Audio Video News

Maybe HD has finally hit the big-time. According to reports around the web, tomorrow consumers will be offered the inestimable opportunity to trample one another at Wal-Mart to buy an HD DVD player on the cheap. How cheap? Really cheap.

Tomorrow Wal-Mart will be holding a "secret" sale which will allow consumers to buy the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player just just $98. That's right. Less than a hundred bucks for a full HD disc player.

The HD-A2 is in the process of being phased out in favor of the third-gen HD-A3. Remaining A2's have been on sale at Wal-Mart, Circuit City, and Amazon for just under $199. Now, here's Wal-Mart, undercutting everyone once again.

While this is obviously a gimmick, and Wal-Mart probably has very few of these players left, the more important news is that sub-$200 prices on HD DVD players appear to be here to stay. This could make a lasting impact on both the format war and HD adoption in general.

While the sub-$200 pricing on the HD-A2 seemingly started to make way for the HD-A3 the HD DVD group sent out notice yesterday noting that "all indicators point to a similar price for the HD-A3."

In addition, Kmart has announced that the only standalone HD players it will carry in its stores this holiday season will be the Toshiba players. (Note that according to reports Kmart also carries the PS3 in its gaming section.) Between 5-7 free HD DVDs are offerd with both the HD-A2 and the HD-A3, depending on where it's bought, and on top of that, on "Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving for the uninitiated) Sears will be offering up the HD-A3 for just $169.

Hey, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out getting line at your Wal-Mart, and lacing up your running shoes?