The Wal-Mart $299 HD DVD player on the way
by Thomas Ricker 
posted Apr 20th 2007 at 6:52AM
Get ready to get your cheap HD on kids. Wal-Mart just threw down some serious green for a batch of Chinese-made HD DVD players. Just as they brought DVD players down to near-disposable status, their deal for 2 million HD DVD players produced by China's Great Wall corporation will ultimately do the same for hi-def optical. The guts are developed by Taiwan's Fuh Yuan with a touch of help from Japan's TDK. How much? A magical $299, that's how much -- $100 less than the cheapest available HD DVD rig (Toshiba's A2) and half of Sony's $600 BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc player. It's not clear when we'll see the first units on Wal-Mart shelves, only that the final shipment from the order is expected before 2008 is over. Update: Pull back the reigns HD DVD fanboys, Akihabara now says that they've made a "huge mistake" with their translation: the original source called it "?? HD DVD and ?? means Blu-RAY." In other words, Blu-ray HD DVD. Huh? Word to the wise: since both formats use blue lasers, it's best to wait for an English press release before either camp celebrates.
[Via Akihabara News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
MAK1981 @ Apr 20th 2007 7:27AM
Won't HD-DVD players be much cheaper than $300 by then? Seems like WalMart may technically get screwed by this. No?
humpty @ Apr 20th 2007 7:38AM
Thats pretty misleading.. i thought they were ready to dump 2 million units TODAY at $300.. that would be serious boost to HD-DVD..but, before 2008? Meh, big wup. Toshiba needs those units today... not next xmas.
horngreen @ Apr 20th 2007 7:46AM
Predictions as to when Wal-Mart will be selling HD recorders?
horngreen @ Apr 20th 2007 7:52AM
Wally has just issued the kiss of death for Blue Ray format!
Scaught @ Apr 20th 2007 8:04AM
By 2008?! I could be speeding around in my flying car and downloading HD movies straight into my brain by then!! At least I hope I can.
Seriously though, I doubt a player for a obscure format made by an even more obscure company for a $300 price tag will bring HD-DVD into the average Joe's livingroom.
They should just make one of those darn HD-DVD / VCR combo players. People love that shit.
Timezones @ Apr 20th 2007 8:23AM
Yeah, I was pretty intrigued by this post until the last few words. I'd expect ALL major retailers to have HD-DVD players UNDER $300 by Christmas 2007. It'll be HD-DVD's only shot to sell standalone players at a "decent" price while blu-ray players still float around $500. If HD-DVD can't build a big lead before the prices of standalone players are the same for both formats they could be in big trouble due to the lack of studio support.
Xyzzy @ Apr 20th 2007 8:42AM
It says the FINAL shipment by the end of 2008. So if they get 1,000,000 this year and 1,000,000 next year, that's still a pretty big deal.
horngreen @ Apr 20th 2007 8:54AM
Way to go Wally !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jee Wally, do you maybe I could have one someday?
Robert @ Apr 20th 2007 8:53AM
Actually if you shop on Amazon the Toshiba HD-A2 is $329. So you are only saving $30. The HD-XA2 is only $555, thats the one I'm holding out for. Soon as it hits $450 or less. Till then I can make due with my Xbox 360 addon.
TJ @ Apr 20th 2007 9:03AM
I've seen the HD-A2 as low as $306 online. I'd much rather have a machine by Toshiba than Great Wall.
Doesn't matter how cheap the player is if they can't get studio support though. I'd rather spend the extra and be able to get Disney, Fox, and Sony titles with Samsung's new Combo unit.
horngreen @ Apr 20th 2007 9:23AM
Wally is probably only paying $99 for these, tops.
Andrew @ Apr 20th 2007 9:45AM
This years Black Friday could be HUGE for HD-DVD.
MAK1981 @ Apr 20th 2007 9:55AM
I think the key to this article is that WalMart is buying 2,000,000 of them. There are only 100,000 standalone players at this time, so increasing the yield like that is just crazy. Hope that speaks good things of the format.
Derrick @ Apr 20th 2007 10:12AM
I think alot are misreading this that $200 is suggested price these will most likely be 199 or lower and the bulk available before Xmas
horngreen @ Apr 20th 2007 10:15AM
HUGE!! WALLY-WORLD GONNA KICK SOME ASS HERE!!!
Derrick @ Apr 20th 2007 10:12AM
299--->199 or lower
Wayne @ Apr 20th 2007 10:55AM
Sorry to burst your bubble, but Engadget has an update saying that "HD DVD" was mistranslated and that the article actually refers to "Blu Ray" players.
MAK1981 @ Apr 20th 2007 11:03AM
lol
andy @ Apr 20th 2007 11:06AM
And the re-update suggests that it is indeed HDDVD.
The release talks about how this blue laser format is more compatible with old DVD's and how no new tooling is needed to make the discs.
The confusion came with the ambiguous phrase "blue laser, HD DVD player".
EuG @ Apr 20th 2007 11:13AM
I'm glad to see pricing coming down, but Amazon already had HD-A2 for as low as $309 + free shipping.
Plus you get 5 free HD dvds from Toshiba using their rebated/promotion.
Dylan Neild @ Apr 20th 2007 11:23AM
If you actually read the article, it's not clear if they mean HD-DVD or Blu-ray, as the article isn't that specific. The article specific says "Blue ray" but there is some confusion as to if/if not they meant "Blue laser DVD discs", which could mean HD-DVD as well.
So before all you fanboys get tooo excited, understand that Wal-mart may have just bought 2,000,000 cheap Blu-ray players.
Wiseblood @ Apr 20th 2007 11:44AM
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ettoday.com%2F2007%2F04%2F16%2F320-2082635.htm&langpair=zh%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools
Read the 4th paragraph. What format does that sound like to you?
Dylan Neild @ Apr 20th 2007 12:11PM
Indeed, that sounds like HD-DVD - but another article I've read also suggested that this wasn't the case. Another article I've read since suggests they may use a dual mechanism. Honestly, until it's announced official it's hard to say. Given the 3:1 or 5:1 BD to HD-DVD sales ratio right now, it's hard to believe Wal-mart would buy 2,000,000 HD-DVD players. 200,000 for a test, maybe... but 2,000,000? Seems unlikely.
Frankly - I'd prefer Blu-ray to win this because of the extra bandwidth (and obviously storage space), but at this point, any winner is better than what is currently happening - nothing. The format war is keeping the mainstream out of the market and that means we all suffer.
I'd happily take HD-DVD if it meant I could get any movie I wanted on HD-DVD...
Wiseblood @ Apr 20th 2007 12:25PM
Can you point me to any other articles? Right now I know of these articles:
http://www.udn.com/2007/4/16/NEWS/STOCK/STO5/3804769.shtml
http://www.ettoday.com/2007/04/16/320-2082635.htm
Engadget is relying on Akihabara's interpretation of the first one (which was updated again, they don't know WTF)
Both articles seem to hype up HD-DVDs advantage of using existing DVD production equipment.
Alex @ Apr 20th 2007 12:59PM
so we should probably expect these HD DVD players to be around $100 the end of the year. Nice
wackyjedi @ Apr 20th 2007 2:37PM
It would be awesome if these "Blu-ray HD DVD" Players were combo players at $299. But that's just wishful thinking...
bgdc @ Apr 20th 2007 3:31PM
Amazon already has an almost $300 HD-DVD player: 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=1177097412&sr=8-1
And that's tax and shipping free. So it's pretty much the same as a Walmart HD-DVD player but it's from Toshiba!
8thmartini @ Apr 20th 2007 9:13PM
Did anyone consider that the translation problem could come from the fact that hd dvd also uses a blu ray? So it is supposed to be saying "Blue-laser HD DVD"
Rob @ Apr 20th 2007 9:15PM
This is very funny. I guess the HDdvd fanatics must have missed the article about funai producing BRD hardware for this xmas season. Here is a link to their web site http://www.funai-corp.com/. Notice all the wal-mart brands! So when HDdvd has a stand-alone in walmart there will most likely be 3 BRD players right there with it. Also Lite-On and Foxconn are producing BRD hardware right now. So go on thinking that this is the end if you want. However by the end of '08 there will be 10-15 million PS3's, and at least 200K stand-alones. HDdvd's price difference is going to evaporate so quickly once the summer is over it's going to be funny. However, without competition we wouldn't even be talking about a $200 next gen. video player, so thanks for that HDdvd!!!
Rob @ Apr 20th 2007 9:21PM
Oh ya also, wal-mart sells the PS3, so really they are moving BRD players already, ahh too bad. I don't know about other places but my local wal-mart has a BRD stand, with no HDdvd's really in sight. Mabye Toshiba paid wal-mart to buy some HDdvd players??
Kevin Murphy @ Apr 20th 2007 10:37PM
I'm having trouble believing in a $299 (list) Blu-ray device any time soon.
If that can be done, what is Sony (with its supposed large subsidies) doing announcing a $600 player Real Soon Now? Kinda makes Sony look like fools. Which they aren't.
But it is entirely possible (given a $399 (list) Toshiba player for sale NOW), for Great Wall to lop a bit off that price.
So, translations are one thing, but Occam's Razor tells me that this puppy is HDDVD.
Rob @ Apr 21st 2007 1:59AM
Here is someone that might disagree with you http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/10148/53. Seriuosly if any HDdvd fanatic wants to think that the BDA dosen't see that once they start really moving stand-alones they will completely pull away is crazy. Notice this: this comment I posted from a guy at a huge Company didn't get posted as news, yet a poorly translated article about a new branch of manuf. not many have heard about is on here. Yet HDdvd fanatics jump all over engadgethd for posting BRD news, calling them bias. The reality is, you know in the back of your mind how this is going to turn out, and your so defensive about it; you guy's go crazy at anyone saying anything positive about BRD.
One last thought. Anyone who wants to compair this to VHS/Beta. This is close to the end of the optical disc era! There have only been two real kings of this optical disc era;PS1=CD's and PS2=DVD's. If the PS3 didn't have 3 million+ drives sold alread and 6 million drives made, I could see this as damaging news. However economics of scale already declare BRD winner. There is no way that HDdvd will beable to keep a price advantage for much longer, it's just reality.
Xyzzy @ Apr 21st 2007 10:03AM
"if any HDdvd fanatic wants to think that the BDA dosen't see that "
You know what's funny? Whenever someone points out that they don't support Sony (due to root kits, stupid statements from them, etc), they're instantly told that Sony != BDA. However, if you look at the articles, all of the "positive" BD press comes from one company - Sony. Once or twice Fox chimes in with some Pro-BD rhetoric, but most of the time it's Sony. The article you quoted for $299 players wasn't a direct quote from the Sony guy, and only says "suggests it may go to $299," but can we actually believe anything that Sony says anymore even if it WAS a direct quote?
In the meantime, we have companies like LG and Samsung (whom Sony threw under the bus, blaming all BD problems on their player when it clearly was not their fault) going format neutral. Disney has been VERY quiet on the whole thing. The only people touting BD are Sony, that's it. Heck, BD isn't even a finalized product yet since all current standalone players will not support the final feature set (like the much hyped BD-J). The Sony spin is crazy, and I can't believe consumers are so dumb that they're falling for it.
Oh, I forgot, it has a whopping 10G of (unneeded) space per layer that is supposed to make me drool.
Rob @ Apr 21st 2007 2:24AM
One more thing. All that has to happen for this format war to end is Universal and the Weinsteins to go neutral. These players aren't due for a while. BRD is a growing market. It's growing way faster than HDdvd. Don't even talk about that amazon.com spike. It's over and it was funny. All that show's is that you HDdvd fanatics have to band together to artificaly inflate numbers to keep HDdvd alive. When the reality is that BRD moved more actual stock than HDdvd did. That's what Universal and the Weinsteins will see. You think they can keep ignoring a growing market forever? Yes HDdvd might be around for a while. However if you can get every movie on BRD and not on HDdvd do you really think that $50-$100 is going to make a difference?
Mark Gillespie @ Apr 21st 2007 4:18AM
The fact there are frantic announcements that article had translation errors, means that the suggestion that it's HD-DVD is incorrect.
I suspect this is Blu-Ray. Walmart are smart, they know to try not and fight against the PS3, but compete with it for Blu-Ray movies...
horngreen @ Apr 21st 2007 1:08PM
WALLY-WORLD HAS DUAL FORMAT FOR $99.00!!!!
Rob @ Apr 21st 2007 9:08PM
This is an article in english. Saying exactly what I was trying to say. http://www.homemediaretailing.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?sec_id=2&&article_ID=10557.... Your comments prove how rabbid HDdvd fanatics are. Disney and Fox want BD+, they aren't going to make HDdvd's now if they have waited this long, I bring up WB and Paramount here. If most players go combo. They won't be for a while. Plus Samsung's player isn't due till christmas and will be alot more than $299. However if BRD is outselling HDdvd at the rate they are now, or more considering the titles coming from people like Dinsey,(Pirates 1&2,Bridge to Terr.) all the way till these playes come out. What are the chances that Universal will want in on the BRD action before there is competeing $299 players at Wal-mart?
Kevin Murphy @ Apr 23rd 2007 2:34PM
Note to blu-ray supporters: BD+ does not make me like it more.
n2 @ Apr 22nd 2007 12:19AM
Disney and Fox want to publish their movies in the most popular format where they can achieve the biggest return. They were lead to believe that the PS3 would be a success (being based on a Playstation), and usher in Blu-Ray to a lot of homes.
The PS3, while it is the most popular Blu-Ray player sold, is not selling as well as previously expected.
If HD DVD or another methodology were to gain significant ground, I would not be surprised to see these studios offer their eventual support.
MAK1981 @ Apr 22nd 2007 8:35AM
I personally think it's funny that everyone hates on WalMart for being "anti-American" and "pro-sweat-shop-labor", but now that we have a Taiwanese article, people are harping up WalMart like their God. Can't anyone just can it with the fanboy-ism? I feel like I'm back in 3rd grade when reading this stuff :)
horngreen @ Apr 22nd 2007 11:59AM
Wally is capitalistic, along with being agnostic, anti-fanboyist. Go Wallyworld!!!
n.p. @ Apr 23rd 2007 5:55AM
there should be several corrections to the comments -- the translation is still in question and the players won't hit the market till next year. the PS3 is selling as well as expected but not at the rate that was expected. the numbers are growing but the climb up is more gradual than anticipated.
universal is more likely to go neutral than it is of the other companies to go neutral or switch sides. let's also remember that sony is the biggest movie studio since they own or partly own Columbia and MGM with probably the largest collective library of films.
hd-dvd never had a chance.
Wiseblood @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:48AM
The translation is in question by one confused blogger and only Engadget has latched onto it. Also there will be players available THIS year, with the entire order being complete in 2008.
Zoomer @ Apr 23rd 2007 4:46PM
It's pretty clear it's talking about HD-DVD.
這款福彥與日本TDK合作研發的藍光HD-DVD機芯,標榜可以讓影像更逼真,畫面更絢麗。鄧鴻吉說,目前這種類型的機芯,飛利浦每台售價要599美元,新力及東芝也要499美元,福彥只要299美元,是市場競爭利基所在。
This company, together with Japan's TDK, collobrated to produce a blue laser HD-DVD player, yada yada ... Current players retail at US$599 each, after new efforts, it's still $499. Our players cost only US$299; it's the cheapest on the market.
Mr_Fizzlepop @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:39PM
Well, I find it hard to believe it's HD DVD based on their current price-point.
Amazon has the Samsung Blu-ray player for 479.00 and free shipping--> http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-BD-P1000-Blu-Ray-Disc-Player/dp/B000F99FDE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-7873273-4775261?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1177381185&sr=8-1
It does make sense that a 299.00 player would be Walmart cheap it if was Blu-ray, but it doesn't jive with HD DVD players already down to 329.00 and free shipping for the toshiba --> http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HD-A2-HD-DVD-Player/dp/B000IJV4BC/ref=pd_bbs_3/002-7873273-4775261?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1177381963&sr=8-3
If it had said 199.00, it would be easy to think they were talking HD DVD, but with it being 299.00 and current pricing, I'm not so sure.
Zoomer @ Apr 24th 2007 7:45AM
I believe they are talking about RRP, not street. However, it's not in the article, just my guess. :)
Mr_Fizzlepop @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:49PM
||This company, together with Japan's TDK, collobrated to produce a blue laser HD-DVD player, yada yada ... Current players retail at US$599 each, after new efforts, it's still $499. Our players cost only US$299; it's the cheapest on the market.||
Actually, this could Clearly be the Samsung on amazon which just weeks ago was 499.00, and last year was 599.00
Nfinity @ Apr 27th 2007 1:00AM
Thomas why don't you update your article as you did with such dedication when the press release was out for the first time and the wording of blu-light was hyped as Blu-Ray. It has been confirmed by Fuh-Yuan that they are indeed HD-DVD players.
Califlaman @ May 16th 2007 12:56AM
as i said in a comment i left in the article about the 599 blue ray player.
walmart allready has a 225 hddvd player the rca hdv5000 (atleast the one in baldwin hill here in los angeles.
i picked it up the other day 225 plus tax.
i still have the as advertised card from the side of the box that lists the name and price of it along with my reciept if any one wants me to scan it and see it. they had 10 in stock when i bought when i was back the other day to get a copy of children of men on hddvd they were down to 3 in stock.
also of note they had 7 phillips bluray players for a even 400 when i went back they had 5 still.
they had 10 of these
ian @ May 16th 2007 1:19AM
It is HD-DVD. Chinese characters translating to 'blue ray' are not used for BluRay the brand- for that they use the english. Just as HD-DVD is the only english script in the orginial- because it is the brand.
So, no dual format player, just HD-DVD with the technology of blue lasers (or rays). 2million?? they need to get them cheap to sell that many!!