Costco: Toshiba HD-D3 $129.99
Posted by Tyler Pruitt on January 14, 2008
Filed Under: Deals, Format War, HD DVD, Retailers
During a trip to our local Costco warehouse (Seattle area), we spotted the Toshiba HD-D3 (same as the HD-A3) on sale for the bottom basement price of $129.99. While Blu-ray seems to have all the momentum, it’s kinda hard to sell consumers a $379.99 Samsung BD-P1400 thats sitting next to the $129.99 HD-D3.
I just hope the Blu-ray side doesn’t cease their pre-XMAS price drops, now that they feel HD DVD is down for the count. Even though most have despised the format war, I have always thought that both sides have pushed each other to slash prices at an unprecedented rate. This I believe benefited early adopters, at the expense of confusing J6P.
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“it’s kinda hard to sell consumers a $379.99 Samsung BD-P1400 thats sitting next to the $129.99 HD-D3″
Um yeah and when that family want’s to watch Cars, Fantastic 4, Pirates, Next year’s Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, etc that salesman is gonna come back with “But this model is cheaper you don’t really want to watch those movies do you?”
Seriously guys this is a firesale so retailers can clear inventory. Toshiba helping them with the whole upconversion angle (and helping themselves by clearing product)
Best Buy, Walmart and the rest want HiDef discs to grow as a new revenue source. They will put all the pressure that is needed on the studios. A hypothetical swing in HDDVDs favor (which aint happenin’) from the studios would only FUBAR the Big Box chains even more. And considering the lackluster holiday season do any of you think they seriously want to continue stocking 3 kinds of packaged films?
From a business standpoint (which in reality is the ONLY standpoint) this format war ended at CES. Paramount and Universal going neutral by summer at the latest are the A bombs that make Toshiba run up the white flag.
Though actually losing Best Buy, Walmart, Fry’s and the rest will probably happen first.
As always Econ 101 prevails…
Might want to check your Econ 101 class again – because the average consumer already has those titles on DVD, and they’ll ask if those will play on their new $129 HD player – and look better. Don’t take HD media for granted, not everyone is going to buy one or the other – somepeople are trying to justify a purchase in the first place.
Pretty hard to pass up those prices if you want to get into HDM.
TigerDirect Canada also had a Toshiba player for $129.95. They sold out quickly.
Charles, how dare you sit your young ones down for a nice family viewing of Digital Playground’s Pirates.
A3 now #3 on Amazon in Electronics. This is huge. Before you know it, 2mill players will be in and the studios can’t ignore that.
Funny Mr. Segars
As for Ryan’s argument
“Average consumer already has those titles on DVD, and they’ll ask if those will play on their new $129 HD player – and look better.”
The average consumer who already has those titles and isn’t interested in quality would not be in the market for an HD player upconverting or not.
Now if you are selling a customer that shiny new HDTV and you tell them that for $250 more they have the option of purchasing HD movies from (soon to be) all the studios vs upconverting their old movies (which do not look that great on Flat Panel displays) which direction do you think most consumers will choose? Even on an Olevia crap flat panel Blu blows away and upconvert.
And Ryan you argument is a straw man Econ 101 is all about markets, pricing and fundamentals. Your arguing psychology. And I think the Blu holiday sales numbers disprove your theories…
we’ll, I’m returning my A30….
so I can get an A35 for the same price !
Cheap HD DVD players have never had any impact on the software sales for HD DVD. No matter how many times people have said it would, the software sales have stayed consistent all year for 2007 even with the plummeting HD DVD player price point. Even $130 is expensive for a player that has less than 1/3 of the titles available moving forward…
I think of it more as a double edged sword, as more HD DVD players are sold, so are Blu-ray players, but more importantly, the relatively larger PS3 user base continues to warm to the idea of BD viewing/purchases. That’s why I think the ratio has remained stagnant in spite of the dropping hardware prices on both sides.
This is all the same inane crap that you people we putting out when they got Paramount, and when they had their first fire sale; ‘now we’ll sell’ ‘now we can’t be ignored’ ‘we really have a chance of winning’.
Pretty hard to ignore a $700 Yugo sitting next to an Acura! Well yea, but not for the reasons you people are thinking.
If I see any other delusional fanboys, I’ll send them right over.
Hey! Its the HD-DVD FireSale Part II!!
But Blu-Ray has a better deal – in some ways… since many people are STILL buying new HD-TVs, some need a new player to go with it.
Both Sharp and Panasonic are offering a 1080P BluRay player with the purchase of a high end 1080p HD-TV set. (42″ and up) Plus many deals still include 5~10 movies. This is at both BEST BUY and CIRCUIT CITY.
What is kinda sad, in the current AD-Flyer is the A30 at $399.
Of course $130 or less is a good deal for a dying format, maybe. I ain’t buying it.
*I don’t own any HD player or PS3 or xbox. $130 is cheaper than $300~400… but what is $100~300 when you spend $1500~3000 on a TV? I’m looking at spending $250 for a jacket today and $150 for a dress for my girlfriend for Valentines (to wear in public).
$130 is not worth it for a movie player that can only play 30% of the movies.
This isnt a win for HD-DVD. Its a screw over for an unsuspecting and uneducated buyer.
Please spare me the crap of “it makes a good upconverting dvd player”
Charles, I think what I was saying is that the average consumer, in the market or not for an HD player – will be very tempted at a $129 price point. I see your points, but I just think we’re arguing different things.
Also; to others’ point – none of us would use it as an ‘upconverting DVD player’ but average consumers would.
forget hd or blu-ray this is a great high end dvd player
Also at Best Buy I just realized today you would still get your $100 savings package off this HD DVD player – making it $49.99 with all the movies included.
There are TONS of HD-DVD titles on the market currently. For $129.00 this is a great player to buy while you wait on Blue Ray players to become less expensive.
Not to mention that many consider the Toshibas to be excellent upconverters.
But Upconverters start at $50 nowadays…
No, upconverter at Walmart is $35 and the Philips 3960 is just $39.
Have you guys ever seen these low priced upconvertors on a large screen TV? They look awful. I don’t know enough adjectives to explain that more in detail.
For videophiles, they are aweful. For those J6P who upgraded from CRT and SD DVD player to 42″ Plasma or LCD screen + upconverting DVD player, they look awesome! I believe 99% of the general publics here will agree with me.