First HD-DVD Player Goes On Sale

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First HD-DVD Player Goes On Sale

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Friday March 31, 2006 @05:42AM from the vhs-or-betamax dept.

An anonymous reader writes "If you live in Japan, you can get your hands on the first commercially available HD-DVD player as of today. Toshiba has launched the HD-XA1, and hopes for sales in the next year to exceed 600,000 units. The device is set to debut in the states in April. From the article: "The player will sell for 110,000 yen (US$936) in Japan. In that market there will also be a cheaper player, the HD-A1, priced at $500. Toshiba said the price in Japan is based on its expectation that video enthusiasts will be first to adopt the technology, while in the United States, the prices are aimed more at average consumers who are more price conscious." Update: 03/31 18:45 GMT by Z : Quoted article updated, quote updated to match the article.

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600 to 700k worldwide sales? by garcia · 2006-03-31 05:48 · Score: 2, Informative

Toshiba expects to sell 600k to 700k of these units?! There isn't enough shelf-space worldwide to hold those devices at that size.

They mention in the article that there will be a lower-end version for sale in North America for around $500. I couldn't find any specs or reasons for the lower cost. Anyone else?
1. Re:600 to 700k worldwide sales? by Anonymous+Luddite · 2006-03-31 06:12 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  >> I couldn't find any specs or reasons for the lower cost. Anyone else?
  
  some info here
  
  Sounds like the 300 bucks gets you better soound and usb ports..
  
  --
  http://request-header.info
From the article, 500 less than 936 by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-31 05:58 · Score: 1, Informative

From the article, in hopes that it will make the "936 less than 800" issue clearer... somehow.

"The player will sell for 110,000 yen (US$936) in Japan. In the North American market there will also be a cheaper player, the HD-A1, priced at $500. Toshiba said the price in Japan is based on its expectation that video enthusiasts will be first to adopt the technology, while in the United States, the prices are aimed more at average consumers who are more price conscious."
Re:XBox360? by Azarael · 2006-03-31 05:59 · Score: 2, Informative

I beleive that in a previous /. article, MS was quoted as saying that an HD-DVD drive would be made available later as an add-on for the 360.
Re:XBox360? by Manmademan · 2006-03-31 05:59 · Score: 2, Informative

Wow, way to be behind the times. The Xbox360 plays standard DVDs only. An add on drive was announced a little while ago that would allow one to play HD-DVD's, but this will never, ever be used for games.
And yet... by everphilski · 2006-03-31 06:19 · Score: 1, Informative

Man, the first people who buy these babies are either crazy, stupid

And yet the people who blew $2500+ on the first run of apple MacBook Pro's werent crazy or stupid, weren't they? Funny how perception changes based on the product and the vendor...
HD-AX1 Specifications by Whom99 · 2006-03-31 06:30 · Score: 2, Informative

Specifications from the Toshiba Web Site: http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/hddvd//

Video
-----
Disc Playback: HD-DVD/HD-DVD-R/DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RAM/DVD-RW/CD/CD-R/C D-RW
HD Content via HDMI (Disc Native Resolution)
Video Up-conversion for SD DVD (720P/1080i)
11-but / 216 MHz Video DAC
Enhanced Black Level (DIRE /7.5 IRE)
Letterbox and Pan & Scan Support

Audio
-----
Built-in Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, and TDS decoders
Dolby True HD Compatible (2 channel)
Four 32-bit Floating Point Processors
Multi-Channel 24-bit / 192 kHZ Audio DACs
HDMI Audio Support up to 5.1 LPCM
5.1 Channel Output
Dynamic Range Control
WMA and MP3 playback

Connections
-----------
USB
HDMI Output
Colorstream Component Video Outputs
S-Video Input
Composite Video (1)
Coaxial Digital Audio Output
Optical Digital Audio Output
RS-232
Ethernet 10/100