HD-DVD add on at a higher price then expected?

Michaellvortega

Michaellvortega

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I saw this article at Xbox-scene.com
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19588

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The Premium Xbox 360 won't benefit from a price cut this Christmas - but instead a HD-DVD and console package is due, spearheading a marketing drive of console bundles available from November.

Retail sources have indicated to GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft is currently planning to price the standalone HD-DVD drive at GBP 199 (~293EUR or ~370USD), and to package it with two HD-DVD movies. The sources also suggested that Microsoft will bundle the Premium console and next-generation movie player together for under GBP 400 (~589EUR, ~745USD) - and that the price could even be as low as GBP 375 (~552EUR, ~700USD).

It's expected an official Premium bundle will be made available in early November, with a newly released triple-A third-party title included.

Note: I added an USD pricepoint to the article above, but I just converted the currency. The actual prices will probably be lower in USA (due lower saletaxes etc). To give you an idea, the Xbox 360 Pro Pack sells at 399eur (converted that's ~505usd ... so over 100usd more than the official 399usd pricepoint in the USA). So the actual retail price of the HD-DVD addon in North-America will probably be closer to 300USD

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I think it's just BS, is anyone a MS that stupid to do this? I believe three podcast ago on the Major Nelson show, he interview the crew that were putting together the HD-DVD add-on and they specifically stated that it would be LESS then what a PS3 would cost. Interesting article either way. Seems like a little to much speculation and rumors surrounding Wii, PS3 and now Xbox360 lately.
 
I don't believe that news report. Microsoft would be really dumb for charging more than $200 for it, otherwise they should just not even sell it.

Given a history of video playback on all consoles, I don't expect the 360 to perform on par with standalone HD-DVD players anyway. So a 360 equiped HD-DVD combo better not cost me as much as one.
 
No price has been confirmed. Considering HD players will not be dropping anytime soon (the rumor from 2 days ago was a sale at a website). When the new models come out in 2 months the old ones will be phased out. No official MSRP changing.
 
If it's going to be $370, then why wouldn't I just go out and get a stand alone Toshiba player?

What's the point of getting what's basically an OEM disc drive that plugs into the 360 when I could get the real deal holyfield for just a bit more?
 
at least theyre not forcing you to buy one by integratign it into the console.
i could care less, by the time dvd is being phased out the price of the players will be much cheaper anyway.
 
Does anyone even want this? I know that I might eventually want to upgrade to HD-DVD or Bluray, but right now, come on. "Standard" output on a regular old DVD through component cables is just fine by me. I see no reason to pull the trigger on overpriced technology just because it's new. What does the standard DVD format not give you enough of? There's room for the film, special features, multiple audio tracks, DVD-Rom content, etc.

I know some guys just have to have the newest stuff. More power to you if you do, but I'm not going to get gouged on some console or peripheral just because there's a new format being pushed prematurely (especially in this case where there are rival formats, one of which is going to fail). All that and then I'll get to pay more for my movies too, movies that may or may not look better than the ones I'm already watching. I think I'm going to pass...
 
If the HD DVD add on were 140 max, I'd get it. If it were a 100 bucks (which I seriously fuckin doubt) I'd be there for it. Hell, the only reason I watch DVDs on my 360 is because none of the DVD players I have now can do progressive scan...

Granted, I'd rather spend the 150-200 on an Oppo upconverting player than can do PAL-to-NTSC conversion. I want the Laurel and Hardy box set thats only available in England and Germany like a mother fucker. fuck the US and their copyright and the company that holds the right for blocking it!!!
 
Yeah, the conversion doesn't usually add up to what we would pay. It's usually GBP = Euros = Yen. So if something costs 199 GBP, it's $199, and it's 19900 Yen. That's usually the rule of thumb.

So expect the HD-DVD drive to come out here in the US for around $200. I wouldn't worry.

Jeremy
 
FWIW, first gen HDDVD players can be had for 400-500; first gen DVD players were over a thousand, and even first gen VCRs may have been that much.
Each HD/BD player also upconverts SDVD, so for 200 bucks more than a good upconverting SDVD player, you could go HD as well.
I will say I don't think HD/BD acceptance will be as fast as VCR/DVD; for one thing, the competing formats [of course, we had VHS vs Beta]; and another, to really make use of it requires a lot more initial pre-investment than DVD or VHS [those worked with pretty much any TV]. Also, while HD>DVD, it's not as easily visible an upgrade as VHS->DVD, either in content or quality. Then again, MS has been pushing "HD gaming" so perhaps lots of folks who have the 360 already have the investment in hd-compatible monitors.

I do think 375 or even 300 is a little high; you can get a standalone player with more features for just slightly more, and I tend to prefer more specialized pieces of hardware. And 700 for the console bundle gets us into Sony pricing. 200 is more reasonable.

I think it will be quite some time before DVD is truly 'phased out', I think the market could support both for a while.
 
[quote name='jrutz']Yeah, the conversion doesn't usually add up to what we would pay. It's usually GBP = Euros = Yen. So if something costs 199 GBP, it's $199, and it's 199 Yen. That's usually the rule of thumb.

So expect the HD-DVD drive to come out here in the US for around $200. I wouldn't worry.

Jeremy[/QUOTE]


..Isn't 199 Yen like, two bucks?
 
I don't even own a 360, and I'd buy one for that :)

yep, current rates are 117Y per USD.
199.00 USD United States Dollars = 23,284.45 JPYJapan Yen
 
Hopefully they put some (very short) 1080i trailers of HD DVD movies up on Live before the HD DVD add on comes out so we can see if the HD DVD player is worth the extra cost.
 
[quote name='Kaijufan']Hopefully they put some (very short) 1080i trailers of HD DVD movies up on Live before the HD DVD add on comes out so we can see if the HD DVD player is worth the extra cost.[/QUOTE]

I don't understand how that will help. If you can't tell the difference between the videos in HiDef that they put up now and DVDs or regular TV then you never will.
 
[quote name='Michaellvortega']I don't understand how that will help. If you can't tell the difference between the videos in HiDef that they put up now and DVDs or regular TV then you never will.[/quote]
I can tell the difference between the Viva Pinata episodes I downloaded and SD TV shows and movies I watch, but I still want to see some short clips of live action anyway, since I've never seen Titanic and can't really compare the HDD video to the SD version.
 
[quote name='Kaijufan']I can tell the difference between the Viva Pinata episodes I downloaded and SD TV shows and movies I watch, but I still want to see some short clips of live action anyway, since I've never seen Titanic and can't really compare the HDD video to the SD version.[/QUOTE]

I recommend you watch Battlestar Galactica in HD, In Milwaukee we have HDNet(a cable channel) OH MY GODS is there a difference in quality! I wish SciFi came in HD all the time because BSG in HiDef is AWESOME! If you have a media center PC their is some interesting HD media that you can view over the media extender as well.
 
[quote name='Michaellvortega']I recommend you watch Battlestar Galactica in HD, In Milwaukee we have HDNet(a cable channel) OH MY GODS is there a difference in quality! I wish SciFi came in HD all the time because BSG in HiDef is AWESOME! If you have a media center PC their is some interesting HD media that you can view over the media extender as well.[/quote]
I wish I could, because I would really love to see BSG in HD. We have a really old DirecTV box, and it doesn't do HD. :cry:
 
[quote name='Kaijufan']I wish I could, because I would really love to see BSG in HD. We have a really old DirecTV box, and it doesn't do HD. :cry:[/QUOTE]


Check out craigs list, I see fools sell HD direct tv boxes for cheap all the time.
 
[quote name='Kawnhr']..Isn't 199 Yen like, two bucks?[/QUOTE]

Damn, corrected by a newb! ;)

Thanks, fixed. But you get the idea.

Jeremy
 
[quote name='jrutz']Damn, corrected by a newb! ;)

Thanks, fixed. But you get the idea.

Jeremy[/QUOTE]

Yeah, just nitpicking. You're probably right about the prices.
 
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