Got invited to a Goodguys (Australian Electrical Retailer) VIP night last night. I’m still not sure exactly how it worked, but it was 15% off the ticketed price, but I’m not sure if the ticketed price was the normal price or not…these guys usually give 7-10% off for cash anyway.
Didn’t know what I would buy and ended up coming home with a Sharp Bluray player. I actually wanted the Samsung player but they were soo busy they didn’t want to get the box for it (shelf display left only). Ticket price was $469 AUD. The salesman offered me the $599 Sharp for the same price…which he then claimed was $499, I pointed out the Samsung was $469 and I got the I really cant do it for that price spiel..then he did it anyway. I have no idea what the difference between the two players was, aside from the Sharp being more expensive, but perhaps more importantly the Sharp came with 8 free Bluray titles, which given they retail for between $30-$40 makes the freebies worth at least $200, so all in all a bargain.
Got the thing home and there’s no HDMI plug in the box, only analogue plugs; why would anyone buy a Bluray player and use analogue plugs, at the very least they should have included digital composite plugs. Bought a HDMI cable this morning and a couple of Bluray titles. Meet The Robinsons for the boy and Casino Royale and the Fifth Element for me. So far only put Meet the Robinson on…oh my…freaking amazing on our Sony Bravia 1080i (or p, or something) TV. Absolutely amazing, like seeing the movies on the big screens in Myer or Harvey Normam, finally we see the true strengths of owning a Sony True HD TV.
I cant see myself rushing out and buying millions of Bluray titles at the price they’re being sold for, and the player is region locked until I find some way of turning that off so US Bluray titles are out of the question.
I’ve held off for a couple of years as the next gen players have come onto the market. At below $500 they become that much more affordable and time for me to buy in. Of course in 18 months time they’ll be retailing for $100, but these things happen.
As for HD DVD: read this SMH piece; they’re non-existent in Australia; cant find them in retailers and then you cant buy or rent movies on HD DVD. Sorry Toshiba + Microsoft, I would have happily supported you, but Bluray has won already in Australia.
Duncan I’m disappointed in you!
After all those TechCrunch posts about the writer’s strike I would have expected you to be championing online HD content 😉
Renai
Ps But you’re right. HD is great — but pricey.
You can buy the xbox 360 HD-DVD player for only about 400 I think (maybe cheaper) but will only work on a TV via a computer unless you have a 360.
But yeah, i haven’t really come across any other HD-DVD players other than that.
In reality, online HD is a pipe dream for most people at present. You certainly can’t do in on-demand (try “ooh I feel like watching that film in two days time, I’ll start downloading it now”)
Then add the draconian broadband services most of us put up with ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äù slow connections, capped usage (whatever they say). It’s not happening.
Ironically, HD DVD would at least at present solve your region problem, though you’d have to import stuff I guess. Not sure if or when HD DVD will impose regions – it will surely do it soon enough particularly as they’re part of the DVD Forum.
Today the better option is a PS3 with BluRay drive.
Bluray Is AOK 🙂