Philips' BDP9000 Blu-ray player now on sale

A media rep for the Blu-ray Disc Association recently sent us an email mentioning the Philips BDP9000/37 in it, and we couldn't find any retailers selling it at the time. Well today we're getting reports on the availability of the player at Wal-mart for only $898, apparently already shipping. Most other major big box and online retailers -- we checked Best Buy, Circuit City, Amazon, Target, Buy.com, and Newegg -- either don't have it listed at all, or have it for pre-order only. A post at AVS Forum notes that some Wal-mart stores may simply be selling the player before its potential release date of November 1st, so potential buyers should move quickly in case this was a mistake. There's also some confusion as to whether the box is just a rebranded Samsung BD-P1000, or if it has different parts inside; the consensus so far seems to be that it uses the same reference design but with different video DAC (digital-to-analog converter) components (216MHz vs 192MHz for the Samsung). The Philips model features a Faroudja scaler for upscaling standard-def DVDs up to 1080p (progressive) on HDMI or 1080i (interlaced) on component, HD playback of WMV HD (VC-1) video, HDMI and multi-channel audio outputs, a multiformat card reader, and support for BD-ROM / BD-R / BD-RE / BD9, DVD+/-R,+/-RW, CD-R / RW, MP3, JPEG, and HD JPEG. Another thing to note is the reduced price when compared to the $1000 - $1300 pricetags of the Samsung and Panasonic players. Are we starting to see the effects of competition in the next-generation player market? And will the availability of multiple vendors for Blu-ray products push the price down (think economies of scale) faster or further than the effectively one-manufacturer HD DVD format?

[Thanks, Frédéric B.]

[Porsche 911 @ Oct 25th 2006 5:52PM]

Nice!!!

[rockintom99 @ Oct 25th 2006 6:22PM]

Expensive!

[Jon @ Oct 25th 2006 6:38PM]

"Expensive!" - ? Where have you been ... its the least expensive stand alone player out ... Maybe you dint notice the $1000 players or the $1300 player

[The Jeremy @ Oct 25th 2006 6:43PM]

But more importantly, what decoder chip is used by this unit? If its the same Broadcom chip that is present in the Samsung Blu-Ray player and the Toshiba HD DVD player, then that's not progress. Although the Faroudja upscaling chip would be a nice bonus benefit of course.

And yes, once the laser diode shortage is alleviated, the economies of scale for Blu-Ray will drop the price down quickly in 2007 which will either completely overwhelm Toshiba's HD DVD or Microsoft will have to contract with Toshiba for another consumer device in order to transfer subsidy monies to keep HD DVD afloat. That is one of the purposes of the Zune* afterall.


*Built by Toshiba under contract with Microsoft.

[James @ Oct 25th 2006 8:51PM]

Why are you bringing your Anti-Microsoft hatred to Engadget over from EngadgetHD?

You've been bashing HD DVD from over there and you want to bring that here?

I embrace both HD DVD and Blu Ray and you are just a Sony shill. Go crawl into the dump where all the exploding Sony batteries will be buried.

[Alcaron @ Oct 25th 2006 6:54PM]

Well, that line of thinking is inherently flawed because any price competition in BluRay devices is going to translate into competition in HD-DVD devices as well.

So essentially they are both four-manufacturer formats.

The effect of BluRay drives on HDDVD may not be AS pronounced as it is on BluRay devices but the simple fact of the mater is BluRay drives from Samsung compete with other bluray drives AND HD-DVD and vice versa.

[Scott @ Oct 25th 2006 7:35PM]

HD-DVD is going to win because

1. Blu-Ray is expensive
2. Blu-Ray doesn't have any movies that look good
3. HD-DVD Add-on is 200 dollars, With Standalone as low as 400.

[Dave @ Oct 26th 2006 2:16AM]

It wont, because none of your points are true.
Blu-Ray movies are less expensive, the players are better quality (only more expensive), and have more support from world companys and Hollywood studios.

[Porsche 911 @ Oct 26th 2006 1:54PM]

PS3=$500 with HDMI
X360=$400+$200 no HDMI (it's doomed)

[daniel @ Oct 25th 2006 10:15PM]

I work for wal-mart electronics department. we got three of these blue ray players last week. Yes they are 893. At my store we carry this philips and a 500 dollar rca hd dvd. The blue ray is a lot nicer and smaller. Also if you buy a blue ray player you get a free bluray demo disc. We are also suppose to be getting a high def stack base for the main allay sometime.

[EngadgetSucks @ Oct 26th 2006 10:00AM]

And will the availability of multiple vendors for Blu-ray products push the price down (think economies of scale) faster or further than the effectively one-manufacturer HD DVD format?

I guess someone doesn't know what "economies of scale" means.

Hint, idiot: it doesn't mean dividing the pie among MORE competing suppliers.

Oh well, I sure don't come to Engadget to read the brilliant or witty commentary. What can you expect from stooges who think they'll make it big working as an intern for some Nick Denton knockoff.

[Erik Hanson @ Oct 29th 2006 9:25PM]

Perhaps you'd like to argue semantics, but I was referring to the definition of "economies of scale" as it refers to the cost of goods going down as production increases. So with multiple vendors ordering shared parts -- like, say, the blue laser used in Blu-ray players and recorders -- that the part costs will go down potentially faster than the parts used in HD DVD. Let me know what the error in my logic is, I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong.

[Justin @ Oct 26th 2006 11:32AM]

I know that this is going to be a piece of shite because its made by Philips. Im surprised that they didnt put a set of colorful neon lights on the back.

[KultiVator @ Oct 27th 2006 8:22AM]

It is personally important to me that Blue-Ray does not win the next-format war. Sony have acted with complete arrogance and a stupendous disregard for their customers for too long - and they deserve to hurt a lot - forcing them to have a rethink about their corporate values.

HD-DVD may be cheaper and may not carry the prestige of the Sony name - but lets hope the early reviewers comments are true and that the quality of the HD-DVD playback is superior to Blue-Ray and that Hollywood Studios (At least the ones not owned by Sony) see the light!

It's bad day when I realise I'm siding with Microsoft rather than Sony!


KultiVator

[Ed @ Oct 27th 2006 12:12PM]

nuff said... http://www.thedvdwars.com/index.cfm

[Jude Fils-Aime @ Nov 8th 2006 10:26PM]

I work at a wal mart store in the electronics dept. We open up the Phillips BDp-9000 and hooked it up to theSONY BRIVIA HDTV LCD. And I have to say the quality picture looks really nice and the price tag is only 898$ better than $999. I was standing in front of the TV and looking at the player for like 10 minutes you can see everything shine up so nice. If engadget or anyone likes to see videos or pictures just email me @ [e-mail]

[rajeshghodke @ Nov 21st 2006 6:45AM]

Philips BDP9000 is a good product.
Picture quality is absolutely fine on blu-ray players.
I just hope that we have right quality storage devices
like blu-ray discs available as early as possible.
And more and more movies avaible soon - that to not too expensive.

[Chris Greentree @ Feb 5th 2008 5:02PM]

BE warned this player wiil NOT play sequels such as the third Pirates movie or the third Resident Evil movie, due to to a software problem that Phillips is aware of and is unwilling to do anything about. They will also refuse to honor the waranty if you did not buy it from an approved seller ( in other words stay away from ebay )