Clearances on HD DVD Players
by Pravin on February 20th, 2008 in news.
Detractors have called just about any sale on HD DVD a fire sale, and their wishful thinking has finally paid off. The first day after Toshiba’s announcement about the discontinuation of HD DVD players sees a few stores begin the true fire sales on the product.
From FormatWarCentral.com, we hear that Costco is selling the HD-D3 for $79. This is the warehouse store version of the HD-A3, and includes an HDMI cable whereas the A3 does not. It still comes with two free movies in the box. Meanwhile, Circuit City is selling the HD-A3 for $99. Surprisingly, Amazon is selling the player for $109 and doesn’t seem to have the same kind of urgency in clearing their inventory, but that could always change as it has for the European Amazon stores.
Since the theme is to move the players out, it should not be as much of a surprise that GameStop is no longer accepting the 360’s HD DVD add-on drive for trade-in. They usually take in your old gear, games, and movies, but they’re not going to be doing that for the 360’s HD DVD add-on drive. The drive was recently reduced to $129, and I’m sure the pricing will get even lower pretty quickly.
Movies haven’t gone on big sales yet, and I’m thinking that’s because there’s still some kind of market for those. Whether you buy a new player cheap, a used player, or are keeping your machine around, it’s only useful if you’re watching movies on it. The movie clearances will probably come after the last of the new HD DVD players is off the shelves in March, but by that time, it’s also quite possible that all of the popular titles will be sold out. Most of the sales mentioned in last Friday’s post are still going on, and that may be your best bet to guarantee you get the movies you absolutely always wanted.
Important: If you’re buying a NEW player or bought a player recently, then don’t forget that the “5 Free Movies” mail-in rebate ends on February 28. In order to take advantage of the rebate, you simply need to have a receipt that shows a purchase made by Feb. 28. You have until March 31 to mail the paperwork in, but it’s probably a good idea to mail it in as soon as possible.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I’m sure you already know what my standard disclaimer about comments is. The point of the site is to be useful for HD DVD people. If your comment doesn’t seem to be keeping in that spirit, then it’s probably not getting approved.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I may pick up the Costco HD D3 I mean, it’s still a very nice upconverting DVD player to hook up to my 37″ LCD Toshiba bedroom TV.
Does anyone know if this model comes with free HD DVD’s inside the box? and also if you are elegible to get the free 5 HD DVD’s via mail?
February 20th, 2008 at 10:40 am
To whom it may concern,
First of all, thanks for this post. I do have a dumb question though and I apologize in advance by posting it here if its not the proper forum. I just don’t know who has an answer for it. I do have both an A2 and now just recently got a new A30. I know that the A30 does produce up to 1080p and the A2 only up to 1080i. One blogger in another site have told me that even though you have an HD DVD player (or a BD player) that can only produces up to 1080i that if you have an HDTV that supports 1080p resolution and HDMI, the HDTV will upconvert the video resolution to 1080p even if your HD player can output only 1080i. Is that true? I always thought that the video upscaling/conversion process takes place on the player and not on the HDTV. I would appreciate all the help that I can get as I am also planning on investing on a new HDTV with 1080p. Currently right now I have an old Mitsubishi HDTV rear projection which only supports up to 1080i. Thanks in advance!
February 20th, 2008 at 10:55 am
@Al – the D3 comes with two movies and the HDMI cable, and is eligible for the rebate.
@labomba – I’ve read numerous times at the AVS Forum about the 1080i issue as it relates to 1080p displays. The good explanation that you can see with your own eyes is right there on HD broadcasts. All of them are 1080i (well, some are 720p), and they play just fine on your 1080p HDTV, right?
As to which device has the better scaler, it turns out that some HDTVs and projectors cost more than others because they happen to include really good scalers on them.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Amazon recently lowered their prices further. $99 for A3 and $132 for A30. Both are eligible for Free Shipping.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
On that note, Na na na na na.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
@rwarner – I’m letting you fulfill your long-awaited dream.
There are perhaps two others to whom I might extend this same.
But that’s it.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Pravin, what I want to know is what will happen to this site once there is no more HD DVD news to report? Currently I am going to pick up an A35 as a backup unit. (Also you might want to report that Paramount is releasing There Will Be Blood and Sweeney Todd on HD DVD). Never thought Paramount would be the last to support the format.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
It’ll be many months before there’s absolutely nothing happening in the world of HD DVD. Warner is putting movies out for a few weeks into June, for example, and I’m sure there will be at least a few people who break their silence about all the things that went on behind the scenes and some of that should be interesting.
Just as we all did with stuff over the last few weeks and days, we just take it a day, week or month at a time and see what happens.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Really don’t know for sure but I checked the Best Buy website today for HD movies, seemed to be a bunch priced from $14.98 to $17.98. Maybe that’s the regular prices for them, but I headed to the store nearest me tomorrow and pick up a half dozen or so. Just want to add my thank you for this website, I got a lot of info here in a short time.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Just picked up a second HD DVD player to have as a backup. HD-A30 for $129 at Circuit City, with the 7 free movies. I’m intending to play my HD DVD’s for many years to come.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Like a number of people here I am planning to pick up another unit as a back up. Sooner or later the unit I have will fail and I am nearing 75 HDDVDS so I would not want to lost the ability to play them. I may even get one of the XBOX drives because they can also be used on the PC.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Well, I have a VHS and a laserdisc, so I might as well keep my HD-DVD! Though I do believe that only one format could prevail. I honestly couldn’t tell the picture difference between the formats. Both looked awesome! Pravin, you’ve run a great site during the salvos, and have provided high-def fans plenty of help- and somehow haven’t come across as the HD shill – unlike some other hefty fellows at similarly cool sites.
I might be out of a few hundred since I bought in a month before the WB announcement (I definitely wouldn’t have gotten another HD player in addition to my Blu Ray if I’d had any warning), but at least this clever satire of the format war gave me a good, ironic chuckle. Check out:
http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=2133
By the way, I haven’t gotten my HD’s MONTHS after I sent in my rebate form. I have a feeling that Toshiba is going to welch on everyone who went for this- a major reason I was tempted into getting an HD. And if they do, it will leave a mighty, mighty bad taste in my mouth.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
When I finally got my 5 discs, I forgotten they were still coming.
I’m not sure how much of that rebate fiasco is Toshiba and how much is related to the company that processes those orders. I know in the end, Toshiba is ultimately accountable, but it’s yet another item for them to add to their post-mortem study about things that didn’t go as well as they should have.
As for being a shill, I can definitely put any rumors about that to rest.
By the way, that famous satire — as clever as it is — has actually been used on at least two other news items in the past for other stories.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Hey Pravin,
Not acusing you of being an HD “shill.” That was a backhanded slap on that infinitely cool huge person, who went out of his way to push machines like Oprah does cars on her eagerly accepting audience. In any case, I know we’ll have you hanging with us into the high definition future.
Best!
RD
February 20th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Hey Pravin, I just read that Paramount has finally switched back to Blu-ray.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ic60f3f2e7077b9b8dc969933f25fc601
Just wanted to give you the heads up.
February 21st, 2008 at 5:31 am
It was made official today. Paramount has went blu. Im sad for HD-DVD, but glad the war is over. Just wish the truely better consumer friendly format would have won. Well still got my lil red collection and a nice player to watch them on. I’ll watch these treasured few til they cant go no more. Thanks Pravin for all ur dedicated work on the website. This was one website that I would visit everyday.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Gamestop is selling off all their traded in 360 hd dvd drives for $50. I’m picking one up as a back up drive. Its only on traded in drives but they guarantee them to work like new. Since this drive works on pcs too this is a great deal for anyone looking for cheap hidef experience.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:37 am
Amazon have a not very well documented price promise that they’ll refund the difference if they drop the price of a product you’ve bought with in 30 days of shipping it to you. As I only bought my HD player at the end of January I’ve got £42 pound back. So I’ve paid £77 for the Toshiba EP30 with 7 discs, nice.
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:29 am
Bestbuy.com lowered their prices over night to match Amazon’s prices, however you’ll have to go to a store if you want anything but the A30, the A3 and A35 are sold out online.
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 am
Some owners are panicking for some reason (they might think their players gonna stop working for some reason…ha). I just picked up an Hd-a30 I’m gonna use as a backup player for $60 with shipping on ebay. $60 for 1080p! Can’t beat that. dead format or not. Thats cheaper than even a cheap upscaling standard dvd player.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Hey, Hddvd world, check this out!! I just purchased an xbox 360 hddvd drive at buy.com for around 18.00!! Wanna know how? Well, here it goes. Buy.com has a special promotion if you apply for their security pin based credit card (REVOLUTION). They are giving $50.00 back instantly in the cart if approved and your purchase is $51.00 or more before taxes or shipping. I put the xbox hddvd player in my cart for $49.99 I also entered girls gone wild part two for $15 and some change to bring my total over the $51.00 required amount. Minus the $50.00 instant savings from applying for the Revolution card and my total came up to a little under $18.00 Don’t forget i also get that free king kong in the box and five free mail in. Good Luck!! everyone.