HD Disc Format War Not Over By a Long Shot

[Ken S]

Originally Posted by mikulakerr

Regarding Netflix's decision to go exclusively with Blu-Ray: Ten minutes after I received their e-mail...I had become a happy member of Blockbuster's online video rental. I suggest that all Netflix customers who own an HD DVD player do likewise. One can only wonder how much money was exchanged under the table to get Netflix to do this.

I joined Netflix a couple of months ago and I love it. The cost to rent a Blu-ray disc is the same as SD (much lower than the Blockbuster down the street) , plus the turn around time is fantastic. What more could anyone want?

[PRO-630HD]

Okay I just read the Panny dmp-bd50 is supposed to be around $1000. You have got to be F$%^*&G kidding me. An extra $500 for a ethernet port and 1gb of persistent storage.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by PRO-630HD

Okay I just read the Panny dmp-bd50 is supposed to be around $1000. You have got to be F$%^*&G kidding me. An extra $500 for a ethernet port and 1gb of persistent storage.

LOL! If that is true that is hilarious. It went from "probably around $700," from CES to $1000?

[jpcos]

Originally Posted by PRO-630HD

Okay I just read the Panny dmp-bd50 is supposed to be around $1000. You have got to be F$%^*&G kidding me. An extra $500 for a ethernet port and 1gb of persistent storage.

Where did you read that? If I'm getting a Blu-ray player in the next 6 months, this would be it providing it doesn't have the same LFE issue the other Panny's have. The most I might consider spending is $400 though.

[PRO-630HD]

You aren't going to get it for $400 brother. No way!!!

[jpcos]

Originally Posted by PRO-630HD

You aren't going to get it for $400 brother. No way!!!

I know it varies for everyone, but $400 is the high end of what I'd consider paying for a player in 2008.

I'm sure this will tick some people off, but with this week's news and the current state of Blu-ray players, I'm probably going to forgo the Blu-ray player in favor of an Apple TV at this time. With that and Comcast On Demand I'm going to see how enjoyment and expenses go without physical media and more of a pay-per-use model.

With hundreds of SD and HD DVDs on the shelf, many unopened, I'm thinking that it'll be interesting to have access to the variety that these services will provide without the expanding need for shelf space and the limited library. Other than the $230 for the Apple box, I'll be spending a whole lot less money.

Maybe in a year or two there will be real value in a Blu-ray player. I'm sure since I'm and HD DVD owner, this will seem like sour grapes, but I'm just tired of the whole software cost/availability and the hardware issues. If it really is about the content, these services will be delivering much more in a more convenient fashion. Don't even have to leave the house or wait for delivery through the mail.