Thoughts from your average joe.

[Malanthius]

As you can see this is my first post here on this site. I found it by accident while researching the Toshiba A2. Someone at work told me they heard about the Walmart sale for 98 bucks and I wanted to read about it. At that price I thought it was time for me to jump in! Actually bought 3. 1 for myself and 2 for family and a friend that couldn't make it to Walmart that morning. I actually sold all 3 to Co. Workers after finding out about the A3 sale at Best Buy. 199.00 With 300/Bourne Sup in the box. Pick 3 titles off the shelf and 5 by mail. I thought that's a better deal for me.

A little about myself. 43 years old. married, 2 kids. 100k a year. ( not Rich but doing alright ) Home Owner, 2 cars (Paid OFF!) 2003 and a 2004 models. And an RV. Own 500+ DVDs. Decent sound system, 1. 42" Toshiba Plasma, 2. 32" LCDs, 1. 15" LCD in my son's room. Every Game system ever out except the PS3. Never bought the HD DVD add-on for the 360. Mostly a PC gamer.

My DVD buying slowed down a lot since the HD players came out. I wasn't about to start investing more money in an Obsolete format! I didn't make the jump into the HD format right away because 1) Price! Way to high to justify the purchase. 2) Wanted to wait till the format war was over. (I know it;s not over yet!)

Here's my point. I got a headache reading these forums. Watching the Fanboys call each other Fanboys back and forth! Hahaha! You guys are crazy! In the beginning i was leaning to Blue Ray. Technically everything I read about it made it the better choice. Plus it was in the new PS3 coming out that i wanted. But 2 things happened that changed my mind.

1) I read this comparison on line between the 2 formats which said the HD DVD looked better! And it was because Blue Ray used an inferior compression. I don't claim to know anything about this. It's just what I read. Things may have changed since then.

2) When the PS3 came out and started getting horrible game reviews. I decided not to get it. That would have been my Blue Ray player until prices of stand alone players dropped.

I believe I'm your average consumer out there. Maybe a little more on the tech savvy side but not fanatical. Most of my friends and family are similar to myself. And they all got excited about this price drop. I didn't know 1 person that owned one of the new Format type players. Now i know 10+ HD DVD owners over night! (A few other Co Workers Bought players too) We are all talking about how great the picture is and telling each other about our new movie purchases. It's like the beginning of the DVD days again. Exciting!

I think this move to sell the players at this price point will push Blue Ray out eventually. It's not going to happen over night but it will happen unless Blue Ray can counter with a similar price before Christmas. Which everything I've read on here says isn't going to happen. PS3 may sell a few systems over the holidays but as a game system it's a failure. The library for the 360 is soooo much better! Even when comparing reviews of the same game on both systems the 360 runs and looks better. So I don't think Blue Ray should count on the PS3 to carry their Movie sales anymore.

Average consumers don't care about all the technical mumbo jumbo as much as some of you like to think. They care about value! And right now HD DVD is offering that. They have a very good line up of movies. Most of which everyone owns already on regular DVD. So if it's only on Blue Ray right now we can wait. Eventually if HD DVD wins Sony will have no choice to release their collection onto HD DVD.

[citrixguy]

Hummm...a well worded, thought out post in the smackdown section...

Oh well...

Welcome. Nice post. I thought that Walmart was limiting them to one per customer?

Oh, and enjoy your A3, it's a great machine

[Icy Red]

First, welcome

Second to address your point on which looks better: BD did have some problems to start out, but now the PQ between either format is pretty much identical.

Enjoy your venture into High Def Media

[DaveS1138]

Welcome to the world of High def movies. As Obi Wan Kanobi put it so well...

"That's good. You have just taken your first steps into a larger world."

[Rob.D.inToronto]

You're going to be beaten up and called a plant.

[dragonZ28]

Hummm...a well worded, thought out post in the smackdown section...

Oh well...

Welcome. Nice post. I thought that Walmart was limiting them to one per customer?

Oh, and enjoy your A3, it's a great machine

Some Wal-Marts did do a 1 per customer sale, but down here, I know they said one guy bought 6, so it's on a store to store basis - not company policy.

I do think that when they do this again, they need to do it as policy at all Wal-MArts and make it 1 per customer.

Good first post, and I totally agree with you. Price will attract consumers, and then consumers will attract studios. Price comes first.

[Adam4tvs]

Great post - but if you don't say blu-ray instead of blue-ray - some fanboys are gonna shit themselves.

[Malanthius]

You're going to be beaten up and called a plant.

Plant meaning a HD DVD Fanboy? Haha I figured that. Oh well they can think what they want. Dosn't really matter. I'm just speaking from the heart. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I've become addicted to reading this forum. These are exciting times uh? But now that i've taken the plunge I do want HD DVD to win. Believe me I still worry if I'm eventually going to end up with a paper weight. I hate this war. It's not fair to consumers Blue or Red! I'd be very happy with either side winning. But now that i've picked a side. Guess i'm cheering on the RED SECTION!

[Malanthius]

Great post - but if you don't say blu-ray instead of blue-ray - some fanboys are gonna shit themselves.

Hahaha that right sorry. Blu-ray.

[jrstinkfish]

I've had my A2 for a few weeks now -- it's revived my love of movies, that's for sure. I stayed far away from this until the A2 became affordable enough to take the risk. I've bought more movies in the past few weeks than I have in years, and the gf and I have movie nights again because of the amazing quality. Welcome to the HD club

[HD Guru]

Wow, despite admitting in your second post that you're worried about which format will win you just jumped right in with three players and then ordered a fourth huh? I thought Wal*Mart had a one per customer limit on the A2's last week-end?

[jrstinkfish]

One for himself, two for others. Not so strange.

[Malanthius]

Hummm...a well worded, thought out post in the smackdown section...

Oh well...

Welcome. Nice post. I thought that Walmart was limiting them to one per customer?

Oh, and enjoy your A3, it's a great machine

No I could have bought more at my store. There were no limits. And hardly anyone there in line. I got there @ 8am when it started and i was 8th in line. I saw maybe 20 in stock. I don't think this was advertised very well. Thanks for the welcome.

[Coaler]

Wow, despite admitting in your second post that you're worried about which format will win you just jumped right in with three players and then ordered a fourth huh? I thought Wal*Mart had a one per customer limit on the A2's last week-end?

Already been addressed. NOT company policy and he also stated in his OP WHERE all three of them went. Please read the thread before making stupid comments.

[Voodoo]

Plant meaning a HD DVD Fanboy? Haha I figured that. Oh well they can think what they want. Dosn't really matter. I'm just speaking from the heart. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I've become addicted to reading this forum. These are exciting times uh? But now that i've taken the plunge I do want HD DVD to win. Believe me I still worry if I'm eventually going to end up with a paper weight. I hate this war. It's not fair to consumers Blue or Red! I'd be very happy with either side winning. But now that i've picked a side. Guess i'm cheering on the RED SECTION!

Welcome to HD DVD! You made a good choice my friend. If this format issue goes on too long, you can always pick-up a BD players down the road.

I started off with a PS3 as well, so BD was going to be my format choice. The PS3 games and more so, the sixaxis use that is being put into alot of the games (alot of the exclusives), just made me go yuck!

I got rid of the PS3 but still wanted an HD player. After all the shenanigans on this forum, I decided to throw my support to HD DVD 100%. I think I made the best choice and I think you did too.

Good luck and have fun