Video Asylum

Posted by Jack G (A) on January 10, 2007 at 09:39:30

In Reply to: not quite posted by Joe Murphy Jr on January 10, 2007 at 08:34:32:

I pretty much agree with most of your points. Personally, I'm not that concerned about lossless audio, if I want good sound, I'll listen to my music system-but that's just me.:-)
I suspect Joe Sixpack doesn't really give two craps about high quality sound, as long as it goes boom.

For the record, only the first generation of players was subsidized by Toshiba. The rest are not. MSRPs: A2-$500 A20-$600 XA2-$1000. This doesn't count the Xbox add-on for $200. There will also be some Chinese companies putting out players in the $400 range. Onkyo has announced it will produce an HD DVD player (no idea on price).
Microsoft and Broadcom are working on more ways to make them cheaper.

>>>What's wrong with the PS3? <<<
It looks like a George Forman Grill. :-)

>>>Is the fact that it has gaming capability such a "hinderance/stigma"?<<<
That is some of it. Some people see it as an A/V control center, but others see it as a toy-something you buy your children. You really do underestimate this. Even if Joe Sixpack likes it, Mrs. Sixpack won't. It is still, mostly a game console.
BTW, BR players aren't doing so well in Europe. PS3 isn't there yet, supposedly in March, but *rumored* to be pushed back untill September. Not everyone's happy about BRs region coding either. HD doesn't have that problem.
Like I said, I may eventually get a BR player, or, since the A1 is such a good upscaler, I may just buy the DVDs instead. We'll see.
Jack