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HD-A2 HDDVD Player for $98.87 at Wal-Mart Black Friday

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:16 am
by RJW
Title says enough I think.

Sale begins Friday, Nov. 2, at 8 am.


http://holiday.ri-walmart.com/?section= ... 144-lLink1

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:17 am
by Ian
Take note that this price is not valid in Wisconsin, Oklahoma or Utah. Walmart can't sell the HD-A2 at this price in these states as it is against the law to sell them below cost (and we were wondering if Toshiba was losing money). When I asked about them this morning, the manager at my local Walmart said that in Wisconsin, they'd be $198.

If any of you guys pick up an extra, keep me in mind. Please???

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:30 am
by oslik3
The title of the thread says "Black Friday".
It's this Friday the 2nd, isn't it ?

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:55 am
by dolphinius_rex
I'm pretty sure Black Friday is the 9th... this is just a crazy holiday special.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:59 am
by Ian
dolphinius_rex wrote:I'm pretty sure Black Friday is the 9th... this is just a crazy holiday special.


In the US, its not until the 23rd.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 4:31 pm
by vinnie97
dolphinius_rex wrote:I'm pretty sure Black Friday is the 9th... this is just a crazy holiday special.

With the campaign initiated by Wal-Mart, I doubt it's the last time we see them going for this price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcfpJDcmq5M

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:01 pm
by dolphinius_rex
vinnie97 wrote:
dolphinius_rex wrote:I'm pretty sure Black Friday is the 9th... this is just a crazy holiday special.

With the campaign initiated by Wal-Mart, I doubt it's the last time we see them going for this price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcfpJDcmq5M


I'm not sure how long you expect stock on an older discontinued product to last.... or do you think the A3 will sell at the same price? If so, then you can forget anyone making an HD DVD player... whether they be from Japan, Taiwan or China!!

I can bet the company behind the Venturer HD DVD player is not overly happy to see what's going on right now!!

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:47 pm
by vinnie97
It doesn't matter if they're discontinued...if there's still plenty of backstock (and who knows how much there is, I've heard Wal-Mart has access to 2 million A2s but that sounds inflated), these deals will continue through Christmas.

Not to mention they're still available at Amazon, Circuit City, et al (tho' sold out at Best Buy who dropped the price to $99 today).

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 7:50 pm
by dolphinius_rex
vinnie97 wrote:It doesn't matter if they're discontinued...if there's still plenty of backstock (and who knows how much there is, I've heard Wal-Mart has access to 2 million A2s but that sounds inflated), these deals will continue through Christmas.

Not to mention they're still available at Amazon, Circuit City, et al (tho' sold out at Best Buy who dropped the price to $99 today).


All we know is that Bestbuy didn't have any available online for their sale, and only a few locations had stock. They have since removed the item from their website entirely (if you bothered to check?). Walmart has already said that not all their locations will have that HD DVD player item, and the item has already been discontinued for a while, so stock has been getting depleted for some time already.

So looking at things logically... I'd say stock is slim pickings at the moment, although people not selling it for <$100 seem to do be doing a little better.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:46 pm
by vinnie97
Yes, I saw what Best Buy did...and that is certainly telling and in support of the low stock theory. :)

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:06 am
by vinnie97
PS. Here's where I got the 2 million figure: http://blogs.zdnet.com/carroll/?p=1683

Meaning the price could easily be matched (or dropped further) next week...Wal-Mart means bidness.

This spokeswoman comment also supports the above:

"Wal-Mart spokesperson Melissa O'Brien confirmed the price cut and denied rumors that each Wal-Mart store would stock only 18 units of the Toshiba player, saying "there are no limited quantities for stores or purchases.""

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:09 am
by Ian
I stopped at Walmart this morning and they were marked down to $185 so that must be the actual cost. There were also a bunch of pissed off people there that were expecting them to be $98.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:05 pm
by Jim
I stopped by Walmart today for some oil and inquired about the Toshiba players. They had 30 of them and they lasted 8 minutes after opening in the morning.

Even if they had them in stock I was trying to justify buying one and couldn't. All the standard def TV's have decent players and my HTPC has the XBOX HD-DVD.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 4:42 am
by Dartman
Everyone that price matched or even came close sold out very quickly.
I worked so no chance of getting one from any local store so I ordered one from circuit city this afternoon and so far it hasn't been canceled. Was 130 shipped free but I opted for the 3 day for a extra 5 bucks.
Figured even for 30 extra bucks still a great deal even though I'd prefer a combo unit someday.
Folks that ordered the a2 through Best Buy got canceled after first few minutes then later they decided to sub the newer A3 player in it's place so maybe even if I get canceled later CC might do same thing, we'll see, but so far order is good.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:24 pm
by Wesociety
Dartman wrote:Folks that ordered the a2 through Best Buy got canceled after first few minutes then later they decided to sub the newer A3 player in it's place so maybe even if I get canceled later CC might do same thing, we'll see, but so far order is good.

Whoa... now that would be a nice surprise. Order an A2 for $100, then receive an A3 in the mail. What a score. :D

PostPosted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:22 pm
by Dartman
Yep Wes, I debated buying it right now but the hope of possibly getting a newer, maybe better?, unit swayed me to pull the trigger. Worse thing that happens is it gets canceled and I get to keep my money for next time they blow one out. I didn't see the deal in time to get in on BB or I would have done that.

PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:08 pm
by Justin42
I managed to get what seemed to be the last A2 from any LA-area Best Buy after running around all day on the 1st (and having one store lie to me saying they were holding a unit they didn't have-- I bet the rep who I called bought it himself). It was "open box" and the woman in home theatre did NOT want to sell it to me-- excuse after excuse. I was surprised she didn't claim it would cause cancer to use it. I took it home, seemed like it had never even been opened, and it worked fine all weekend. Also got 2 free movies with it, and with BB's new "buy any HDDVD player and get 3 movies" deal in this weeks ad, managed to go back yesterday and got a 3rd free movie. (Got Phantom of the Opera, Transformers, and 2001). So for $89+tax (open box $99) I got the A2 and 3 free movies that would've cost about $80 purchased separately. :)

I also managed to sneak an order in for a $99 A2 on Bestbuy.com and got it swapped to an A3 and shipped out yesterday. My dad wants that one. (I called him when I got the email that they were swapping A3s for A2s, I was going to frantically try to cancel it). I also have a call into Best Buy about getting the free movies with that one-- given the chaos on 11/1 I forgot to put movies in the cart with the unit, and didn't think the order would be honored anyway. The CSR seemed to think it won't be a problem to get the movies but I'm waiting for The Call. ;)

Pretty chaotic end of the week...

PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:41 pm
by Grain
Wow, no money being made by anyone there, but every now and then the consumer needs to come out on top too =D> .

PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:23 pm
by Justin42
Got a call back from Best Buy, they're giving me 2 free movies with the A2->A3 substitution order. I asked about the 3-free movies they're doing this week but the guy said since I got the player on sale I'd have to pay full price to get the 3rd movie.

Still, pretty awesome customer service!

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:05 pm
by flash
Ian wrote:I stopped at Walmart this morning and they were marked down to $185 so that must be the actual cost. There were also a bunch of pissed off people there that were expecting them to be $98.


Sorry to rain on your parade Ian but....... I picked 2 of them up at Walmart in Burlington, Wisconsin for $98 each.

I got there before 8 and waited in line (~30 people in front of me)
When they ran out of laptops (~still had 6 people in front of me).....
The guy in front of me ended being next in line.......
I couldn't overhear the conversation but he bought one and came back to stand behind me since I was the only person left in line.......
he was told that he couldn't buy a second one and had to get back in line....
I was the line.......
I stepped up to the counter and bought one and asked if I could buy anther one for $98.........
the told me to get back in line.........
I turned around.........
there was the guy who was in front of me.......
I walked back to THE END OF THE LINE.......

bought my second one 30 seconds after my first.

There are rumors that the A2 will be going for $129 on Black Friday so keep your eyes open.
My current DVD player was dying so getting an upconverting/HD DVD player and 5 free HD DVD movies for $98 was a no brainer for me.

Good Luck Ian!

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:42 pm
by Ian
flash wrote:Sorry to rain on your parade Ian but....... I picked 2 of them up at Walmart in Burlington, Wisconsin for $98 each.


Arghghghghghgh...

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:03 pm
by Dartman
Well Ian, watch the deal sites and next time just head to who ever has the deal and ask, you might get lucky. Mine showed up last Thursday and was a HD-A2 like they stated, they didn't sell out at 30 bucks more then everywhere else but at least I got one.
I have all ready made a DL hd dvd with my LG and a verbatim DL disk, played fine and was 1080i and 5.1 sound. The players actually plays them better when set to dvd plus r DL then it does set to dvd rom which is a first for me. Being able to do HD content to regular dvd's is a nice bonus so I've reinstalled my hdtv card... 8)

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:27 pm
by Bhairav
Dartman wrote:Well Ian, watch the deal sites and next time just head to who ever has the deal and ask, you might get lucky. Mine showed up last Thursday and was a HD-A2 like they stated, they didn't sell out at 30 bucks more then everywhere else but at least I got one.
I have all ready made a DL hd dvd with my LG and a verbatim DL disk, played fine and was 1080i and 5.1 sound. The players actually plays them better when set to dvd plus r DL then it does set to dvd rom which is a first for me. Being able to do HD content to regular dvd's is a nice bonus so I've reinstalled my hdtv card... 8)


How'd you make that HD disk? What was the source material format?

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:08 pm
by Dartman
It's been 1080i dd 5.1 or 2.0 audio/video from broadcast hdtv. You need videoredo, movie creater 5 or 6 and Nero. you run the TS or TP stream through video redo, have the movie creator make HD folder out of it then burn a UDF dvd with Nero from that. There are other programs that will work and maybe some cut out some of the steps or simplify it but thats how I did mine. AVS forum has a huge thread with a guide at the beginning of it I used to figure it out http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=705146
it's a great place to hang out if your into A/V gear of any type or format.

PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:19 pm
by Bhairav
^Ah, nice!
I've been a member there for 4 years or so now, never really ventured into the hi-def areas yet.