Ready to buy Blu-ray? Better hit pause button

The high-definition DVD format war may be over, but not the battle for eyeballs and dollars when it comes to viewing high-def movies.

With Toshiba's announcement Tuesday that it's abandoning the HD DVD format it helped create, leaving Sony's Blu-ray the winner, consumers may feel they have no choice but to buy a Blu-ray player in order to enjoy movies in HD.

There are good reasons to wait. Among them are the cost of the players, which range between $400 and $500 and are expected to remain at that level in the months ahead, said Rob Enderle, president of The Enderle Group research firm.

[ITR]

Either buy now or wait for a price drop.
I'm actually waiting on the DMPBD50K from Panasonic with BD Live support.
When the BD50K hits the BD30K will hit the $300 range really quick. (give it 3 months)
We'll see price drops on 2.0 profile players this holiday season.

[Hatchetforce]

PS3 will be a 2.0 player.

[fenderputty]

disagreeing with Hatchet here. The PS3 is actually the only BD player out now that can be upgraded to 2.0

[nicholascage24]

This comes from MSNBC ---a microsoft owned website.

so PLeaseeeee report this STORY as SPAM/LAME

[Carbon]

400-500 range... I just bought 2 samsung Blu-Ray players from amazon for 299 each... what a mo-ron.

[longduckdong]

what do you think they are going to say.

If it wasn't bad press it would be none at all from them on this

[ITR]

Thing is not everyone wants a PS3. Not everyone is a gamer.

[Anything but Cute]

we were already warned about the bitter pundits.

[Arkham]

MSNbc... Hmm.

[Anything but Cute]

is the key word. MSNBC telling people not to buy Blu ray. There's other options like amazon, tivo, cable companies providing movies in HD channels.

This is pathetic.

[AdamBombastic]

The only next gen players that became obsolete are HD-DVD. Maybe this uneducated journalist needs to look up the meaning of the word. All first gen blu-ray players will play blu-ray. That is what people bought them for, to watch movies. Big whoop if 2.0 is adding more features. I rarely even watch the special features, etc; maybe just the deleted scenes. I am just not that interested in investing more time in a movie with boring special features. I would rather pop in another actual movie. Just an ignorant (possibly intentional given the source) writer trying to grab attention amidst all the articles hyping blu-ray's victory.

[fresco]

to sell more PS3'S :)

once it hits 200 i'll pick one up

[mightydog01]

It microsoft spreading fud what did you except.... they talk bull sh1t.... they are on the losing end and they know it so this is there normal tactic cause they know blu-ray in the ps3 with a reliable hardware is the better system And they rush theres out and shot themself in the foot.... ITS CALL FLAPPING WITH THE TAIL BETWEEN THERE LEGS.... You got to laft really tut tut tut lol..... look at gdc epic showed unreal tec demo using gears gfx and microsoft said yeah gears 2 coming more bull fudge you as me yeah its coming but not soon did epic say they making it now where the screen shots microsoft .... This years the ps3 and 09 count on it.....

[resistance100]

What a nub. Blu-ray players are dropping in price all the time.

You can now pick up a standalone blu-ray player in the Uk for £199.99.

Players will drop more in prices now as more companies will start making blu-ray players and will be competiting with each other which will lead to lower prices for the consumer. Plus the fact that the cost to develop blu-ray drives are dropping all the time.

Expect there to be a range of blu-ray players out by the end of the year for around £125 in uk and $200 in USA. IMO

[tweaker]

WTH? is this a repost. I swear I seen this article like 2 or 3 days ago.

[INehalemEXI]

Already have my blu ray player. PS3 , I still just do downloads and dvd for movies though. So far ive just used it for games, dvd's etc. I wait till blu ray movie prices go down or I find deals.

[Alcaponeyou]

nuff said

[SSCOOLCHEA]

PEOPLE , upconvert is no good for anybody , I have a ps3 and still thinks its garbage . If you have to watch dvd on the ps3 thats fine but dont tell the people that it looks good....and waste there 100 bucks when they can put it towards a ps3 ....If you hate sony so much to buy another brand of stand alone blu ray player for 400 dollars thats fine , but if you were smart you would pick up a ps3.....you and your kid will be happy..and he will tell you your the greatest dad ever....

[nicholascage24]

This comes from MSNBC --a site owned by Microsoft

so report it as SPAM/LAME

[InYourMom]

when this same site slams the 360. There were several negative RROD stories from MSNBC. How about we report you for being an idiot?

What he says is true. People should wait, the price will come down soon and if you get stuck with a non-upgradeable BD player you are SOL.

[GodsHand]

Suzanne Choney is not a "he".

maybe change your name to 'InYourDad' since, you cant tell the difference between men and women.

[Hatchetforce]

I can't believe an anti-Bluray Story was approved when said story comes from PMSNBC. That says something very direct about those that approved the story. Bitter bitter people.

Well guess what, HD still lost, the 360 is still going to get buried this year, RROD is still going to get you, and people will still comment in November that MS shouldn't have tried to launch Gears of War 2 against Killzone 2.

[Richdad]

and you are great analyst. lol!

[meepmoopmeep]

bias any? sore losers... i would have thought they were use to it by now

[Chubear]

... and the FUD continues.

[ReBurn]

Looks like Blu-ray early adopters are nearly as screwed as HD-DVD owners. I'm glad I have a PS3.

[athlon770]

The early adopters are not screwed, they will still be able to play any movie released in the future, they will just not get the special menues or PIP for watching the movie with the director in a small window explaining it. Many people could care less about the special features. And if you look at it like this, by the time the 2.0 is finalized, the early adopter may be ready to upgrade their BD player. A couple of my friends always have to have the latest and greatest. They buy and sell equipment just to get the latest and greatest.

Prices are always falling, there will always be a better product, but to say the early adopters are screwed, naw, I don't see it that way...course, I own a PS3 so I don't have to worry. :)

[Syko]

I bought a PS3 for Blu Ray and couldn't be happier. However I still find myself gaming on my 360 90% of the time. The PS3 Blu Ray looks incredible on my 56" 1080p TV, It also upscales DVD's really good.

My only complaint about the PS3 thus far is, It does seem to be lacking games IMO since I already have all the games like CoD4, Rock Band and Skate on my 360...But with GT5,Singstar and MGS coming it is only a matter of time now before it sees more use. The Blu Ray/Upscale is Sweet enough for me at the moment though.

[ReBurn]

It really does do a good job of DVD upscaling.

[Richdad]

Blu ray player are the best way for movies, I think better to go for PS3 option then to buy a costly Bluray player which is not upgradable.
Also BLu ray is not a vaible option for data storage other than movies so this also raises question to get a BluRay player for PC.

[athlon770]

Why do you say that BD is not a viable option for data storage? There are many BD writable drives available, and the 25gig BD-R media can be had for under $9.00 a disc. DVD media was just as bad when it first came out and many people jumped on the bandwagon to go from 650meg to 4.7gig, now we are going from the dual layer 8.5gig dvd to the single layer 25gig BD. Media will get cheaper, it always does.

[beavis4play]

you're pretty limited as to what games you play aren't you. because i love the game selection on ps3(one of the reasons i bought the system) and look at the lineup for this year.

[djroberts]

Wow an article bashing BRD from Microsoft. This is some bias crap.

[Richdad]

This the most amusing place on internet. The Open zone/Warzone, fnaboy vs fanboy.

[BenzMoney]

I won't buy a BR player until the price drops to the $120-$150 range. Of course by then the landscape could look very different and I'd have to re-evaluate (maybe digital distribution will be more viable by then?). But if things remain as they are today, it would take a $120-$150 price point for me to consider a purchase.

I just can't justify $400 for a movie player when upscaled DVDs are doing me just fine for now.

[Cherchez La Ghost]

If it wasn't MSNBC, would all of you still be bicthin?! The focus of all of your opinions is tha MSNBC reported this. Despite the fact HD-DVD died, alot of people still do not want to pay $400-$500 for a HD player. The PS3 should not be the #1 Blu-Ray player on the market. There are double (or triple) amount of people that watch movies than play video games. Besides, the numbers combined for HD-DVD & Blu-Ray are still short of the sales of DVD9. Now HD-DVD is past-tense, Blu-Ray battle is with Digital Downloads and DVD9. Don't loose focus at the topic at hand just because it was MSNBC that reported this. Everyone dosen't play video games.

[Lumbo]

Imho msnbc isn't the problem with the article, its Rob Enderle thats the problem. He has been uncovered to be a MS marketing agent before, so most of his predictions fail. News? maybe, but if you fall for the head of the "Enderle corp" Rob MS Enderle himself .. then be my guest.

PS: he also claimed the Iphone would fail, and that Zune would r0x0r Ipods once released ... And that Apple's OS is a clone of vista ... you can't take Robby E. serious, thats a fact :)

[Cherchez La Ghost]

I cannot give a negative reply with your argument. But fact is that everyone is not willing to pay $400+ for a Blu-Ray player. Alot of people are satisfied seeing movies upscaled. Besides, you can buy at least 3-4 DVD9 movies for the same price of 1 Blu-Ray movie. Price is a "BIG" factor. Let it be affordable and the masses will come. Blu-Ray new opponets (DVD9 & Digital Downloads) are alot stronger than HD-DVD was. We need now to conpare Blu-Ray -vs.- DVD9 sales and see the progress Blu-Ray will have.

[beavis4play]

dvd9 took off on the basis of dvd player being put into ps2. at that time, a lot of people were satisfied with VHS. but when people started using the dvd in ps2 for movies too........ i wouldn't sell the effect of blu being in ps3 short.

[Danja]

Simple lets put it like this Blu Ray is the winner so eventually everyone will buy a Blu Ray player....im sure Bill Gates owns a Blu Ray player..so this aticle is rather useless.

[Snukadaman]

Its true...blu-ray prices are going up at some places....not down like the sony defense group said would happen without competition...they are saying wait until the prices go down...

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs...

[stennexxx]

Buy a PS3. Cannot go wrong.

[Syko]

I agree, And I did just buy one. At the same time. Buy a 360 you can't go wrong....Your hardware might (lol) but a true gamer needs to play the 360 too.

[Gina-get-u]

Some of you may be too young to remember, but it took the DVD almost five years before it achieved mass market penetration. DVD players were still relatively exotic when the PS2 came out in 2000. It all boils down to price.

I don't think it will take as long for bluray to gain wide market acceptance. But I don't think it will live as long as the DVD either. DVD specs were finalized in 1995, so if you consider 2008 the end of the DVD era and the dawn of bluray, DVD reigned for 13 years, although only about 8 of those years were commercially significant. I would give bluray 6 years, tops, perhaps even as little as 3. As the pace of technological improvement accelerates, new things come along more quickly, but get old quickly as well.

[Skerj]

LMAO Enderle is at it again. ..

[3sexty rulzzz]

sound foolish, what you guys are saying that bluray is a complete product which it aint. don't worry about who is reporting it listen to the message. initial blurays as well as the current players are non-finish product and sony got all of you fools eating sh!t out the palm of its hands. hddvd was a finished product and sony isn't. you guys just can't live with that, can you. its really sad that ms could have done to prevent this outcome. the hddvd add-on should have been going for $75 tops. that would have done some good because there was really nothing toshiba could have done going up against bluray and the ps3 where you get one bluray for every purchase. ms could have lowered the price of the hddvd player a long time ago.

[mmccking]

The Greeks gave Troy a horse to do what?

Greece = Sony
Large wooden hollow horse = PS3
Troy = consumers

HD player prices dropped as fast as they did because of competition. We benefited. Let's hope DVD or digital downloads keeps the pressure on the BDA.

[Bizmal]

Sore looser

[Ricdog]

Does that mean i should return my old BD player.

[level 360]

Which means the PS3 console has an advantage over all stand alone Blu-Ray disc players { even the "high-end" ones } as it has the ability to upgrade and update it's files by connecting thru the internet.
So it's not really an expensive piece of equipment - especially as you get 3 useful features for the price of 1, that is: gaming/on-line gaming, play movies, on-line capabilities for updates/browsing for free and some to spend downloads.

[SSCOOLCHEA]

I cant believe nobodys mentioned ........................fill in the blank

[Bizmal]

Buy a Ps3 make it easy on yourself

[whateva]

are still trying to stop blu-ray lol