Want an HD-DVD player?

[renaissanceman]

I posted this at ANOTHER site as well.

Buy.com has the Venturer SHD-7000 (rebadged Toshiba HD-A2)

for $59.99 shipped with 2 movies!!

http://www.buy.com/prod/high-definit...209112684.html

http://www.buy.com/prod/high-definit...209113404.html

Both links are the same player, just different movies.

These players make excellent upconverters as well.

[light3944]

Just be aware that HD-DVD's have been discontinued so if you are looking for something to play current movies in HD it will have to be a Blu-rey player. However, If you are not interested in the Higher Definition I believe that this player will also play standard DVDs. I would also assume that an HD player will play HD movies on a standard TV so this would be a decent deal if there are 2 movies that you are interested in and want to replace a standard DVD player.

[renaissanceman]

Originally Posted by light3944

Just be aware that HD-DVD's have been discontinued so if you are looking for something to play current movies in HD it will have to be a Blu-rey player. However, If you are not interested in the Higher Definition I believe that this player will also play standard DVDs. I would also assume that an HD player will play HD movies on a standard TV so this would be a decent deal if there are 2 movies that you are interested in and want to replace a standard DVD player.

Allow me to illuminate this post!

OK, YES HD-DVD lost the "format war" that being said there are HUNDREDS of studio releases in HD-DVD. They are VERY cheap right now as well!

Fry's electronics has TONS of HD-DVD on stores from $6-$10!!! Including great new titles like Transforemers, TMNT and others for LESS than standard DVD!!

HD-DVD players also make GREAT upconverters!!

Lets do a little math, shall we?

Ok, according to Amazon, we could buy a good upconverter for $54.99 (cheapest decent on e I could find) http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP398...0462205&sr=8-7

and the regular DVD of transformers for $10. Not too bad!

OR you could have bought this Venturer player for $67 and the Transformers HD-DVD for $10!!! SO, for about $12 more you have HD-DVD playbach and 2 additional movies!!!

Lets compare that to Blu Ray shall we?

Transformers at Amazon is $24.95 on Blu Ray!

http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-T...0462314&sr=8-2

A Blu Ray player? The cheapest option on Amazon is $229 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...rd_i=Blu%20Ray

That is for an older model that is KNOWN for some issues and doesn't have the profile 2.0 functionality of the newer Blu ray players.

Bottom line? IF you are thinking about buying a new DVD player anyways? The BEST option out there is an HD-DVD player!

They are REALLY good upconverters and they will play HD-DVD discs as well.

[light3944]

Very well said and much better said then my short post. I just want to make sure that if someone was looking to the future and getting an HDTV they would be aware that current/new releases would not be available in HD-DVD. I was not trying to take away from your post I was just trying to make sure that someone who might be considering moving to HD in the future or might be thinking of surprising a love one with a gift, knows that there would be limits on this machine in the future. I did consider getting one about 8 months ago when the prices started to drop but decided to save my money and find a deal on a Blu-rey. I just got rid of my LaserDisc Player and about 100 movies 6 months ago and did not want that to happen with and HD-DVD player and movies. I believe that these movies will not play in a conventional or a Blu-Rey machine so I just want people to know that their life is limited to that machine. Again I believe that this machine is a great quality machine for conventional DVDs and will play them for a long time and is at a good price compared to a conventional DVD Player.

[justme23]

Ok, I don't mean to be rude... but so what if they have newer movies cheap right now? It's only RIGHT NOW, and those movies won't be new for long. We bought a brand new HDTV not long ago and our standard DVD player was already equipped to up convert that we payed 30 dollars for. Name brand one, too, not a no name.

I just think it's a waste of money. If they were going to convinue to make the HD-DVDs then it would be a great deal, but they aren't and it's just one more machine that's only good for playing a limited # of "new" movies.

But... to each his own.

[renaissanceman]

Originally Posted by justme23

Ok, I don't mean to be rude... but so what if they have newer movies cheap right now? It's only RIGHT NOW, and those movies won't be new for long. We bought a brand new HDTV not long ago and our standard DVD player was already equipped to up convert that we payed 30 dollars for. Name brand one, too, not a no name.

I just think it's a waste of money. If they were going to convinue to make the HD-DVDs then it would be a great deal, but they aren't and it's just one more machine that's only good for playing a limited # of "new" movies.

But... to each his own.

I see your point, but let me illuminate this for you.

Venturer is a rebadged Toshiba! They were made in the same factories by the SAME workers from the SAME core components. The only difference was that they used a different chassis.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=943031

Here owners took them apart to SHOW that they were nearly identical.

SO, once again, HOW would it be a WASTE of money? It is a PROVEN better upconverter than most of the cheap ones out there AND it can play HD-DVD!

PLUS HD-DVD (unlike Blu Ray) is region free, meaning you can play discs from ANYWHERE in the world. With China embarking on its own HD-DVD campaign as well HD-DVD is NOT dead as we will be able to pick up THOUSANDS of titles on the cheap from China as well.

Not to mention that it will still play EVERY regular DVD in the WORLD NOT just region 1, so you saying it will only play limited media is NOT true.

http://bitstream.soundandvisionmag.c...se-hd-dvd.html

OH, BTW what model # is your DVD player? I used to be a commissioned Home Theater Specialist at HH Gregg, and I can tell you that there is NO such thing as an upconverting brand name DVD player for $30!!!

Standard DVD players are ONLY capable of 480P and THAT only if hooked up by component cables.

If YOU are not interested that is GREAT, but PLEASE don't threadcrap! On topics that I know well I will just make you look uninformed.

This was posted for folks who might like to take advantage of this.

IF that is not you? Great, move along. I am SURE we BOTH have better things to do.

[justme23]

I understand that you think you are the end all be all expert on this subject. That's cool, we all think we're experts at something.

The specs on my dvd player (which hubby has informed me that we got on sale and used a gift card... so although I still don't feel uninformed, you are atleast right about the original price.) http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....&ref=16&loc=02

Maximum Output Resolution
Upconvert to 1080p

Did you really think I wasn't aware that it needed an HDMI cable as well? Or are you still just assuming no one could possibly know as much as you?

Who cares if they are region free... and who wants to go through the trouble of ordering movies from China? For someone like you, this is obviously a good deal... for ppl in general... I'm sorry, as uninformed as you will no doubt continue to try and make me look... it is NOT a good deal.

That being said... my opinion is just as valid is yours. You call it thread crapping, I call it sharing my opinion on a free board where there are only small limitations... and you not liking anyone to have a differing opinion from yours is not one of them.

So, you have a great day... enjoy your opinion and I will continue to stand by mine... but don't be an ass just because it's different... I was certainly not an ass to you.

[renaissanceman]

Originally Posted by justme23

I understand that you think you are the end all be all expert on this subject. That's cool, we all think we're experts at something.

The specs on my dvd player (which hubby has informed me that we got on sale and used a gift card... so although I still don't feel uninformed, you are atleast right about the original price.) http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....&ref=16&loc=02
Did you really think I wasn't aware that it needed an HDMI cable as well? Or are you still just assuming no one could possibly know as much as you?

Who cares if they are region free... and who wants to go through the trouble of ordering movies from China? For someone like you, this is obviously a good deal... for ppl in general... I'm sorry, as uninformed as you will no doubt continue to try and make me look... it is NOT a good deal.

That being said... my opinion is just as valid is yours. You call it thread crapping, I call it sharing my opinion on a free board where there are only small limitations... and you not liking anyone to have a differing opinion from yours is not one of them.

So, you have a great day... enjoy your opinion and I will continue to stand by mine... but don't be an ass just because it's different... I was certainly not an ass to you.

Well what do you think you are being right NOW?

I never claimed that I was "the end all be all expert on this subject". Nor do I have ANY problem with people disagreeing with me, so long as they are able to articulate/defend their reasons for doing so.

Which BTW you STILL have not done.

You admit that your upconverting DVD player cost $60 and yet you want to advise others that an HD-DVD player for the SAME price is somehow a waste of money?

Once again you get into the crap about my thinking you couldn't possibly know as much as I. I will admit that I made an assumption based upon your saying it was a $30 DVD player. That being said, I am not trying to be an expert, but I must say that I DO know more about this stuff than MOST the users here.

It was my livelyhood. I absolutely HAD to know home theater BETTER than the average customer to be able to sell it to them. I didn't make jack squat unless I sold.

LOTS of people care if players are region free. If you go on vacation or have friends in other countries you can exchange DVD's without worry that you will not be able to play it.

There are whole groups designated for region free hacks for DVD players, so apparently PLENTY of people want that option.

This is NOT about opinion now, this is about FACTS.

Do you REALLY want to try to make the argument that somebody should pay $60 for an upconverting DVD player and that a $67 HD-DVD player that is also an upconverter AND region free out of the box is NOT a good deal?

Come on.

This was an attempt to HELP people by sharing a deal with them.

This was NOT a debate thread. SO when you post your OPINION here to try to convince people that the deal is NOT worth their time........

Make sure you know what you are talking about.

[Mary_Jo3]

I had never heard of region free, and had no clue what it was, I don't know anything about ordering DVD's from China, but we just bought a new HDTV when I couldn't find any cheaper tube tv's out there anymore and found the whole experience frustrating, plasma or DLP?? I just wanted a TV, we only had one and the picture went out.
I'm not saying anything to start trouble, but I've had a computer for 10 years and still only e-mail, use quicken and check blogs, so I am not the most tech savy person out there.
Our DVD player went out next, and OH MY G*D, $399 for a blue-ray, SH*T, after the new HDTV there is no way we can afford this, so thanks for the information on an upconverting player for a lot less money, everyone at the store told us we needed a blue-ray to work with this TV. We've done without, our DVD's are old and we borrow from the library, so this will work for a few years I hope.
BYW we bought a 5 year extended warrenty because they said the slightest thing will cause this thing to go out, was this a mistake, I can still return the warrenty. I really miss my 12 year old 42 inch TV.

[ahippiechic]

[Mary_Jo3]

Originally Posted by ahippiechic