Sub $100 Blu-ray player comes to market........

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looks like consumers will finally see some cheaper Blu-ray options. Magnavox has just released a new Blu-ray player that will retail at Wal-Mart for $298 (Model NB500MG9). It is a Profile 1.1 player.

Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray Player (http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2008/05/sub300_bluray_players.html)

Best Buy is expected to have a simlar model in June under the Insignia brand which will retail for $349. No info was given as to if this Insignia model will have different feature sets.

[Logan]

Magnavox? They still make that?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Magnavox? They still make that?

Funai has several brand names that they use on their product. Different stores use different brand names for what basically amounts to the same product. Magnavox is the brand name that they use for their Wal-Mart products.

[Marc Vaughan]

Not to be pedantic - but why would someone buy that player over a PS-3? ...

The PS-3 has a great setup, decent updates available for firmware whenever things update and it plays games ...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Not to be pedantic - but why would someone buy that player over a PS-3? ...

The PS-3 has a great setup, decent updates available for firmware whenever things update and it plays games ...

Some people aren't interested in the game aspect. I do still think that it needs to get down to a $200-250 price point before it really starts to reach mass appeal. You'll probably see it down to $250 by the holidays in addition to lots of offers of a free BR player with purchase of a HDTV.

You're definitely correct that the PS3 is still the best bang-for-the-buck in that regard.

[Cringer]

Funai has several brand names that they use on their product. Different stores use different brand names for what basically amounts to the same product. Magnavox is the brand name that they use for their Wal-Mart products.

Funai has 100 names it seems like. They also do Emerson electronics and several others. They also will be the company behind Phillips LCD TVs next year in the U.S., so that is another Wal-Mart TV that will be made by that company.

With that said, I am not paying $300 for any of their products.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

More rumors coming out that a sub-$200 Blu-ray player will be available as part of the door-busting deals over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend..........

Blu-ray.com - Sources: Sub-$200 Blu-ray Players Coming this Winter (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1740)

[stevew]

I'd probably bite on a sony or panasonic if it were in the 200 dollar range. No chance i'm paying 200 for anything made by Funai though. Also, all of the various profiles are getting confusing/annoying. Finalize the standard already for fucks sake.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I'd probably bite on a sony or panasonic if it were in the 200 dollar range. No chance i'm paying 200 for anything made by Funai though. Also, all of the various profiles are getting confusing/annoying. Finalize the standard already for fucks sake.

Starting to get closer to your wishes. Sony is going to have a $299 and $399 Blu-ray player available later this month. The great part is that both of them are 2.0 profile.

Blu-ray.com - Sony Drops Prices for Blu-ray Players (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1846)

Sony Drops Prices for Blu-ray Players
Posted October 1, 2008 09:57 AM by Josh Dreuth

Sony Electronics has dropped the price of their new BD-Live (Profile v2.0) Blu-ray Disc player - the Sony BDP-S350 - to $299, and have lowered the price of the upcoming Sony BDP-S550 BD-Live Blu-ray Disc player to $399. These reductions represent a discount of $100 off the previous MSRP, and match those reductions set in place by Panasonic a couple weeks ago.

The main difference between the two players is that the S550 has 1GB of storage internally, 7.1 analog outs, and support to decode DTS-HD Master Audio. Those opting for the S350 will have to purchase their own external memory (which is a minimal cost these days) in order to take advantage of BD-Live features.

The BDP-S350 is available now, while the BDP-S550 is expected to ship around the end of the month.

[stevew]

Yeah, they are already $299 for the Sony 350, and the Sharp Aquous one. The samsung 1500 is $299 as well, and is already on sale for $269.

They need at least another 50% cut, though, if they want to move some serious units.

We'll see how it plays out, if I can make some serious money slinging TV's this Christmas season, I may buy one anyways.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Excellent BR player package deal at Amazon.com for those that are interested. If you buy the Samsung BD-P1500 BR player at Amazon.com, you get the 'Matrix Collection' on BR ($75 value) free. So you get a BR player and the full Matrix trilogy on BR for about $230. Deal lasts through October 18th.

Blu-ray.com - Buy a Samsung and Get The Matrix Free (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=1910)

[Daimyo]

$230 is getting close to where it needs to be. Has the BR spec settled enough yet to make this a safe purchase?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

$230 is getting close to where it needs to be. Has the BR spec settled enough yet to make this a safe purchase?

Profile 2.0 is the top level. The player in this deal can be upgraded to 2.0, so this one is just fine in that regard. You just want to avoid 1.0 or 1.1 players.

[stevew]

Basically 1.1 plus a one gig flash drive=profile 2.0

Or so I've heard.

These guys will be in the 150 range on black friday, I would think.

[gstelmack]

They need at least another 50% cut, though, if they want to move some serious units.

That, and a 33% cut in movie prices to $20 for new releases...

[DanGarion]

That, and a 33% cut in movie prices to $20 for new releases...

+1

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

That, and a 33% cut in movie prices to $20 for new releases...

I guess I'm somewhat confused by this comment as it doesn't even match the pricing for this week. Both Indiana Jones: Crystal Skull and Iron Man can be found for $24.99 in BR format. At Best Buy, you can purchase both of them together for $45. The complaints about prices are pretty dated at this point. Anybody who pays more than $25 for a BR new release is lazy or hasn't looked around at all. If you wait a month or two after release, most BR releases can be easily found under the $20 price point.

The holidays will likely bring even bigger price cuts.

[dervack]

I guess I'm somewhat confused by this comment as it doesn't even match the pricing for this week. Both Indiana Jones: Crystal Skull and Iron Man can be found for $24.99 in BR format. At Best Buy, you can purchase both of them together for $45. The complaints about prices are pretty dated at this point. Anybody who pays more than $25 for a BR new release is lazy or hasn't looked around at all. If you wait a month or two after release, most BR releases can be easily found under the $20 price point.

The holidays will likely bring even bigger price cuts.
You're kinda missing the point. While I agree it might be laziness on people's part, until John Q. Public can walk into a Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy or wherever and buy a Blu-Ray for 19.99 or lower on the day it releases, it won't be as mainstream as DVD is right now.

[gstelmack]

Ooooo, you're right, looks like many new releases are down to $25 from $30. Only $5 more to go!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

You're kinda missing the point. While I agree it might be laziness on people's part, until John Q. Public can walk into a Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy or wherever and buy a Blu-Ray for 19.99 or lower on the day it releases, it won't be as mainstream as DVD is right now.

I think it's perfectly clear what my point was. The price issue is quickly resolving itself. Most new releases are already down to $25 and it's widely expected in the next few months that new releases will reach that $20 price point. Given that there are likely to be a substantial amount of BR players sold this holiday season, those two factors should create the BR boom that was expected at this point in the lifecycle.

[Surtt]

If anyone is interested.


hxxp://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=208341730&adid=17654&dcaid=17654

Sylvania NB501SL9 - Blu Ray DVD Player $219.99 - free shipping

[stevew]

shitbox.

[stevew]

but then again, they all pretty much are these days.

The BDP1 from sony.....that was a fucking machine built like a tank.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wow. Looks like the deals are going to be available on Black Friday. Report from Gizmondo says that Ultimate Electronics will be offering the Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray player for $149. That's positively insane. Several other retailers are expected to offer similar price points or even free players with purchase of a HDTV.

Dealzmodo: Samsung Blu-Ray Player to Hit $149 on Black Friday (http://gizmodo.com/5062492/dealzmodo-samsung-blu+ray-player-to-hit-149-on-black-friday)

Edit: There is also a rumor circulating that a $99 player will be available at some retailers, though no mention which brand it might be.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

More cheap players as rumored earlier in this thread. $199 player at Best Buy now available (It should be noted that this is a 1.1 profile player)........

Best Buy Sells Blu-ray Player Below $200 | homemediamagazine.com (http://www.homemediamagazine.com/high-def/best-buy-sells-blu-ray-player-below-200-13728)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Interesting side effect of the quickly falling Blu-ray player prices. Some companies are dropping the release of their player because it won't be profitable at the current price levels....

Sherwood might cancel Blu-ray players due to competitive prices - Engadget HD (http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/30/sherwood-might-cancel-blu-ray-players-due-to-competitive-prices/)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Retail changes on the way in regards to shelf space. After a heavy drop in CD sales in recent months, retailers are replacing CD shelf space with Blu-ray merchandise. I guess the digitial distribution of music is really starting to take a heavy toll. Blu-ray appears to be a beneficiary of that trend.

Report: Wal-Mart Replacing Music with Blu-ray | homemediamagazine.com (http://www.homemediamagazine.com/high-def/report-wal-mart-replacing-music-with-blu-ray-13819)

[stevew]

Sunday Nov 16, 6-9 pm

Sharp BD-HP21 blu ray player is on sale for 179.99 plus an additional 10% special event savings. Out the door at approx 161 plus tax.

Also, the 42pz80u Panasonic is on sale that night for $899-5%(total of 854)

Buy both for approx $1015, if you use sears card save an additional 10%, total of basically 910 plus tax.

Really good deal on a solid TV and decent blu ray player. I think it's 1.1 format BD.

[Flasch186]

what's the problem with a 1.1 BR player? as opposed to 2.0?

found this link so it sounds like the 1.1 player I bought last night, the magnavox, will suffice for our Bedroom DVD player.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

More Blu-ray deals are on the way. Both of these players are 1.1 profile.

Walmart is selling a BR 1.1 player for $198 (everyday pricing).......

Walmart.com: Magnavox Blu-ray Disc Player, NB500MG9: DVD & Blu-ray Players (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9864613)

Info leaked on Black Friday sales indicates that Walmart will have a BR 1.1 profile player for $128.....

Wal-Mart's Black Friday deals - Nov. 14, 2008 (http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/14/news/companies/walmart_blackfriday/index.htm?cnn=yes)

[flere-imsaho]

Question: Do Blockbuster/Netflix and other rental places typically stock Blu-Ray discs? Do they typically cost more to rent?

[ISiddiqui]

Netflix does and it costs $1 more per month for Blu-Ray.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Even RedBox, the king of McDonalds rentals, will soon be renting Blu-ray discs. Some kiosks in limited regional areas are already stocking Blu-ray rentals.......

Red Box makes space for Blu-ray on its website - Engadget HD (http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/11/16/red-box-makes-space-for-blu-ray-on-its-website/)

[flere-imsaho]

Good to know - thanks guys.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looks like the DEG has put out a list of Blu-ray machines that will be on sale for $300 or less this year. The Digital Bits people recommend Panasonic for overall value. Pretty big list.......

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#sub300

But first, the DEG has issued an official list of Blu-ray Disc players that will be priced from around $300 to under $200 for the holiday shopping season at various retailers. I should note that the list did NOT include Best Buy's custom Insignia brand, so I've added it below. The specific models to look for are as follows:

Magnavox: NB500MG9 (1.1)

Panasonic: DMP-BD30 (1.1) and DMP-BD35 (2.0)

Philips: BDP7200 (1.1)

Samsung: BD-P1000 (1.0), BD-P1200 (1.1) and BD-P1500 (1.1, updatable to 2.0)

Sharp: BDHP2OU (1.0) and BDHP21U (1.1)

Sony: BDP-S300 (1.0), BDP-S301 (1.0), BDP-BX1 (1.1, updatable to 2.0) and BDP-S350 (2.0)

Sylvania: NB500SL9 (1.1) and NB501SL9 (1.1)

Insignia (Best Buy only): NS-BRDVD (1.1) and NS-2BRDVD (2.0)

You'll note that after the model number of each player, I've specified whether the unit is profile 1.0 (basic interactive features), 1.1 (BonusView, for PiP video and advanced interactive features) or 2.0 (BD Live, for online features), as many readers have been asking for this information when we've posted news of sale prices. In general, we'd recommend that you get at LEAST a profile 1.1 player. If you can find a great deal on a profile 2.0 unit, that's ideal. (They'll generally be priced in the $200 to $300 range for now, while the 1.0 and 1.1 units will be anywhere from $200 to as low as $128.) It's not that we've really seen profile 2.0/BD-Live extras that really blow us away yet, but having the ability to connect to the Internet makes firmware updates MUCH easier. And sooner or later, someone really will push BD-Live in a direction that'll be worth checking out.

Be sure to watch your local retailers' websites and ad circulars for the latest sales, PARTICULARLY as pertains to Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). As you know, Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year here in the States, so sales and discounts are plentiful. Retailers are expected to be especially aggressive with sales this year, given the slowing economy. So keep your eyes peeled for those bargains! And if you learn of additional BD players that should be included above, e-mail me and I'll add them to the list above.

By the way, several of you have asked which brands we recommend here at The Bits. Personally, I swear by Panasonic. They're very reliable, when there's a (rare) problem the firmware updates are quick, and the company has been closely involved with the technical development of the Blu-ray format, from perfecting the video quality to the development of new BonusView and BD-Live features, so you can count on them to be on top of all the latest developments. That's not to say other brands aren't great too - just that my personal experiences with Panasonic have been excellent.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Sub-$100 player out on the market. Meijer's is offering it through the end of July.

Blu-ray.com - BD Player for $99.99 at Meijer (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2938)

[lordscarlet]

Sub-$100 player out on the market. Meijer's is offering it through the end of July.

Blu-ray.com - BD Player for $99.99 at Meijer (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2938)

Looks like it is sold out already, but how does this player stack up?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looks like it is sold out already, but how does this player stack up?

It really hasn't been reviewed much, so hard to tell. The more important significance of it is that we'll likely see good name-brand players in the $100-150 price range this fall, which is a significant improvement.

[Passacaglia]

Is there any doubt that Meijer rules?

[RainMaker]

I just recently added a 1080p crappy Sony Bravia. Now I normally just do the regular Netflix. But with a better TV, is it worth the upgrade at Netflix (I believe $3/month) so that I'm getting mostly Blu-Ray discs? Is there that much of a difference?

[stevew]

Looks like it is sold out already, but how does this player stack up?

I'd guess, from breifly reading about it, that it probably stacks up like a Samsung 1400 or 1500. I actually think there's only a few variations on the generic players, most are based off a sharp player. Others off a samsung.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Nationwide offer this time. Wal-Mart has reduce the price on the same player to $98. Really surprised to see the prices coming down so far ahead of the holiday season. Bodes well for consumers.

Magnavox Blu-ray Player Only $98 After Wal-Mart Price Rollback (http://formatwarcentral.com/2009/07/09/magnavox-blu-ray-player-only-98-after-wal-mart-price-rollback/)

[SackAttack]

Nationwide offer this time. Wal-Mart has reduce the price on the same player to $98. Really surprised to see the prices coming down so far ahead of the holiday season. Bodes well for consumers.

Magnavox Blu-ray Player Only $98 After Wal-Mart Price Rollback (http://formatwarcentral.com/2009/07/09/magnavox-blu-ray-player-only-98-after-wal-mart-price-rollback/)

That it's coming down this early could also mean that the format isn't getting the expected levels of love, probably because the price of the discs relative to DVD is still absurdly high. Especially for people who are just going to hook the player up with the wrong cables and then claim that they see no difference between standard and high definition.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

That it's coming down this early could also mean that the format isn't getting the expected levels of love, probably because the price of the discs relative to DVD is still absurdly high. Especially for people who are just going to hook the player up with the wrong cables and then claim that they see no difference between standard and high definition.

I think it's more the economy than anything else. Blu-ray adoption is still outpacing DVD adoption when comparing similar timeframes. Also, the cheaper Blu-ray drives were expected sometime this month, which was expected to create substantial cost savings. It could be that those are hitting the market a bit early.

[gstelmack]

Has there been a decent, relatively inexpensive Blu-Ray player released yet that has an Internet connection for updating? I know that was one knock on the early players and one huge advantage for the PS3 as a player. I haven't been paying too much attention but now that my current DVD player is starting to show some aging I might be looking into a Blu-Ray replacement this Holiday season.

Unfortunately the current main player is a 400-disc changer that we got so we could put the DVDs in it safe from the kids while leaving the boxes out so they could show us what movie they wanted to watch. They're old enough now that it should not be a huge problem, but I'm going to miss that 400-disc changer...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Has there been a decent, relatively inexpensive Blu-Ray player released yet that has an Internet connection for updating? I know that was one knock on the early players and one huge advantage for the PS3 as a player. I haven't been paying too much attention but now that my current DVD player is starting to show some aging I might be looking into a Blu-Ray replacement this Holiday season.

Assuming a price drop to $299 this fall, I can't imagine a better Blu-ray option than the PS3 as long as you're not financially strapped. If the PS3 price drops this fall, I'll likely buy another one mainly for Blu-ray use. The updates are included in the firmware, which obviously updates very easily. Quality is very good as well, which is something I value and is worth the extra $200. Doesn't hurt that you get a HD gaming system to boot.

[flere-imsaho]

Unfortunately the current main player is a 400-disc

:eek:

That thing must be ginormous!

[JonInMiddleGA]

That thing must be ginormous!

http://www.futurebots.com/crayb.jpg

[samifan24]

Nationwide offer this time. Wal-Mart has reduce the price on the same player to $98. Really surprised to see the prices coming down so far ahead of the holiday season. Bodes well for consumers.

Magnavox Blu-ray Player Only $98 After Wal-Mart Price Rollback (http://formatwarcentral.com/2009/07/09/magnavox-blu-ray-player-only-98-after-wal-mart-price-rollback/)

I picked this one up for my folks this afternoon. It doesn't have BD-Live but that's only for some special features they don't need anyway. It has a SD slot so that's how you update the Blu-ray firmware. It's easy and let's them watch Blu-ray so I'm happy.

[gstelmack]

:eek:

That thing must be ginormous!

It's about 2x-3x times as tall as a typical DVD player (discs stand on end rather than flat) and a bit deeper (thanks to the motor on the back), but it's not that bad. Biggest issue is the depth as it's an inch too deep for most cabinets. Looks a lot like a typical audio receiver:

Amazon.com: SONY DVP-CX777ES 400 Disc DVD - SACD(TM) - CD Changer: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/SONY-DVP-CX777ES-400-Disc-DVD/dp/B00020634U)

[gstelmack]

Assuming a price drop to $299 this fall, I can't imagine a better Blu-ray option than the PS3 as long as you're not financially strapped. If the PS3 price drops this fall, I'll likely buy another one mainly for Blu-ray use. The updates are included in the firmware, which obviously updates very easily. Quality is very good as well, which is something I value and is worth the extra $200. Doesn't hurt that you get a HD gaming system to boot.

So aside from the PS3, the answer to my question is "no"?

And assuming anything about Sony's future strategy is not a good plan ;)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

It's about 2x-3x times as tall as a typical DVD player (discs stand on end rather than flat) and a bit deeper (thanks to the motor on the back), but it's not that bad. Biggest issue is the depth as it's an inch too deep for most cabinets. Looks a lot like a typical audio receiver:

Amazon.com: SONY DVP-CX777ES 400 Disc DVD - SACD(TM) - CD Changer: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/SONY-DVP-CX777ES-400-Disc-DVD/dp/B00020634U)

I have the same player. It's well worth the $350 I paid for it. I'll hang on to it. I use it all the time.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

So aside from the PS3, the answer to my question is "no"?

And assuming anything about Sony's future strategy is not a good plan ;)

Pretty much. I think the $200 players have ethernet ports, but given that you may be able to get a PS3 for $100 more this fall, I'm not sure that they're a good option.

Yes, we all know about assumptions. :)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Gonna be tough to get before it runs out, but a midwestern chain called American TV is offering a Blu-ray player for $50. Just got posted two hours ago, so you may still have a chance.......

Blu-ray.com - Buy a Blu-ray Player for $50 and Change (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3092)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Unfortunately the current main player is a 400-disc changer that we got so we could put the DVDs in it safe from the kids while leaving the boxes out so they could show us what movie they wanted to watch. They're old enough now that it should not be a huge problem, but I'm going to miss that 400-disc changer...

New announcement today may strike your fancy. Sony is releasing a 400 disc Blu-ray player with WiFi and disc title recognition system. Three types of models, ranging from $700 to $1900. They're supposed to be the same size as the current changers that we own.

Blu-ray.com - Sony Announces Three New Blu-ray Players (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3173)

My guess is that we'll be able to pick up that one priced at MSRP of $700 for $550-600 online if we shop around during the holiday season. I'll definitely be picking this up because, much like you, I love having the movies pre-loaded. I'll probably just keep my old DVD carousel on a separate input so I don't have to move anything and can just switch back and forth between inputs.

[gstelmack]

Well, now that the kids are growing out of the need to pick up the box to tell us what we want I'm not sure I need the changer anymore, although we'll certainly consider it. However, I hate that all these new Blu-Ray players are coming with WiFi. I hate WiFi and don't want to pay for it. All I need is an ethernet port. I guess as long as I can turn it off, but I don't like paying the extra few bucks for the feature.

[gstelmack]

Ah, I see, looks like the high-end has Wifi and all 3 can look up disc info online. The low-end one might work. Hmmm....

[stevew]

That's a rediculous amount more for a player that really doesn't have that many more differences than a carousel, and a DiscID system.

I can't see that costing so much to build that it costs 300 more than a bdsp-560.

[gstelmack]

I did a compare on the Sony site of the bdsp-360 and the new bdsp-560. Everything in the side-by-side was gray (meaning the same) except for price, dimension, and weight. I had to go digging through the descriptions to see that for $100 extra I get WiFi. Yippee! May have to take them up on the discounts for the 360. If there is something else I get, they ought to let me know.

[gstelmack]

That's a rediculous amount more for a player that really doesn't have that many more differences than a carousel, and a DiscID system.

I can't see that costing so much to build that it costs 300 more than a bdsp-560.

I agree. I paid $350 for my 400-disc DVD changer a few years back, this one ought to be around $500.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I agree. I paid $350 for my 400-disc DVD changer a few years back, this one ought to be around $500.

I agree with that. As I mentioned before, I'll be shopping around to track down some coupons that bring it down to the $550 range. Shouldn't be tough to find. $700 is too much, but most of these players have come out for 'too much' and then quickly dropped in price after 6-9 months.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Great deal here. $99 at Best Buy for a 2.0 profile Blu-ray player. By far, the lowest price we've seen on a 2.0 player.

Insignia Blu-ray Disc Player w/ BD-Live Support $100 - Slickdeals.net (http://www.slickdeals.net/permadeal/23305/Insignia-Blu-ray-Disc-Player-w-BD-Live-Support-100)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

dola

Some big news in the industry. Toshiba has finally abandoned its attempt to create an alternate DVD format and will be signing on as a Blu-ray provider. They will be putting Blu-ray in their computers and stand-alone BR players. Both could be available as early as this holiday season.

Blu-ray.com - Toshiba Applies for BDA Membership (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3228)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Great deal over at woot.com today for those interested in a home theater all-in-one Blu-ray package. Sony Blu-ray 2.0 player with 5.1 wireless speakers for $499.

[stevew]

Those golf ball speakers weren't as good as I thought they would be.

If you live near a sears, it's possible they'll still have a Panasonic BTH-100 HTIB for around 400. That unit rocked.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Retailers predicts $49 Blu-ray players at select Black Friday sales. I predict fist fights and death at Wal-Mart if that happens.

Also expect 50% of all movie players to be Blu-ray by end of 2010.

Blu-ray player prices continue to slide - 10/23/2009 - Video Business (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6703722.html?desc=topstory)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

dola

Netflix-enabled Blu-ray player available for $99 at Best Buy this week........

Blu-ray.com - Insignia Blu-ray Player with Netflix for under $100 (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3605)

[Passacaglia]

That seems like a good deal. I wanted one with Netflix and Pandora, but if this just has Netflix, that might be enough.

[Samdari]

dola

Netflix-enabled Blu-ray player available for $99 at Best Buy this week........

Blu-ray.com - Insignia Blu-ray Player with Netflix for under $100 (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3605)

I have an insignia tv - complete piece of crap. I would avoid buying their stuff at any cost. If this is the only blu-ray player you can afford, you're better off not getting one.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I have an insignia tv - complete piece of crap. I would avoid buying their stuff at any cost. If this is the only blu-ray player you can afford, you're better off not getting one.

I have an Insignia DVD player for my car and have no issues. Been working for 2+ years. Obviously, the quality isn't quite as good, but the BR player is priced at $99 for a reason.

[Samdari]

I have an Insignia DVD player for my car and have no issues. Been working for 2+ years. Obviously, the quality isn't quite as good, but the BR player is priced at $99 for a reason.

If the reason is that its a piece of shit....

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Holiday price wars are starting already. Version 2.0 BR player from Panasonic for $157. Wal-Mart is offering a Sony player for under $150, which basically is the same deal that Sears will offer on Black Friday.

Blu-ray.com - Full-featured Panasonic BD Player for under $160 (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3662)

[sooner333]

Is BR even worth it for me if my TV is 720p and I don't have HDMI (though I do have optical audio in my receiver)?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Is BR even worth it for me if my TV is 720p and I don't have HDMI (though I do have optical audio in my receiver)?

Do you watch football games in HD or standard def?

[NewIdentity]

With a $49 Blue-Ray player in the future, does that mean we wil see a $199 PS3?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

With a $49 Blue-Ray player in the future, does that mean we wil see a $199 PS3?

No. The PS3 is selling very well at its current price. They're not going to move it again for at least a year.

The $49 BR player will likely be a temporary sales drop. But it's not hard to find a $99 BR player if you want one right now.

[sooner333]

Do you watch football games in HD or standard def?

Well, of course I watch in HD, but DVD quality is certainly better than standard def (although it's obviously not as good as BR).

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Well, of course I watch in HD, but DVD quality is certainly better than standard def (although it's obviously not as good as BR).

For me personally, even a 720p output through the standard RGB cable was pretty significant. One other thing to note is that all Blu-ray players come standard with upconverting on DVD's, so you're going to get a quasi-HD picture on those as well.

For $150 or less, I think that's a pretty good price point to upgrade given the quality upgrade even on a 720p TV. But I certainly understand that some may need that to come down another $50 to make it worthwhile.

[gstelmack]

I did a compare on the Sony site of the bdsp-360 and the new bdsp-560. Everything in the side-by-side was gray (meaning the same) except for price, dimension, and weight. I had to go digging through the descriptions to see that for $100 extra I get WiFi. Yippee! May have to take them up on the discounts for the 360. If there is something else I get, they ought to let me know.

Irony of ironies, now that the BDSP-360 is around $150 at Amazon, I'll probably be picking one up sometime within the next month. I'll have a 360 from Microsoft and a 360 from Sony sitting next to each other :D

Only reason I haven't pulled the trigger just yet is waiting to see what Holiday sales come out (the rumor is the Sony player at Walmart tomorrow is the 360). But this one is mine very soon...

[PilotMan]

New Egg is going to be selling a refurb Magnavox RNB500MS9 for $79 with free shipping today after 1p pacific. No idea if that's any good, but thought that someone might be interested.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Great deal on a LG Blu-ray player. May not last much longer. $149 for the player and 3 BR movies.

LG BD 370 Blu-ray Disc Player + 3 Select Blu-Ray Discs $149 - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/26174/LG-BD-370-Blu-ray-Disc-Player---3-Select-Blu-Ray-Discs-149)

[stevew]

Sears is running the BDSP-560 and 46"v5100 bundled together for like 1039 this week. If you use the sears card it's 935. If you don't need the player, you could probably ebay it for 200 and have the TV for around 750.

[Edward64]

So what is the lowest confirmed price for Blu Ray on Black Friday? I've got a BB gift card from Hilton Honors and hoping to get a good deal.

[NewIdentity]

So what is the lowest confirmed price for Blu Ray on Black Friday? I've got a BB gift card from Hilton Honors and hoping to get a good deal.
You are like a week late to the party as BB had the Insignia Blu Ray/Netflix player for $99.00

I am surprised that Netflix doesn't give these players away with a 2 year comitment; something like DirecTV and Dish Network do with their equipment.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Another $99 player is available with version 2.0.

Blu-ray.com - Memorex Blu-ray Player $99.99 at Target (http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3703)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Panasonic BR player + $30 worth of On-Demand movies for $130........

Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray Disc Player & $30 Video-on-Demand Credit $130 - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/26409/Panasonic-DMP-BD60-Blu-ray-Disc-Player--30-Video-on-Demand-Credit-130)

Sharp Aquos BR player for $123........

Sharp Aquos BDHP22U Blu-ray Disc Player $123 at Sears - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/26407/Sharp-Aquos-BDHP22U-Blu-ray-Disc-Player-123-at-Sears)

[Edward64]

Walmart Magnavox Blu-ray for $78. Woo hoo.
Walmart Black Friday 2009 ads show early deals - Nov. 17, 2009 (http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/17/news/companies/walmart_black_friday_ad_2009/index.htm)
Items with confirmed prices for the day-after-Thanksgiving sale are a Sanyo 50-inch plasma 720p HDTV for $598, a Magnavox Blu-ray player for $78, a Tom Tom GPS for $59, select children's clothing for as low as $3, a $7 reversible fleece jacket for kids and adults, and the Barbie Power Wheels Ride-On, a toy Jeep, for $88.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Some key news coming out over the weekend concerning market share of Blu-ray sales. Wal-Mart has now overtaken Best Buy as the largest seller of Blu-ray movie titles. This is usually a big deal in retail, as it indicates mass market adoption of a product is just around the corner along with cheaper prices. Wal-Mart has reported strong sales to women and families, which is a new market for Blu-ray.

Walmart grows its Blu-ray market share - 12/18/2009 - Video Business (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6712357.html)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Nice Blu-ray deal over at Wal-Mart. Profile 2.0 Pioneer player for $108...........

Walmart.com: Pioneer BDP-120FD BD-Live Blu-ray Disc Player: DVD & Blu-ray Players (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pioneer-BDP-120FD-BD-Live-Blu-ray-Disc-Player/11070373)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Must be a price war building up. Great deal on a Profile 1.1 player.........

Magnavox 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player (Profile 1.1) $68 - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/30253/Magnavox-1080p-Blu-ray-Disc-Player-Profile-1-1-68)

[Logan]

So I'm probably gonna grab a BR player soon, since I've found myself buying discs to play on my roommates' PS3s recently.

I won't be able to get an ethernet cord to my room and really don't want to be moving the player into the living room where my router is. How often do those firmware updates come out?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Magnavox Blu-ray player for $50 (refurbished)..........

Magnavox Blu-ray Disc Player (refurbished) $50 - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/31508/Magnavox-Blu-ray-Disc-Player-refurbished-50)

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

New Sylvania for $60.......

Sylvania NB530SLX Blu-ray Disc Player (black) $60 - Slickdeals.net (http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/32110/Sylvania-NB530SLX-Blu-ray-Disc-Player-black-60)

[stevew]

http://www.woot.com/

refrub'd samsung for 79. This is worth getting.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Some really good news for Sony. Wal-Mart is increasing Blu-ray floor space and bringing back the $78 Blu-ray player as a permanent offering.

Wal-Mart Expands ‘Blu’ Prowess, Brings Back $78 Player | homemediamagazine.com (http://www.homemediamagazine.com/wal-mart/wal-mart-expands-blu-prowess-brings-back-78-player-19404)

[Logan]

So I'm probably gonna grab a BR player soon, since I've found myself buying discs to play on my roommates' PS3s recently.

I won't be able to get an ethernet cord to my room and really don't want to be moving the player into the living room where my router is. How often do those firmware updates come out?

Looking for a second player now to replace a DVD player. I'm out of the loop on "deals" these days...anyone seen anything good recently? Just looking for something cheap that will have good picture quality. Don't need wifi or any ability to stream since it will be hooked up to a TV that I can stream directly to (not a 3DTV so no need for that feature either). Thanks.