Mar 5, 2008 by Brian Gallagher

Blu-Ray Players Rise in Price After HD DVD Demise

While HD DVD just recently dropped out of the high-def game, it seems that Blu-Ray players have been rising in cost ever since Warner Bros. announced it was going Blu-Ray exclusive.

According to TGDaily, the prices of many Blu-Ray players has been on the rise ever since early January. On January 1, three days before the Warner announcement, a Panasonic DMP-BD30K cost $401 and on March 2 it was up to $495, and a Sony BDP-S300 had risen from $307 to $386 in that same timeframe.

The only Blu-Ray player that showed significant decreases throughout the first two months of 2008, was the BH-200 from LG, which is a DUO player that supports both Blu-Ray and HD DVD.

On the HD DVD side, it's been quite the opposite. Prices for the Toshiba HD-A3 have declined from $198 to $101 and the HD-A30 has decreased from $254 to $134.


Sources: TGDaily

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Comments (37)

  1. Kaya Savas

    Also, here's a little article for anyone who thinks digital downloads will kill disc media.

    http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/61837.html

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  2. Kaya Savas

    Nothing is wrong with sticking to DVD. Everyone knows the pattern. Blu-ray prices will drop within the next 2 years significantly and if you don't own an HDTV then it isn't worth getting. But Blu-ray is amazing and if you have the cash and an HDTV then it's a must.

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  3. ed_wood

    I still buy cd's and dvd's. I hate downloading music and I doubt I'll ever switch to Blu-Ray.

    4 years agoby @ed-woodFlag

  4. Space101

    Yup, have to agree with you on this one Kaya...

    4 years agoby @space101Flag

  5. Kaya Savas

    It will never die, period. I have 600 something DVD's, where the hell do you think I'm gonna put them on? My 20TB hard drive? People download stuff alright, illegally. Piracy is the biggest problem in the industry and studios would rather invest in disc media versus encrypting digital files. You have services like Apple and Amazon and rental places offering digital downloading of movies, but you know what? The number of sales from these is microscopic versus disc media sales.

    Yes, the next generation of HDTV's have PC inputs on them, and I think that's great. However, people will always want the security of being able to hold the disc in their hands and know that it's not at risk of being corrupted, erased or lost. I don't even trust my external hard drive. I have 2 of them. Everything on mine is backed up on another one that I don't use and it sits safely in a box.

    The reason why we get our digital films at AMC on hard drives larger than 100GB is that the files are larger than that. Our DLP Christie Projector can project at resolutions beyond your wildest dreams and thus the files are huge.

    I still buy CD's because I can get them for 2 or 3 bucks more than an iTunes album (plus I collect scores) and I don't have to worry about losing my files. They will sit on my shelf as backup forever. The reason why I buy DVD's and Blu-rays is because I want the best picture quality and best sound and all the bonus features that come with that. Something a digital download cannot offer.

    Disc media will never die and digital downloading never will either but it will never take over disc media it will always be that supporting player. As you said BD is adding features to download via the internet, but it's secondary to the fact that you own the film on disc media, an added perk if you will.

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  6. markdchapman

    If disc media will "never" die how come I have friends who already watch all downloadable content and downloadable content only? (And have not bought a DVD or CD in more than a year?)

    How come they watch current TV shows like HBO's "In Treatment" in 720p where the files are less than 3.5GB?(and they look great!)

    Blu Ray dual layer discs are 50GB and can hold up to 9 hours of uncompressed High Def content. A HD movie file is about 10 GB. (Depending on length) You can buy a good 500 GB external hard drive for your computer for about $120 dollars right now. That's enough storage capacity for about 50 High Def movies.

    (the reason they bring the file on a 100GB hard drive is because - what's the point of making an "external hard" drive that's smaller than 100GB? - moron)

    This isn't the future. It's already here.

    How come I don't know a single person (family member, friend, and co-worker) who buys CD's anymore?

    You had it right Civilcowboy. Retailers already display TV's as computer monitors. I know several people who have home set-ups this way already.

    And it's not just Apple and Microsoft preparing and investing in it. Panasonics new Blu Ray players are set-up with storage space for future HD downloadable content.

    Don't listen to Kaya. He rides on the short bus.

    4 years agoby @markdchapmanFlag

  7. They call me ITCHY BALLS

    Thanks for the heads-up Kaya.

    4 years agoby @danbrchFlag

  8. Kaya Savas

    It's official, the mega-asstards at Microsoft have announced that they will not go Blu and that the XBOX 360 will not see an add-on Blu-ray player.

    Hmmm, big surprise there. I knew it wouldn't happen. Why would they? They want to perfect the downloadable movie market. A market that will fail because no one is gonna download hyper compressed movies that are piss poor in quality. Every movie that plays in our DLP projector at the theater I work at comes on a hard drive and the file is always bigger than 100GB. Disc media will never die and Microsoft is incredibly stupid for thinking that it will.

    Full Article:
    http://dvd.ign.com/articles/859/859674p1.html

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  9. They call me ITCHY BALLS

    Before you know it, movies will be release on USB drives.

    4 years agoby @danbrchFlag

  10. brew1701

    i THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA STICK WITH dvd FOR QUITE A WHILE, I MEAN WE ARE JUST GETTING USED TO HAVING A DVD PLAYER AND MOVIES IN THE HOUSE

    4 years agoby @brew1701Flag

  11. BruceWayne

    Where do you get your information? You work for Toshiba or something? Both HD DVD and Blu-Ray are of equal quality. They are essentially the same freaking thing, just Blu-ray is Blue and holds MORE stuff then HD ever thought about. Now which sounds better...since they show equal picture and only Blu-ray holds more. I am thinking Blu. Know the facts before you spout crap.

    4 years agoby @brucewayneFlag

  12. scabcookie

    i knew this would happen. i said it before hd dvd died. i really don't care who hiked the prices the consumers are the ones getting slaped like a hoe in the street(metaphoricly speaking). i'm still not buying blu-ray i'll just stick to dvd and if it comes down to it i'll just do downloads. its kind of bad for a market when the better product is the one that dies it just lowers standards. sad state of affairs this is.

    4 years agoby @scabcookieFlag

  13. markdchapman

    Christine, I know you were born with your problem and that's cool. Well, it's not cool, but... whatever... you are a very speacial girl. And I bet you are used to having things in your mouth.

    I actually blamed the retailers in my post as well. I don't expect you can read "so good" and I'm sure the person who helped you write your post didn't properly explain it to you.

    Either way, the Blu Ray player I bought months ago is currently selling for $100 dollars more than what I paid for it. Hey! Wait a second! That's exactly what the article above says! WEIRD.

    Kaya can cut and paste the Bible onto this blog and it's not going to change that.

    The people saying they are going to hold out and stick with DVD have the right idea. The longer people hold out - the sooner the prices will fall.

    4 years agoby @markdchapmanFlag

  14. Christine

    LOLOLOL MILKSHAKES.

    If I had a milkshake, markdchapman, and you had a foot, and I have a hand...see, here it is...

    And my hand stretches waaaaaaaaaaaay across the internet to insert your foot into your mouth...

    4 years agoby @indianajaneFlag

  15. Kaya Savas

    Again, note that the MRP (Maufacturer's Retail Price) or SGP (Suggested Retail Price) has stayed the same. Meaning that Sony/Panasonic did not bump up costs of their players (although Sony should do another price drop soon if they want to get those on the fence buyers).

    Blame the retail corporations. Sony isn't paying for marketing alone mind you. With EVERY studio backing the format you can bet your left nut that they will all be putting effort into getting the Blu word out there.

    PS3 prices won't climb since every retailer is selling at the 399.99 MRP. Unless you are selling a product that depends on the availability of other resources then the MRP will never dip and then go up again. Discount stores like Best Buy usually sell below the MRP, so now they have wiggle room to increase prices and still stay below the MRP since they know that Blu-ray is now the only HD option for Home Video now.

    See, retailers buy from manufacturers and then they put their own price tag on the products. If you had a milkshake and I decided to buy that milkshake from you for $20 you would suggest something like $30 (the MRP) to sell it at so I make a profit. But since I am a huge retailer who buys in bulk then maybe I can afford to do $23.99. Now, if that milkshake's competition falls off the counter and spills then maybe I'll charge $27.99 cause I know everyone will be wanting my milkshake (moron).

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  16. The Kwisatz Haderach

    That sucks! oh well I dont buy Blu-Ray dvd's anyway, I like my good ol cheap dvd's! money gubbing bastards.

    4 years agoby @the-kwisatz-haderachFlag

  17. CelluloidDreams

    I will wait till prices drop!

    4 years agoby @2movieguysFlag

  18. cnote

    F*ck these *ssholes....yea like Im going to play $30 freakin dollars for another sub-par movie, that the movie industries keep pumping out!!

    4 years agoby @cnoteFlag

  19. markdchapman

    Sony and the retailers don't care if you're a poor ass.

    Saying that, Toshiba would have done the exact same thing. Anyone who thought Blu Ray was going to get cheaper with the demise of it's only competition is a moron.

    Sony is now going to spend millions and millions of dollars marketing Blu Ray. Who do you think is going to pay for that? The loyal customer. That's who.

    All involved in the "war" made comments about what was confusing and better for the consumer. This was never about the consumer! It was about getting the consumers hard earned money! And it's a dumb move on their part because all these price hikes are going to do is make the people who were waiting continue to hold out because of the $400 dollar players.

    And If you're not a gamer you're not going to go out and buy a $400 gaming console to watch Pirates of the Caribbean (moron)

    And don't be surprised if you start seeing PS3 prices climb vs XBOX 360 either, at least until Microsoft can can get a Blu Ray player in the thing.

    4 years agoby @markdchapmanFlag

  20. They call me ITCHY BALLS

    A f*cking poor ass.

    4 years agoby @danbrchFlag

  21. They call me ITCHY BALLS

    F*ck this sh*t. I haven't gotten my player yet. I'm a poor ass right now.

    4 years agoby @danbrchFlag

  22. PatCourtney

    looks like we were better off with a format war after all. hopefully it'll all flatten out over time.

    4 years agoby @patcourtneyFlag

  23. Kaya Savas

    Well, there's some good news reported from The Digital Bits:

    "In other news today, you Blu-ray fans should be happy with this: 20th Century Fox has just lowered the SRP of many of its older catalog Blu-ray Disc releases by $10, cutting them from $39.99 to $29.99. These include titles like Chain Reaction, Speed, Fantastic Four, The Omen etc. A select few additional titles have been price reduced by about $5 each from $39.99 to $34.99 (Kingdom of Heaven, etc). New and more recent titles remain priced at $39.99. Amazon has already started reducing their prices accordingly."

    Sony and Fox are the only two studios who I think overcharge for their discs. Every other studio's new releases appear for around $23.95 on Amazon while those two have discs for $27.95. At least now FOX's older titles will be cheap, which Sony has already done.

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  24. They call me ITCHY BALLS

    It's called cornering the market. Bunch of lame greedy businessmen.

    4 years agoby @danbrchFlag

  25. Space101

    Bullsh*t! Rise prices after the format war has settle? Ya thats the way to encourage people to buy BlueRay dvd players...First off, they should lower HDTV price's. Once people dumb there tube tv's, then they should lower there dvd player prices. Most of the population are still holding off because of prices and the tv formats (lcd, plasma, oled) which is stirring up since digital cable will be kick in the USA Feb 17 2009 (http://www.dtv.gov/) and August 31, 2011 in Canada.

    4 years agoby @space101Flag

  26. Marcusx

    this is total horse sh*t. but what do ya expect these days?

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  27. Phatlightning

    yea what ya askin for that PS3?

    4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag

  28. Kaya Savas

    You can blame the retailers on this. The manufacturers didn't bump up their SRP, it's just that the retailers are looking for a little extra cash now that there is 1 format and more people are likely to commit.

    Right now Circuit City is doing a promotion to trade in any HD-DVD player purchased in the last 90 days and put the purchase price towards a Blu-ray player. So, really it's the retailers trying to cash in.

    A PS3 for $400 is the best buy even if you don't want to play games.

    4 years agoby @kayaFlag

  29. -comrade-

    how much, MaViNx?

    4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  30. Timbo Jones

    Lame. i am glad i got my player months ago.

    4 years agoby @timmy1134Flag

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