queue.*

kekekkekeke, same ol same ol

sigh... my 300 the fastest also only shipped out by today or tomolo....

btw, all of the players, both BD or HD are still too bulky for me.
reminds me of the old VCR player, with a fan behind remember those ancient VCR player even can have a 5" fan attach on top
Now they are still too fat and too ugly, reminds me of my old VCR and LD player at home.

now the modern DVD player can make do without any fans inside, and it's getting smaller and slimmer. I wonder how long we have to wait for a slim sexy fanless BR/HD player?

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Added on July 25, 2007, 10:53 amSo far the DVDs are still good enuf for me, still enjoying the DTS and DD.
If really want me to choose, I'll choose HD-DVD.

why? same reason like g5sim, I just don't like $ony's force-it-down-your-throat strategies, period.



This post has been edited by greyshadow: Jul 25 2007, 10:53 AM