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paw
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1176
Location: Arvada, CO
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: Return my HD DVD player to Wal-Mart? |
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I've just found out that Wal-Mart is refunding the full price of any HD DVD player purchased from them after 11/2/2007.
Here's a couple of links
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/04/07/wal-mart-offers-up-hd-dvd-returns/
http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=785247
So, here's my delima. I have a HD-A2 I purchased for $106 (including tax) as part of the early Black Friday deal. I have 11 HD DVD disc. 7 were the freebies. The others were bought used for cheap or new on sale for cheap.
There's a few movies that I'd like to watch and/or own that are available ONLY on HD DVD. They will likely be on Blu-Ray some time in the future.
I'm planning on switching from Netflicks to Blockbuster online for more HD DVD selection.
So, should I return my HD-A2 and sell the HD DVD discs or keep the setup? I plan on buying a Playstation3 for Blu-Ray playback.
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Aubrey
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mike calcott
Joined: 18 May 2006
Posts: 307
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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Get out while you can, or you will just end up with another DVD player. At least you are getting a full refund which you can put towards a BD player, could be a one time opportunity.
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Old dog learning new tricks
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:31 am Post subject: |
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there's no way I'm taking my player back, sony will have to pry it out of my cold, dead fingers. I mean even if it didn't play so many great HD movies (of which I plan to pick up a few more), and even if it wasn't the best up-scaling Device I have ever seen for standard DVD, why bother for a hundred bucks towards a pile of crap PS3?
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69shelby
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Posts: 102
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:08 am Post subject: |
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take it back and get a ebay cheapie.
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rod
Joined: 18 Mar 2006
Posts: 418
Location: Northern Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:01 am Post subject: |
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| draganm wrote: | | there's no way I'm taking my player back, sony will have to pry it out of my cold, dead fingers. I mean even if it didn't play so many great HD movies (of which I plan to pick up a few more), and even if it wasn't the best up-scaling Device I have ever seen for standard DVD, why bother for a hundred bucks towards a pile of crap PS3? |
what's with the PS3 sentiment? I love mine.
As far as the HD-DVD player I'd keep it. You bought 4 movies you like for roughly the same price. it'l be a while before those come back in BR. if in two years you don't need them I'm sure there will be buyers for both the movies and the player. maybe not what you paid but you will get entertainment value out of them. Plus you have two years of playing HD-DVD movies and buying them cheap.
Although the return to walmart and buy ebay might be cheaper you still have to go thru the hassel of buying on ebay with no warranty. not worth it in my opinion.
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Rod
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Bucketfoot
Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 698
Location: Centennial, CO
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:18 am Post subject: |
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I would definitely say keep it.
Heck, I've picked up one extra unit so far and am looking for another, as it is far cheaper to buy a couple of spare players than to replace my discs with BR (and of course many are not even available yet).
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paw
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1176
Location: Arvada, CO
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:40 am Post subject: |
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HMM!!! Decisions, decisions. I'm leaning towards keeping it.
Sure, I'd get my $106 back. Maybe minus taxes. Some folks on Slickdeals didn't get taxes refunded. That seems strange.
I can probably sell the player later for $50 - $75. HELL! I saw some go for $100 on ebay.
7 of the 11 movies I have aren't available on Blu-Ray. There's several others (Matrix) that aren't out on Blu-Ray. With no announced release date.
I've got $85 cost for the 11 discs. eBay shows an average of $8 - $12 a disc. Maybe $10 - $15 on the high side. So, I'd make $30 - $50 after eBay and Paypal fees. Then I'd have the hassle of mailing each of them. I could sell them as a lot but I'd likely get less per disc.
I might be able to make a little more on Craigslist but people are flaky and half the time don't show up to buy stuff.
Blockbuster is still renting HD DVD discs. However, how long with this continue? How is BB going to replace damaged discs in their inventory? They can't be adding new releases. New releases on HD DVD are pretty much over. I emailed BB and ask what their future direction is. Not that they would tell me but I had to ask.
If BB stops renting HD DVDs, I guess I could buy then via ebay, watch them and then resell them. It would probably cost $1 - $2 to do this. Kind of a hassle though.
I don't want to own a larger collection of HD DVD discs. When the A2 dies, I would not replace it.
Summing this up.
Return A2 and sell the discs now. I'd make $30 - $50 but I wouldn't have a HD player. I have a Momitsu for up scaling. That would give me $140 - $160 towards a PS3.
Keep the A2 for a year or so. I'd estimate I'll lose $30 - $60 after selling the player and discs.
I think BB's answer on HD DVD rentals is the desiding factor. If it seems like they'll keep renting them for a year or so, I'll keep it. Else, Hello Wal-Mart!
Thanks for letting me ramble and think out loud.
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Aubrey
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WD-40
Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Pacific Northwest
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:59 am Post subject: |
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For what it's worth, some places are running some killer deals on HD-DVD discs right now. Our local Hollywood Video switched over to Blu-ray (exclusively, instead of renting both).... and sold off their entire inventory of HD-DVDs at $10/each! 
It's always hard to justify an invest in a "dead" format... but as odd as it sounds, it might actually be worth it to buy more HD-DVD discs instead of buying Blu-ray titles.
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Mark_A_W
Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Posts: 3068
Location: Sunny Melbourne Australia
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:15 am Post subject: |
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It's a $100. Just keep the bloody thing to play back your 11 movies, and maybe pickup a few more.
Why worry over so small amount of money???
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David_Web
Joined: 02 May 2007
Posts: 418
Location: Sweden
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:44 am Post subject: |
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Yeah it's not like we are talking bulbs here.
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:59 am Post subject: |
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"...a pile of crap PS3?"
Still upset about the format war?
My Ps3 and G70 go great together.
-Brian
Last edited by Brian Hampton on Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:29 pm; edited 2 times in total
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MikeEby
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Posts: 5237
Location: Osceola, Indiana
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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Here is twist, I opened my mail and found a $100 Best Buy gift card. I bought my HD-A1 from there and they sent out gift cards as some type of compensation. Too bad their blu-ray disks are so over priced, oh well I wasn't expecting it so I'll take.
Mike
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Last edited by MikeEby on Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:15 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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Sometimes Best Buy has sales and then the Blu Rays are only $15 for some titles.
Just wait till one of those and then stock up.
Or,... sometimes you can find other usefull stuff at Best Buy like maybe you want to gift someone an ipod or you could use ink for your printer for examples.
-Brian
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Phil Smith
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 7717
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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How about returning it and getting a dual format player?
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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| rod wrote: | | draganm wrote: | | there's no way I'm taking my player back, sony will have to pry it out of my cold, dead fingers. I mean even if it didn't play so many great HD movies (of which I plan to pick up a few more), and even if it wasn't the best up-scaling Device I have ever seen for standard DVD, why bother for a hundred bucks towards a pile of crap PS3? |
what's with the PS3 sentiment? I love mine. |
| Brian Hampton wrote: | "...a pile of crap PS3?" Still upset about the format war?
My Ps3 and G70 go great together.
-Brian |
well actually I am still pissed about the murder of HD-DVD by sony, but that's besides the point. I compared my $100. HD player to the PS3 and felt nothing but disgust. The PS3 cost 3 time sas much and wasn't even half as good but I guess that's typical of the value you get from Sony products.  When they come out with a $100. BD player that is as good as my HD-A2 AND kiss my ass with an apology then, maybe then, I will consider moving on.
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Sonynut
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
Posts: 367
Location: Bradford,PA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Not to keep the flame war going, but what's so bad about Blu-Ray? I have never had the opportunity to see either in action to compare them. What I do know is that Blu-Ray has more capacity and seemingly more potential.
Back in the day, it was VHS vs Beta.. I DID get to see those against each other as my uncle worked in a high end video/home computer shop. Beta was definitely superior and got beat out by the cheaper VHS.. maybe this time Sony can actually keep going with what can be the superior technology with a few refinements from what I hear.
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dropzone7
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 1069
Location: Charlotte, NC
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with Mark, just keep it and stock up on the cheap movies that are still around. Not to mention it will always be an excellent upscaling player even if you do buy Blu Ray down the road. I'm keeping mine and all of my movies.
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Sonynut wrote: | Not to keep the flame war going, but what's so bad about Blu-Ray? I have never had the opportunity to see either in action to compare them. What I do know is that Blu-Ray has more capacity and seemingly more potential.
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well my stocks have a lot of potential too but it doesn't chaneg the fact that they're hemoraging money 
The PS3 is a cheap little plastic box with a joy-stick to control it. You can always add a $100. Blue tooth remote though for only $100.  Also, while not all HD-DVD's look great the number of crappy Blue Ray trasnfers is much higher. There's a long list somewhere of Blue Ray's that don't look any better, or sometimes even worse, than a normal DVD.
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ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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$100? That's funny - Amazon has the Sony BT remote for $19.99.
Sony BT Remote at Amazon
You can trash-talk the PS3 all you want, but that doesn't make it true. It's almost comical that you're comparing the PS3 to the A2 - as if the A2 is some sort of shining example of excellent product design.
I started out with an A1 and an XA1 - both excellent pieces of hardware, but an absolute piece of sh*t when it come to software. It would occasionally hang and reboot and why in the HELL did it have to take a minute or more just to recognize, load and play a disc. A couple of software updates later, they fixed most of the erratic behavior, but you still feel like you might die of old age waiting for it to load or even eject. The 2G devices got better in the software department and were faster, but the hardware quality went down significantly. Not much better than the 'plasticy PS3'.
And, what about the PS3? I can press the power button on my PS3, it'll boot, and play a BD movie before some of the HD DVD players will even eject the tray. It may not be so at home in rack of high-end components because of style, but that doesn't it doesn't play movies just as well as a dedicated player (it does). You may not like it (that's fine), but the PS3 is a great and powerful piece of hardware. Period.
Yes, it's true there were some sh*tty MPEG-2 transfers in the beginning, and if Sony had any decency, they'd re-issue every one of those titles. Just add Sony to the LONG list of corporations that haven't done the 'right thing' all the time.
SC
EDIT - Changed link to Curt's Amazon Associates doodad. 
Last edited by ecrabb on Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:58 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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Draganm, your post above has to be one of the most mis-informed posts I've ever read here.
| draganm wrote: | | The PS3 is a cheap little plastic box with a joy-stick to control it. |
Yes the PS3 is made of plastic. I wouldn't call it a "cheap" box though. It's better built than most electronics devices I've ever bought. The Engineering behind it is very good.
I'm no fan of Sony but I've been very impressed with the PS3. This comes from someone who never wanted it in their HT as it's a gaming box.
| draganm wrote: | | You can always add a $100. Blue tooth remote though for only $100. |
The Blu-tooth remote is $19. Hover over this link for proof. Not $100.
| draganm wrote: | | Also, while not all HD-DVD's look great the number of crappy Blue Ray trasnfers is much higher. There's a long list somewhere of Blue Ray's that don't look any better, or sometimes even worse, than a normal DVD. |
This is a load of crap. Where exactly did you get this stat from? What is your source?
The two formats are indentical in terms of performance and look and sound the same as the CODECs are the same. A studio has just as much chance of screwing up a HD DVD transfer as a Blu-ray transfer.
Sites that have been review BOTH formats since the inception are actually saying the OPPOSITE of what you're saying: That Blu-ray on average always look better. DVDFILE.COM did an analysis of half a dozen of the biggest HD DVD/Blu-ray review sites and graphed out how each of the sites was scoring Blu-ray video quality vs HD DVD. EVery single site was scoring higher points for Blu-ray on average. The reviewers don't CARE which format they're watching - they're simply reviewing the content for image quality. I'm looking for the article now on their site but can't seem to find the $*@$ thing. It's full of graphs and data. I also posted it all here but can't find it here either.
Kal
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