Audio Video News

Over the next four weeks Toshiba is embarking on an aggressive promotional campaign for HD DVD, timed to coincide with this Tuesday's release of the blockbuster Matrix trilogy, one of the most anticipated franchises to hit either HD format. The campaign will feature in-store rebates for HD DVD players, and will also have HD DVD promo trailers running in movie theaters with this summer's hottest movies, including, in a heavy dose of irony, Sony's own Spider-Man 3 (wonder if anyone at Sony or the Blu-ray Association is wondering why he didn't think of that).

The blitz starts today, Sunday May 20th. For the next four weeks Toshiba will be offering an in-store instant rebate of $100 on the HD-A2 HD DVD player, taking that player to the magic $299. Needless to say that's an industry first.

During the final week of the rebate period, June 10th to June 16th, the instant $100 rebate opens up to all Toshiba HD DVD players, dropping the HD-A20's price to $399 and the upscale HD-XA2's price to $699. Further, during that week consumers buying any Toshiba HDTV over 42" (diag.) in screen size with an HD DVD player can receive an instant $200 in-store rebate.

Why these open promos don't run during the entire four-week period I don't know, but this is good stuff either way. With these rebates taking the HD-A2 down to $299 I think even the NY Times will have to stop referring to hi-def players as being too expensive!