Blu-ray Disc Association says it's too early to lower prices

Los Angeles (CA) – So the Blu-ray disc is the only physical high-definition format left in the market, but that isn't going to translate into lower prices any time soon, according to Andy Parsons, the Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association. Parsons, who is also the senior VP of Advanced Product Development at Pioneer Electronics, told attendees at the DisplaySearch/NPD HDTV conference in Los Angeles that Blu-ray volume needs to increase before content makers and set-top makers can cut prices.

Parsons was speaking as part of a panel on high-definition formats and told the audience that Blu-ray hardware and disc prices are behaving the same as when DVD players were first getting popular. "There's not enough market [volume] to lower the price," Parsons said, adding that companies have to build "awareness and demand for the technology," before prices can decrease.

[Saint Sony]

Now that PS3 already is one of the cheapest if not the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market, I wonder how this affects to PS3 future price cuts?... might not happen this Christmas at least.

[Capt CHAOS]

..

[Kleptic]

yeah, as of this summer at least...it was for about a year (when the PS3 price dropped to $399 last summer for remaining 60gb skus)...

the normal catch 22...need to sell more to drop the price, yet people will not buy more until they drop the price...I sure as hell will not be buying new BD movies for $30...that is simply ridiculous...I grab some of the special deals every once in a while, but I still only own like 5 BD movies...they are great, but not $30-when the DVD is $11-great...

Sony keeps saying that they will not cut the price of the PS3 anytime soon...but I have a pretty strong idea that once they see US NPD numbers for September they may reconsider...the PS3 can be slightly more expensive than the 360 and still outsell it...but a full $200 over the entry terd 360, and $100 over the similarly equipped pro model...and it will get crushed in sales...simply as that...

[Daver]

@1.1

''far from being the cheapest Bluray player''

stop exagerating... the cheapest i saw is about 350$ thats only 50$ of difference and considering what the ps3 can do more than any bluray player, its the cheapest
stop it with ur bs talk

[Capt CHAOS]

You can get DVD movies for $1.99

[facepalm]

::rubs forehead::

So, the BD Association doesn't want to lower prices because there is no market, but yet people are not buying BD stuff because it's just too gosh darn expensive...

::facepalm::