Microsoft to cut price of HD-DVD player for Europe
It was announced in July that the price of the HD-DVD player would be dropped in the US, and now Europe could be getting a break too. Microsoft might have let one slip out this week at the IFA consumer electronics show in Germany. It was announced that the recommended retail price of the HD-DVD add on would be dropped to EUR 179, a 20 Euro drop.
The price cut has yet to be confirmed, but considering the US drop, it’s highly likely that this is spot on. There’s no word on when a price cut would go into effect, and there’s no mention of a price cut for the UK. Stay tuned for more info in the next few days.
Thanks to _Chris_ for submitting this.
Doesnt matter where you buy one of these, HD DVDs are region free and the DVD region is determined by your console.
cool, may have to get one of these.
They’re only £99 in Gamestation anyway.
I expect this will drop to around £89 in UK. I’m still unsure on the lifespan on HD-DVD. Blu Ray seems to be getting more exposure.
Actually Paramount and Dreamworks have thrown their hat in with HD-DVD exclusively. The reasons given are because of manufacture and reliability issues with Blu-Ray discs.
Doesn’t mean HD-DVD will win, but the race is not over yet.
i would pick one up, but the thing that is stopping me is that you can only rent blu-ray from blockbusters not HD DVD. Ill give it a while.
When will they appear in black? White really is not done with my Elite.
Sony and friends own or influence quite a large number of Hollywood Studios, hence BlueRay getting more exposure and so far quite a number of exclusive movies on BlueRay only.
But MS and Toshiiba seem to be working at this and I think it’s fair to say that the battle is far from over.
I would prefer HD DVD to BlueRay simply because HD DVD is the more capable format (think online interactivity, truely dynamic menus, and the ability to perform clever overlay of special features in a number of new ways).
As nice as Sony’s products often are - I don’t like the way they try to drive their customers down proprietary routes all the time (Memory Stick, ATRAC, UMD etc etc).
Right you are, but I don’t see any differences to the way Microsoft is doing business. OOXML, anyone?
“no mention of a price cut for the UK”
euhm.. again and again the same mistake.. UK = EUROPE
YLA G - I think you’ll find what xboxic are referring to here is that the price cut is announced in Euros.
Since the UK does not have Euros as its national currency (for better or worse?), the announcement does not mean much to Brits - who are weary of being overcharged for software, hardware, food, clothes, sex (did I think that out loud?) and other less interactive entertainments - such as music and film.
Nobody is claiming the UK is outside Europe - so can’t agree with you about this being a mistake.