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Toshiba Launches HD DVD Fire Sale
The company is slashing prices and launching a marketing campaign -- but is it too little, too late?
hd dvd fire sale
Toshiba is launching an initiative to save and boost its flailing format.
January 14, 2008 | by Rachel Cericola

Looks like Toshiba doesn’t want to go down without a fight—or at least with a warehouse full of HD DVD hardware. In a last-ditch effort to save its high-def format, the manufacturer has launched a players-at-cheap-prices initiative.

The company just announced a marketing campaign that will include advertising HD DVD benefits and cheap hardware prices.

The entry model HD-A3 will run $150, the HD-A30 will cost $200, and the higher end HD-A35 will be priced at $300. The prices are good, but not exactly Walmart’s $99 sale that triggered the high-def holiday season.

“While price is one of the consideration elements for the early adopter, it is a deal-breaker for the mainstream consumer,” said Yoshi Uchiyama, Group Vice President Digital A/V Group. “Consumer sales this holiday season have proven that the consumer awareness of the HD DVD format has been elevated and pricing is the most critical determinant in consumer’s purchase decision of the next generation HD DVD technology.  The value HD DVD provides to the consumer simply cannot be ignored.”

That makes sense, but will consumers buy into a potentially dying format? Will the amount of high-def movies reign over cheaper player prices? Or do most not even know the format war has been waging?

We shall see when the new pricing kicks off on January 13.

Read the Entire Press Release Here.



Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer
Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.



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Comments (21) Most recent displayed first.
Posted by gunbunnysoulja  on  01/15/08  at  01:41 PM

Jason,

There are MANY DTS HD MA titles available.

The A35 is NOT cheaply made, however it may seem that way when comparing it to the XA2, as that was a no expense design.

The XA2 does not have a significant startup delay, since an early FW update.

The XA2 is still available from many leading retailers.

The PS3 does NOT upconvert better than the a35.

The 20gb, 40gb, 60gb, and 80gb models all suffer from the 3 stage fan, and many complaints have been recorded regarding excess noise.

Blu-ray supported VC-1 from the beginning, however they are STILL using MPEG-2 for some titles.

Posted by Jason  on  01/15/08  at  12:43 PM

gunbunnysoulja - I just wanted to clarify a few of your items since I own both a PS3 and a XA2:
1. The XA2 model is an old model and no longer available from Toshiba. There is no point talking about it. The HD-A35 is their top model and is very cheaply made. 
2. With the current firmware release on the PS3 it upconverts DVD’s extremely well, better than any current Toshiba player does and there are NO delays in startup like with the XA2. 
3. The PS3 will eventually decode DTA MA. It has not been a priority because there has been NO software titles that have it.
4. My PS3 remains perfectly quiet throughout a movie. One earlier revision on the PS3 had some noise issues which they will correct free of charge.
5. The PS3 works with any universal IR remote with the simply addition of a USB IR receiver which plugs right in the front. About the size of a small USB thumb drive.
6. MPEG-2 was just used initially with blu-ray. Blu-ray also supports VC-1. This is a mute point now.

Posted by gunbunnysoulja  on  01/15/08  at  02:45 AM

Soundzilla, this is what my HD DVD player can do that my PS3 can’t…

1. Toshiba XA2 can decode DTS HD MA.

2. Toshiba XA2 can also bitstream ALL high resolution audio (at this time the PS3 can only bitstream DD and DTS lossy formats).

3. Toshiba XA2 also remains quiet throughout the movie.

4. Toshiba XA2 can upscale standard DVD’s much better than the PS3 thanks to the REON chip.

5. Toshiba XA2 is Compatible with my Logitech Harmony 880 remote control.

6. HD DVD is more likely to use VC-1 as blu-ray still uses MPEG-2.

Posted by RW  on  01/14/08  at  05:52 PM

Kind of like Beta VS VHS in the past.  Toshiba won last time, and Sony remembers.  But wait…..You will be sorry if Sony runs the HD market.  Ever look at a Sony memory stick VS the cost and availability if compact flash?  Think about it.

Posted by stephen  on  01/14/08  at  01:34 PM

why by a dvd player when u can buy an Hd-dvd player that upscales sddvd’s like a champ and even plays high def material…..399.00 ps3 or 150.00 hd-dvd player…unless u game ...why not….


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