Who else is planning to make HD-DVD players? (1 Viewer)

[jrauman]

Are Toshiba and RCA to only vendors that are going to make a HD-DVD player in the forseable future? If I waiting 6 months, would I have more choices?

Thanks!

 

[Frank Laudicina]

Jim, I have read that there are HD-DVD players coming from Sanyo & LG, but not sure when they will hit the market.

Frank

 

[jrauman]

As someone who hasn't bought into High Def DVD, it concerns me that so few big-time vendors support HD-DVD. Do you think that HD-DVD can win, when most of the big boys support Blue-Ray?

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

LG has very recently reiterated, that they are sticking to the Blu-Ray format 'only', atleast for the time being. Thus, for now it seems Toshiba might be the only 'real' manufacturer, since the RCA is also a rebadged Toshiba.

PS: Regarding Sanyo I am not quite sure, but I don't think they have made a formal announcement with any concrete dates or plans of releasing a HD-DVD player.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I'll reafirm that LG news. We pretty much heard out at CEDIA
that LG isn't jumping into the HD-DVD market.

Thus far, as I am only aware, Toshiba is standing alone.

 

[RobertDW]

Toshiba, RCA, Sanyo, Denon, Onkyo, NAD, and Marantz are members of the HD DVD promotion group so a player from any of that group is possible. Also there is the rumor that Sanyo will have a player out soon, perhaps before the end of the year. LiteOn will have a HD DVD drive soon and maybe a player later on plus another rumor has HP making a player and a drive.

There is some insight about other CE's including Chinese CE's here http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsth...e/0#Post812006 and a thread about the subject here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8464519

All this takes time, just look at how long it's taking the BD CE's to get their players out.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

If HD DVD is a success, more manufacturers will offer players. Right now, two things appear clear to me. There is little or no profit margin and the Toshiba players work great. I don't know the license fee arrangement but the margin for other manufacturers is going to be even slimmer. Sanyo has not been competitive at any price point for DVD players in my opinion and I have no reason to believe could be competitive with any shiny video disc playing format. PC drives may be another matter, but don't look for any help from Sanyo in the audio video component rack.

Chris

 

[Tim Glover]

From that link that Robert posted...it's a good article too:

 

[ppltd]

I am not sure this is a valid issue. This is like saying their are no Pontiacs or Buicks since they are simply rebadged Chevy's, Or that some of the Brand Name computers you buy at Best But aren't the Brand listed on the computer because they are OEM Intel products. My guess is that many products on the 'video' shelves at your local reseller are rebadged items manufactured by another company.

Since OEM products are built to the requesting companies specifications, I am sure sure it matters what assembly lines it rolls off of.

This has been a pretty standard function of low to mid level HT products for a long time, and it helps drive down costs.

Thomas Eisenmann

 

[Seth=L]

I think the point that Sanjay was trying to make was that the RCA player is exactly the same internally as the Toshiba HD-A1, and just as well the HD-X1 and the HD-D1. They have the same exact electronics in them. The HD-X1 has some extra features and an overbuilt case, but other than appearances they don't offer any difference in performance. Note that Firmware upgrades for the RCA may come later than the ones for the Toshiba players. I think that Microsoft is going to have a huge bearing on the flight or fall of HD-DVD.

 

[ppltd]

Is this conjecture or fact. I am not sure if anyone has evaluated the differences between the internals of the Tosh and RCA. I stand corrected if I am wrong, but I don't recall reading anything on the similarities between the Tosh and RCA other than they share the same basics.

Thomas Eisenmann

 

[Bob_L]

It's fact. There were some detailed looks at the internals of both. They are the same units except for external, cosmetic differences. "A virtual clone" as the CNET review states.

 

[dkny75]

The RCA is in fact the same as the Toshiba so "virtual clone" would be correct. I'm sure by CES there will be more HD DVD players shown from different manufactuers. There are rumors of players by Sanyo, LG, Denon, Onkyo, etc. but until they are actually shown they are just rumors. The rumor about Denon and Onkyo is that they were waiting for HDMI 1.3.

By the same token, the Phillips is supposed to be a rebadged Samsung and most of the Sony's parts were to be assembled by Pioneer or Panasonic. Again these are also rumors.

 

[Manus]

Denon jumping on board would be a real boost. There seems to be so much enthusiasm around at the moment that even if they announced an upcoming player launch they'd probably get plenty of preorders.Theres plenty of dollars going a begging at the moment..........................

~M~

 

[jrauman]

If Panasonic or Samsung would commit, I'd commit to the Toshiba right now. I just want to see some others in the game.

 

[dkny75]

I agree. We need to see some other CE companies make players in order for HD DVD to succeed as a format.

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

Thanks for making my point clear. I should have been more clearer in my original post I suppose.

 

[TripC]

Here is a link for a Samsung laptop with a HDDVD drive. http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/28/s...op-yes-HD-DVD/

Try to focus on what is on the foreground and not the background (not Ice Age)

 

[Pete T C]

This will most definitely happen, but not until Q2 2007 when most companies release their new electronics.

You have to realize that Blu-Ray has been one of the biggest consumer upsets in a long time. Blu-Ray looked like a sure thing and it tanked.

 

[hmurchison]

Yes I look for CES 2007 to be yet another coming out party for HD DVD. This year they announced pre-orders. Next year I expect to see new partnerships with vendors and studios. They've executed well and earned it.

I'm purchasing an A2 but I'd not hesitate to look hard at an Onkyo or Denon HD DVD player. There are 7 different vendors selling HD DVD enabled laptops. That means to me that Toshiba is yielding well on the slim line stuff and the half height stuff should be even easier.

This year is studios and vendors have already made their plans for the holiday rush. It's not the time to confuse the market with transitions. Queue that up for CES 2007 in january and we get a tremendous push next year.

I fully expect to see $250 HD DVD players for next years holiday rush.