Amazon: $80 Xbox 360 HD DVD player with 6 free HD DVDs and shipping
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Feb 6th 2008 4:36AM
posted Feb 6th 2008 4:36AM
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
The firesale continues. Doesn't the AACS crack require one of these players? I can see them being popular with people who want to rip HD DVD movies. I guess with the format doing so badly there would be a legitimate reason to want to do that as well.
It just wouldn't be an HD-DVD drive without the desperate 1000 free movies. Weee!
1000 movies? HD DVD is unlikely to ever have more than 500 movies the way its going.
There is something to be said for having more marketshare. Or are the blu-ray guys worried they spent 4-5 times this price on something with marginal improvement in quality. We will see what the average consumer will be looking for in the next few months. Is it the promise of some movies from Warner, Fox, Sony & Disney, or is it price and Universal and Paramount.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
HD-DVD, you will pay the price for Microsoft's lack of vision. If only you had come as a standard drive in the 360 - you surely would not be doomed now. I wouldn't buy you if you were $20 because your library pales in comparison to Blu Ray's and your theoretical capacity is pathetic.
FAIL !
Flashpoint, you still haven't been claimed by Darwin?
Every time you get a hard on for tehBLURAYZ, I have to remind you, this isn't a loss for Microsoft. They aren't investing in any "next generation" optical drive because they're fully behind digital downloads.
If they felt like tehBLUERAYZ was a great investment, I'm pretty sure they'd make an add-on player for the 'box.
@andrew,
hd-dvd/blu-ray combo player add-on for 360 out later this year.
FlashPoint, I think DVD's selection kicks Blu-Ray's ass. Big time.
@E71:
yeah.. because my PS3 didn't come with a 5 free movie offer... and the 360 HD-DVD drive didn't come with a 5 free movie offer to start... right?
jackass.
@Andrew: "Every time you get a hard on for tehBLURAYZ, I have to remind you, this isn't a loss for Microsoft."
Actually, it is. HD-DVD uses Microsoft's HDi exclusively, and primarily encoded with Microsoft's VC-1. HD-DVD's failure means Microsoft loses licensing revenue from these two technologies. (I realize VC-1 is also on Blu-Ray, but BD producers have tended toward AVC rather than VC-1, and Warner may join that trend as well once they reach exclusive.)
So yes, it IS Microsoft's loss. The licensing is the real money, not these add-on drives.
-Pie
I want to believe in you, HD-DVD. I really, really do. I always have. But it's clear by your price-slashing and your sales numbers that, unfortunately, the evil empire that is Sony is going to win this time.
Why, then, must you tempt me to buy you so vehemently? $79 and six free movies? If it weren't for your inevitable obsolescence...
I hate you, Sony. I hate you so, so much.
I second, nay, third your entire comment.
If HD DVD had sponsored some price cuts similar to this in the first place, perhaps the evil empire wouldn't be winning right now.
Isn't that the new business model? Take a loss on hardware by pricing it too low so you can make up for it later after you've established your presence in the market? It worked for XBox (finally)
T3h ditto-ness...
why is sony an evil empire and microsoft isnt?
@deadpool,
MS doesn't seem to come off so arrogantly as Sony when releasing their formats/products.
You can't be arrogant when you are completely stealing other companies ideas.
@ teej
And is Microsoft not the one who forces Vista down everybody's throats?
apple is making the same mistake sony did, as we speak. getting into bed with the entertainment industry leads inevitably to pain for the consumer. don't flame me: it's true. 2 examples: the ipod should be much more open, and apple tv should have a blu-ray drive, but neither is likely to happen. sony used to make kick-ass recorders, and now puts DRM even into their voice recorders. why would i want DRM on my own voice memos? it's like a crazy disease.
$79 player with 6 free movies? If they have done that since the beginning, blu-ray might have been long gone...
I think you should really take that (spam) ref part out of the amazon read link. The following works just fine:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000JHO4L0
Why, you don't want to support engadget?
It doesn't hurt you...
First time microsoft doing somthing good :) and i believe you, wow microsoft.
LOL!
I don't care if people think that Blu-ray is going to win the format battle, this is too good of an offer to pass up. I just ordered mine, although I did have my doubts when it was still priced at $120. Maybe this offer could bring in some some serious buyers, making HD-DVD's market share ever so slightly bigger.
Or not
I don't know, it is part of Amazon's Deal of the Day program. They select one gaming related a day and sell it for a low price.
Fire sale? I honestly don't think so.
http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=677189
LOL - you want to believe in HDDVD so bad...
Let me help you out...
ITS A FIRE SALE.
They are selling it at dirt low prices and giving you FREE SHIPPING !!! + 6 movies? Come on man... Amazon knows they aren't selling them shitz.
BlissX is right. It was an Amazon Goldbox Deal, similar to what Woot! does. As much as some of you want it to be a "fire sale," it's not. Plain and simple. If HD DVD were in as bad of shape as you are claiming, no one in their right mind would have purchased that unit. Lo and behold, though, the player sold out in no time.
Why not just let people enjoy the fact that they just got a great player for only 80 bucks. That's insane! (I had to pay freakin' $170 for mine one month ago (same day Warner went Blu).) It in absolutely no way affects you, so just shut up about it.
It's elitist, simple minded people who can't let others enjoy things that they don't personally enjoy.
We won't know for sure if it's a Fire Sale disguised as a Goldbox deal, or just a regular Goldbox deal, until we see how Amazon re-stocks the drive.
yeah, pretty sure this was a fire sale. Im sure youve all seen Toshiba's announcement by now...way to go morons who thought this was just a "good deal"...amazon knew. They knew.
Forget fire sales, we need more movie releases on both sides. Movies are going to win this battle. Give us some classics on Blu Ray. By the way I sold one of these things anyways and went blu so I just want all the movies released no one format.
All the movies I wanted are already on HD-DVD (Matrix, Planet Earth, Bourne trilogy, Battlestar Glactica). That is why I went with them. Plus the price was much better.
I don't think HD-DVD will survive, but even so, this is an excellent buy if you have an Xbox 360. Blu Ray players still have a lot to fall in price especially now that they've jacked the prices back up. I'll bet that prices will come down more than $89 within the next six months, and more mature players come out with newer profiles.
So you win by enjoying HD movies with this add-on while waiting for a good affordable Blu Ray player comes out.
Now if you bought one like me just 6 weeks ago at $179 (after that $129 deal ended), well, that's life.. :-(
So, I can build a blue laser pointer for cheap now? All it should need is a axiz module and a power supply.
I have to admit I'm quite tempted to take advantage of this deal, even though I fully believe HD-DVD's days are numbered.
Its still £100 ($200) over here in the UK with only 5 free HD DVDs.
Even if you're a Blu-Ray guy or gal, its about $150 worth of High Def movies, with a player all for $80? You'd be mad to pass it up!
Shame I'm 1) in the UK, 2) bought mine 4 weeks ago.
Coincidentaly got my 5 free HD DVDs yesterday morning through the post =].
I ordered a Toshiba HD-A3 from Amazon on Dec 29 - they had a deal where you could get 3 HD dvds for free (plus 2 in the box, plus 5 from Toshiba).
I installed it into my A/V cabinet and set up and watched 1 movie on it. The next day, Warner came out with their exclusivity announcement. And then two weeks later Toshiba dropped the price of the HD-A3 by $50, and Amazon dropped their price accordingly.
I sent Amazon customer service a note asking for a refund of the difference between what I paid and the current price. They refunded me the difference. I doubt they'll cover six weeks under their price protection, but I'd strongly suggest anyone who bought one of these a few weeks ago call and ask to see if Amazon will price-protect you. It never hurts to ask.
this is so tempting, but i think i am going to hold out and just get a blu-ray player later for my HD cravings. DVD is still ok for me. most of the time i just watch them on my Mac.
right when i clicked the refresh button to order the damn thing the priced jumped to 179! too late i guess.
No it's still $79, but now it says "only one in stock, hurry up" (so I think they only have about 15 more :-P)
I'd bet I can get a Beta player real cheap too.
too late is right :(
WTF? I just checked again and it's still $80 with only one in stock
And yes I clicked the refresh button, not the forward button
by my count.. with deals like that there's no way hd-dvd CANT be still in the game
Bring out your dead... bring out your dead
I'm a Mac user, and that really does WOW me.
$80 gets you 6 movies AND a HD-DVD player (provided you have a 360).
But, are the 6 movies from a restricted list, or just ANY?
You left out the one, in one seventy nine ($179)
Too little, too late. This may have made a difference 6-12 months ago; at this point, it's Microsoft clearing out stock. I've owned an Xbox 360 HD DVD drive since day one. It's great, but Blu-ray has this one in the bag.
sold out already! How come the same deal isnt on the .co.uk site?
I picked up my HD-DVD drive about 3 months back in a special deal (£50, and the 5 movies too), and am impressed.
Shame really about it failing, but that's life. I can rip and recode to bluray when the price is right, using this very same drive on my PC!!!
I picked up my HD-DVD drive about 3 months back in a special deal (£50, and the 5 movies too), and am impressed.
Shame really about it failing, but that's life. I can rip and recode to bluray when the price is right, using this very same drive on my PC!!!
Yup. Back up to $179. That sucks.
The best part: the deal comes with all the HD-DVD movies you will ever own!
Microsoft.. stop extending the format war only to make money... it is a good effort to get HD-DVD out there... but it is too late and the game is already over
what cracks me up is the blu fans dig at hd dvd players and companies for including free hd dvd's! They seem to forget that the blu camp done EXACTLY the same thing!
http://www.bluraysavings.com/
obviously blu is running scared of the red camp as they seem to be offering free movies too! Until blu comes down in price and is affordable for everyone to own (no $300 is not affordable for the average amaerican when they can get an upconverting dvd player for $50) people will continue to opt for the red camp because they can afford to own the new technology! This is an awesome deal for those who have not decided and own a 360 and $129 for the A3 is within the reach of evry american household.
Maybe the blu owners are so angry because they invested so much of their money on a product that is still up in the air as much as hd dvd??? hddvd players will be in so many homes by the end of the year, not to mention that blu are still trying to chase hd dvd in terms of extra features! the war is still in full swing, and blu watch out because you're about to flanked and gunned down by the red camp!
Both sides have had offers to woo users over to their side. But when you talk of slashing the price of an add-on player down to $80 with 1 free disk and another 5 by post, or a standalone down to $150 with 2 free disks and another 5 by post it is a firesale. There is no way they're making money *anywhere* with that deal.
I think Toshiba's simply trying to get rid of the boxes in its channels and cut their losses as soon as possible. It will be very interesting to see what happens in March when the 5 free disc deal is through. At that point there isn't even the temptation of free discs to entice people to buy these things.
@DrXym
It was an Amazon Goldbox Deal! No other store is showing the same price cut! There is no "slashing of prices." Target is still selling for $179.99. For all we know, Toshiba/Microsoft had absolutely nothing to do with this.
Your line of thinking has absolutely no logic. Why would Toshiba spend an exorbitant amount of money to take out a Super Bowl Ad and an ad in the Super Bowl section of the USA Today, only to then "cut their losses"? That would be absolutely ridiculous. Like it or not, they are still trying to win the format war. That does not mean they are winning, or they will win, but they are still trying to compete.
Does everyone forget that BluRay has sighed Warner Studios, thus giving them some 85% (not exact) of the market, I am sorry but HDDVD's are slowly going away. And Microsoft never wanted HDDVD’s to take off, they want the war to wage until they perfect their online downloads.
Do you really think toashiba is trying to clear it's inventory? they just spent 3 million on a commercial during superbowl! The idea behind the low prices is so that they can get into as many households as possible not because they fear the end is nigh as so many people think!
Gee whats smart here? Over price your technology so only the rich or stupid buy it or make it affordable so that everyone can get a slice of the pie? As a company they want people to own their products and not sit on the fence waiting for prices to drop, as many people are with bluray! In the meantime while those potential blu buyers wait for prices to drop, they will instead (and are) choosing hddvd because they can actually afford to buy the players!
In my eyes Toshiba has their marketing strategy right. Broadcast a commercial that would have been seen by the 97.5 million superbowl viewers, flood the market with their technology and products and get into as many households as possible. I know that the movie studios based their decision on movie sales rather than player sales, but they will not be able to continue to ignore the fact that most households will own the most affordable format.
The Blu-ray promo is unfortunately over.
This could be a way for Amazon to clear inventory. I've heard Best Buy is essentially doing the same thing with Toshiba hardware to clear out their warehouses, and won't be carrying HD DVD Players after Q2. They do plan on continuing to carry the movies for a while, particularly New Releases, to keep customers who purchased an HD DVD player happy.
Look out HD DVD owners! TJ has "heard" something.
Take it as fact. Definitely.
Damn strait! If I say it, you know its fact! ;)
Heh heh.
I get my HD content from downloads :) suckers.
Where's Nfinity, spewing his usual crap?
If you didn't get in on this... you missed it! Price is back to normal now...
What the heck are you thanking me for? I didn't send you any news tips.
If you'd use real names you'd avoid letting idiots appear to be clever, when they obviously are not.
In other news, one of my favorite weekend activities is popping in a 1/2 inch home videocassette tape into my Sony Betamax, which I got on sale in 1988.
Is $80 really such a good deal if its for a product that may be obsolete in 10 months??
for the cost of less than half a day's work, yes.
I think so. Hear me out. While I'm of the Blu persuasion, I've got an HD DVD drive for my Xbox. There are a couple of movies still currently exclusive to the format (Serenity, Transformers, the upcoming Sweeney Todd) that make it worthwhile, especially at only $80. HD DVD really only supplements my Blu-ray collection, but I won't be getting rid of my HD drive until all of the titles I currently own on HD are on Blu-ray.
If you think the HD DVD group is going to be quick with your free HD DVD turn around then think again. It says 8-10 weeks and they mean it, it's been 9 weeks for me and I called and they said it's in the last stages.
Unlucky.
I got mine in 3 weeks, and that was the run up to Christmas too...
So... if you don't have an HDMI equipped Xbox, or a TV who's VGA inputs accept an HD signal - buying this is relatively senseless because it won't output HD over component, right? Just something to keep in mind.
...if it was true, which it is not. Component can handle up to 1080p depending on your TV set, and certainly can handle 720p and 1080i for almost all HDTVS.
Yes 1080p requires a HDMI connection (or a VGA connection) - due to DRM.
Actually just ordered the A3 from amazon for $121. I could care less about the format war, I still think HD downloads will be big before its over. But for this price, I get free movies and a nice upconverter. Might as well take advantage before its up. Would have been nice if I caught this though, even less money to fork out.
$80 for obsolescence… Woohoo! Maybe I'll pick up some bargain priced UMD videos while I'm at it. ;-)
Better than $400 + movie costs for the same quality videos right now. Actually there is no way I would spend that much for either HD format. I bought the A-30 HD-DVD player for $170 + Planet Earth + The Matrix trilogy + 7 free movies for $280, and I got an 1080p unconverting DVD player as well.
I actually wanted to bite on this deal...
But, thanks to all the deal forum whores who bought 5 to put on EBay, the deal is over. Showing $179.99 now.
The sale is over, its back to $155 at Amazon. For the life of me I'm still trying to figure out why the hell anyone would pay $155 (or $129) when they can just purchase the MUCH better standalone Toshiba HD DVD player for $120. The MS add-on should be retailing in stores for $80 period.
Remember when you could get a Beta-Max player real cheap? ...and then they all sold out!
Dammit!
Not entirely sure I would have bit-the-bullet on this one but just checked Amazon at 10:10am PST and it's back to $155.67 — even though M$ has already officially announced the $50 price cut to $129... so it's still not worth it. (Prolly not worth it at $80 but I'm dying to see ANY hi-def movie on my new Olevia HDTV!)
Quit faking the funk - if you cant afford a HDTV, dont pretend like you dont care about either format and tout HD downloads.
Just google "time warner blocking itunes" or comcast blocking torrent traffic. Until theres net neutrality, broadband providers that offer competing hd video service will be hard pressed to let you download a 30GB movie every other day.
I just bought one at the $79 price. You may want to look again if interested. At this price I consider it disposable when Blu-ray finally starts dropping the price of their equipment. Until then I will use this + Netflix.
I haven't pulled the trigger yet on either an HD DVD or Blu-Ray player, but I badly want to. Ever since Warner left, the inveitablity factor has made me wait. I have an Xbox 360 which is a great gaming console, but I doubt there will be an add on blu ray player because it's in Sony's interest not to licence it to Microsoft. I'll probably end up buying a PS3, because it's hard to justify any other choice; $399 for a console and a Blu-Ray player which may be able to take advantage of 2.0 profile? It's just that $399 is 5X more than the $80(which might as well be free) for 6 movies and the add-on for my Xbox. Damn you Sony!