Microsoft getting worried?

[Admin]

 Quote: 

Microsoft cuts price of Xbox 360 add-on

SAN DIEGO - Microsoft Corp. on Thursday said it would trim the price of an HD DVD player add-on for its Xbox 360 video game console and give away movies with the player, in a bid to support the format.

The move comes one day after Target Corp. confirmed that it will promote the rival Blu-ray format for high-definition DVDs this holiday season, following a similar move by rental giant Blockbuster Corp.

Microsoft trimmed the price of the player to $179 from $199, and said it will add five free movies for buyers between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30.

Most Hollywood studios are releasing films either in Blu-ray only or together with HD DVD. Only Universal Studios, a unit of General Electric, is releasing exclusively in HD DVD.

This is a huge blow with both Target and Blockbuster backing Sony. I'm not sure who is in the HD-DVD corner but those are 2 huge DVD suppliers backing Blu-ray. I hope that Microsoft can get companies like Best Buy and NetFlix to back HD-DVD.

[chillzatl]

Target still sells HD-DVD movies, it just doesn't sell the players and blockbuster will continue to rent HD-DVD movies. It's going to be a loooong time before this "war" is over, if it is ever over. Neither format is exploding. If you factor out ps3 sales, BD isn't owning the market. It's a tight race. The only way it ends in the short term is if universal starts doing both formats and not just HD-DVD, then it'd be over.

I think the HD-DVD addon was due for a price drop. You can pick up a stand-alone HD-DVD player for like $199-$250 if you keep your eyes open for the deals. No reason that thing shouldn't get a price drop.

Also blu-ray has been giving away 5 free movies with a player for a while also, they're just following suit.

[Boondocks]

I do like the announcement of 300 coming to the HD-DVD soon, sweet.

[Admin]

I can tell you this it's awesome in WMV format, I can't imagine what it will look like in one of the super hi-def formats.

[Admin]

Personally I can't spent $180 or $200 on the HD add on for the XBOX. I would much rather buy a set top box. Of course I really, really want them to come out with an affordable HD-DVD drive for PCs but I don't know if that will happen anytime soon.

[chillzatl]

you can use the hd-dvd addon on pc's. I know it works on vista and probably xp as well. You just need a video card that can decode HD and you're good to go.

I hope MS releases a Blu-ray add-on as well, if the war turns in their favor. They backed HD-DVD, but they're not heavily invested beyond that. They'll go where the market goes rather than try to force it on everyone, when the time comes at least.