LG's BH100 Blu-ray / HD DVD combo coming February 4th?
by Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Jan 14th 2007 at 9:52PM
LG already told us that its new dual format player would be available in the first quarter of 2007, but we are surprised that we are already receiving unconfirmed reports from Best Buy employees that the date is going to be February 4th. Apparently the BH100 is already live in the company's system, according to our tipster. This isn't as surprising as seeing it on Best Buy's website almost instantly after the announcement, but we're still wondering what LG plans to do if the DVD forum disaproves its lack of support for HDi. We understand that rules are rules, but it's hard to imagine the DVD forum suing the only company to make a standalone player other than Toshiba.
[Thanks, Derek]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Xyzzy @ Jan 14th 2007 10:44PM
"We understand that rules are rules, but it's hard to imagine the DVD forum suing the only company to make a standalone player other than Toshiba."
Think a little harder. This player isn't really an HD-DVD player. It won't even support HD-DVD *menus* for crying out loud! If the DVD Forum allows anyone to make whatever player they want, it will hurt the brand name. LG will be sued into the ground if they actually release this product. It's a BD player with HD-DVD playback added as an afterthought. If the tables were turned, don't you think Sony would sue to stop LG from releasing a player that didn't support BD-J. Oh wait, they can't even support that themselves, nevermind.
Short answer: The player will not be released on the 4th.
Aaron @ Jan 14th 2007 11:17PM
shame it wont do hdi.... but this will turn out to be a good device in the long run.
Gabriel Lowe @ Jan 15th 2007 12:23AM
I agree that this player puts LG in more hot water than they want. If I were a Toshiba executive, I would have been on the phone with LG the second it was announced! This player treats HD-DVD as the ugly stepchild compared to Blu-Ray. If the DVD Forum wants HD-DVD to look like the inferior technology, here's the way to do it.
Mike @ Jan 15th 2007 3:13AM
Buy a HD DVD player now for $400-$450 then if blu ray wins...by the time it happens blue rays will be much cheaper... so adding the cheap blue ray will be a lot cheaper then buying a hybrid now.
Dave @ Jan 15th 2007 7:27AM
No, thanks. I will buy a Blu-ray player and stay with it. I dont want to gamble with my money. hd dvd is not likely to exist in a few months from now...
Vlad @ Jan 15th 2007 12:49PM
Dave, how old are you? All your messages are nothig but infuse HD-DVD hate. Get over it, you really sound moronic in ALL your messages. Don't you have better things to do with your life?
Gabriel Lowe @ Jan 15th 2007 1:00PM
I sort of agree with Mike. I don't know how much the firmware updates on the HD-A1 help, but if they are significant, you can pick one up for $300 now! I must say, seeing all the HDi functionality and future planned network features of HD-DVD at CES, I am getting closer and closer to picking one of them up myself!
phil @ Jan 15th 2007 3:29PM
The player is already out and for sale at certain CompUSA stores. I've seen it in person and if I need to provide pictures, I will. To sum it up, the player doesn't have the HD DVD logo, only plays the discs, and is fairly cheap feeling (more so than the Sammy BD player). It certainly plays the discs though and does a pretty damn good job at it too. I'd actually pick one up had I already not invested in seperate decks for each format. I could care less about the HDi functionality being missing as all it does it make it like a regular DVD player. You can still access menus, you just have to stop the disc to do so. No big deal for such an impressive machine. Regardless I can't recommend it to any one else as most will clamor for the HDi extras and frankly it's a BD player with some HD DVD functionality shoe horned in, which is a bit of a slap in the face to those wanting the most from both formats.
Joseph R @ Jan 15th 2007 8:30PM
It's obvious this player would not receive DVD forum support, but nor is it trying to do so!
Take another look at the picture, and notice how the "HD DVD" logo on top is NOT even the proper font! IF this player were actually a forum-licensed player, LG would have used the identical (and proper) font for "HD DVD" (as seen on the Toshiba players, and all the software).
Adam Daniel @ Jan 17th 2007 4:43PM
An insider on avsforum has said that LG plans to replace this model with one supporting HDi and carrying the HD DVD logo as soon as June of this year.