Could Wal-Mart decide the format war?

[ryan256]

Inspired by the $300 wal-mart player thread.

If a ton of these things hit the market with manufacturers selling them at break even or even taking a loss to make their particular format the most popular. Would the general public buy into them and would it decide which format comes out on top?

Discuss

 

[imported_Mike]

It will take more then Walmart

 

[AnyMal]

Can they? Absolutely, thay ARE the largest retailer in the world. Will they? Not likely, since $300.00 is too much for a typical Walmart shopper to spend on a DVD player and $20.00 + on a disk.

 

[vrbaba]

Its a pretty good strategy IMO.

The average consumer does not know the details and differences...but they DO know that HD and BR are comparable and better than DVD. So Yes, it could decide it.
Now, if BluRay comes up with a better strategy or a similar one...we'll just have to see.

Worst case is they share the market. And release both BluRay and HD disc readable players

 

[jackbristow]

I really hope they go with HD-DVD. Wouldn't mind seeing Sony fall flat on their faces again. Although right now they are in the lead with BR.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Originally posted by: jackbristow
I really hope they go with HD-DVD. Wouldn't mind seeing Sony fall flat on their faces again. Although right now they are in the lead with BR.

My sentiments exactly!

 

[Phokus]

Why does everyone want HD DVD to win? I want blueray to win so i can store more of my por... family home videos on one disc

 

[intogamer]

Didn't Toshiba drop their low end HD-DVD Player to $399? So if Walmart works with 3rd party companies for possibly cheaper quality HD-DVD Player at $299 in 2008 or so. Toshiba could drop their player to $299 too or Walmart HD-DVD Players would juet be cheap player just like Coby or Magnovox

 

[cubby1223]

I just hope that hd-dvd does not seriously wants to gain "victory" by being first to put out crap quality players to try and trick "Joe six-pack" into impulse buying. Let alone think "Joe six-pack" is going to look at a $300 hd-dvd player sitting next to a $50 dvd player and not ask any questions. If "Joe six-pack" is not buying the $399 Toshiba player with 5 free movies, what chance is he going to buy a $300 no-name player?

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: AnyMal
Can they? Absolutely, thay ARE the largest retailer in the world. Will they? Not likely, since $300.00 is too much for a typical Walmart shopper to spend on a DVD player and $20.00 + on a disk.

You show your ignorance with this post. Not all Walmart shoppers are hillbillies or trailer trash. I'll go to walmart to look at buying a TV or other home electronics before going to Fry's or BB. sometimes, Walmart actually has a better product for cheaper.

Let's not forget how many "Walmart shoppers" waited inline for Wii's and PS3's, and the PS3
s are way more then $300.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
I just hope that hd-dvd does not seriously wants to gain "victory" by being first to put out crap quality players to try and trick "Joe six-pack" into impulse buying. Let alone think "Joe six-pack" is going to look at a $300 hd-dvd player sitting next to a $50 dvd player and not ask any questions. If "Joe six-pack" is not buying the $399 Toshiba player with 5 free movies, what chance is he going to buy a $300 no-name player?

It's how consumer electronics work. HD-DVD players have to be $300 before then can ever be $100. etc.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
I just hope that hd-dvd does not seriously wants to gain "victory" by being first to put out crap quality players to try and trick "Joe six-pack" into impulse buying. Let alone think "Joe six-pack" is going to look at a $300 hd-dvd player sitting next to a $50 dvd player and not ask any questions. If "Joe six-pack" is not buying the $399 Toshiba player with 5 free movies, what chance is he going to buy a $300 no-name player?

Yes its gonna be JUST like Coby and it would go on sale. If it sells like pan cakes then it'll probably break over time.

 

[AkumaX]

they should set the experiment - set the trend

release:
1 million blu-ray DVD players for $299
1 million HD-DVD players for $299

see what sells, buy more of what sells the most

race to 1 million!

 

[techs]

Yes, WalMart could decide the "war". If they contracted with one of the major formats for a reduced license and got a basic, no frills player design from one camp, they could then get them made in China and sell them at loss. A 199.00 machine would be possible.
Once a 199.00 machine hits the market millions will buy them.
And Walmart could only stock that format disks.
But Walmart won't take a huge loss just to decide the format wars.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: Phokus
Why does everyone want HD DVD to win? I want blueray to win so i can store more of my por... family home videos on one disc

Because size is completely irrelevant. Right now you can only get single layer BD-R discs (25 gb) to burn and dual layer discs are about 3 times the cost (in japan since thats the only place other then taiwan that you can get them) and may not even be out quite yet. Single layer discs are 15$, dual layers are supposed to be around 40$. A PIECE. Sure 2 layer BD-Rs will be 50 GB but wait.

HD-DVD is a cheaper technology, the fabs and manufacturing facilities already in place need minor upgrades from churning out plain old DVD's to churn out HD-DVD's. Not only that but the media is cheaper so far. A two layer blank HD-DVD-R is priced less then a single layer BD-R (30 gb) so you get 5 gb more. Granted we don't have them in the states yet, as we can only get single layer discs from either format - but they are reportedly either out or coming.

Also, manufacturers of HD-DVD have already announced 4 layer discs, 60 gb - and reportedly have already been able to put 10 layers on a single disc with no problems. It may be a while before we see these. Now granted, others have announced up to 4 layers so far on BD-R's but the cost to manufacture the discs is so much higher for BD right now that, as I understand it, the 15$ blank only nets the manufacturer a couple dollars in profit. HD-DVD should remain quite a bit cheaper for longer. AND, at 30 gb for a dual layer discs - later this year as I hear - and the HD-DVD Burners being cheaper as well then its a no brainer.

 

[techs]

Ask yourself this. If a 199.00 no frills player came out tomorrow, how many people would buy one, regardless, of format, just to use til better players came out?
I would definitely buy one for 199.00

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: intogamer

Originally posted by: cubby1223
I just hope that hd-dvd does not seriously wants to gain "victory" by being first to put out crap quality players to try and trick "Joe six-pack" into impulse buying. Let alone think "Joe six-pack" is going to look at a $300 hd-dvd player sitting next to a $50 dvd player and not ask any questions. If "Joe six-pack" is not buying the $399 Toshiba player with 5 free movies, what chance is he going to buy a $300 no-name player?

Yes its gonna be JUST like Coby and it would go on sale. If it sells like pan cakes then it'll probably break over time.

That's what I fear. Back in 1998 I bought a Pioneer dvd player for $250, top of the line, component video, digital optical & rca sound outputs, dolby digital & dts support, etc., and *9 years later* it still plays movies today just as good as the first day I bought it.

You're not going to see that kind of quality anymore with this cut-throat / price-slashing competition beginning so early in the game.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: intogamer

Originally posted by: cubby1223
I just hope that hd-dvd does not seriously wants to gain "victory" by being first to put out crap quality players to try and trick "Joe six-pack" into impulse buying. Let alone think "Joe six-pack" is going to look at a $300 hd-dvd player sitting next to a $50 dvd player and not ask any questions. If "Joe six-pack" is not buying the $399 Toshiba player with 5 free movies, what chance is he going to buy a $300 no-name player?

Yes its gonna be JUST like Coby and it would go on sale. If it sells like pan cakes then it'll probably break over time.

That's what I fear. Back in 1998 I bought a Pioneer dvd player for $250, top of the line, component video, digital optical & rca sound outputs, dolby digital & dts support, etc., and *9 years later* it still plays movies today just as good as the first day I bought it.

You're not going to see that kind of quality anymore with this cut-throat / price-slashing competition beginning so early in the game.

FYI, Sony and MS don't care about consumers.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: techs
Ask yourself this. If a 199.00 no frills player came out tomorrow, how many people would buy one, regardless, of format, just to use til better players came out?
I would definitely buy one for 199.00

Look at the HD DVD add on to the 360.

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski

Originally posted by: AnyMal
Can they? Absolutely, thay ARE the largest retailer in the world. Will they? Not likely, since $300.00 is too much for a typical Walmart shopper to spend on a DVD player and $20.00 + on a disk.

You show your ignorance with this post. Not all Walmart shoppers are hillbillies or trailer trash. I'll go to walmart to look at buying a TV or other home electronics before going to Fry's or BB. sometimes, Walmart actually has a better product for cheaper.

Let's not forget how many "Walmart shoppers" waited inline for Wii's and PS3's, and the PS3
s are way more then $300.

Ugh.. you show you lack of comprehension and your willingness to put words in other people's mouth just so you can make a statement :roll: Where did I say anything about trailer trash or hillbillies? Are you that miserable and inadequate that you have to attack anyone who says anything about Walmart that can even remotely be preceived as negative? Please, take your trolling trash elsewhere.

 

[cubby1223]

http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd-uk/
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd-de/
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd-jp/

Blu-ray is building what I think is an unsurmountable lead. And that's without much help at all from FOX or Disney studios, which should start up releasing more titles again this fall, in time for holiday sales.

This cheap hd-dvd player will not decide the format war, it can only drag this pointless war on for years to come. And forget about combo players, I don't expect to see Samsung combo player anymore, which possibly would have to take a loss on each sale to be price competitive.

 

[spidey07]

No.

The fact the there are the characters DVD in HD-DVD are what will win. Customers don't like changing formats. HD-DVD isn't really a change or a new thing, just improving upon what they already have.

 

[josh0099]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd/
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd-uk/
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd-de/
http://www.eproductwars.com/dvd-jp/

Blu-ray is building what I think is an unsurmountable lead. And that's without much help at all from FOX or Disney studios, which should start up releasing more titles again this fall, in time for holiday sales.

This cheap hd-dvd player will not decide the format war, it can only drag this pointless war on for years to come. And forget about combo players, I don't expetect to see Samsung combo player anymore, which possibly would have to take a loss on each sale to be price competitive.

Wow interesting stat....
Average Amazon.com price

Blu-Ray: $29.00
HD-DVD: $38.90

Not sure why there is such a big difference but interesting none the less...

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Price slashing will start happening with Blu-Ray too. Anyway, the only reason that Hd-Dvd won the sales for a month was because people actually organized a massive buy party. The month after, Blu Ray was wining again. I don't think even Wal-mart could change that.

Blu-Ray also has the studios going for it.

 

[Parasitic]

I don't know...if it weren't for Walmart there wouldn't be censored audio CD's and fullscreen DVD's.