Toshiba's HD-A30 hits new low: third-generation HD DVD player for $200

How convenient. We whip up our HD-A30 review for you to take a peek at today, and P.C. Richard & Son goes and drops the price of this very unit to an oh-so-tempting $199.97. We'll go on and assume you know good and well what's expected of this third-generation player by now, but just in case you still aren't moved by the price, it should be noted that both 300 and The Bourne Identity come right in the box, and five other titles are included for free after mail-in rebate. Best of all, shipping is thrown in gratis, but it looks as if the unit has slipped out of stock for online purchase. 'Course, there's always the in-store pickup option if you're located near a B&M location, but if you're more the armchair shopper type, just keep refreshing (and checking other sites for similar slashings) and hope for the best.

[Thanks, Chris W.]

[wryker Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:21PM]

Dang- no longer for sale at that website. If anyone finds the same deal at another on-line place lemme know please. I'd be ALL over that to upgrade my A-2.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:42PM]

@Wryker:

Same here. I got the A2 at the Wal-Mart fire sale a few weeks ago, but I would have no problems putting this on my 1080p TV in the game room and moving the A2 up to our projection TV in the living room, which can only do 1080i anyway. Then I won't have to worry about whether or not to buy a movie on DVD or HD DVD.

Now, if only profile 1.1+ BD players could reach that price...

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 28th 2008 9:01AM]

just ordered mine from amazon with free shipping for 153.99

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:20PM]

Let me think.. an amazing full featured HD DVD player with amazing video and audio plus all the extras and online capability your heart desires for under $200.. TALK ABOUT A DEAL!!

Let me think, this player or that junk called Samsung 1400 or Sony BDP-300.. yeah, though decision!!! LOL!

HD DVD is dead hahahahah...

What a perfect offer for consumers.. all fully featured players ranging from probably $100/$149-$200 for low/mid-range players and $300-$400 for upper range players for A/V geeks.. talk about consumers WINNING!

Now all HD DVD needs is Warner (pretty soon anyways) and prices to come down a little bit more with discs.. I think sweet spot would be $24.99 for new titles.. and $16-$18 later down the road, and if they offer us SD DVD and HD versions on them, plus all the extras, plus online web enabled content WHOOHOOO.. it's gonna be so great..

hey, but you know it's good that PS3 is finally able to have PiP.. I mean it's been only year and a half now..and it's kind of great for them to be the only worthy player out of all those CE companies.. I bet these guys are all happy! LOL!!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:23PM]

Nice deal.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:40PM]

Couldn't you print that and have a local place match (since free shipping)?


I'm spoile though. It doesn't seem like such a good deal after getting my player for 100 bucks.


I wish they'd drop the free movies and sell the player for 150 bucks flat out. Or keep the two in the box and sell for 160 or something.

[wryker Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:48PM]

Yup - i bought 2 A-2's at that sale w/the idea of moving one to the bedroom (only 1080i on that flat panel) and buying a 1080p for my theater room...

[wryker Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:48PM]

andy- you got this model for $100?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:53PM]

no, A2 man, same as you. my visio plasma only takes a 720p/1080i, so this is wasted on me.

I'm building out a basement theatre and looking at something like this for my 1080p projector.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:57PM]

At the current rate I'm surprised HD-DVD players don't come bundled when you buy the movies lol.

All jokes aside though nice deal.200 is still a bit high for two titles though(Batman Begins & Transformers)

Now if Universal could somehow release STARGATE SG-1/ATLANTIS I'm sold.But being that they cancelled SG-1 I doubt it.

I'll probably wait a few more months when they drop down to $100.Paying more than $200 for a high-def format who only carries support from two studio's(more like 1.5 Paramount is SLOW with releases) is just uncivilized.

One thing this does though is make you wonder about the profit margin and just how different is HD-DVD from DVD.Because current prices would have you believe that there nearly the same thing price wise that is.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:28PM]

actually, HD DVD is supported my way more than 2 companies... Universal, paramount/dreamworks. warner, weinstein (half ass showing), digital palyground, club jenna, high def home entertainemnt, vivid, wicked pictures, hustler films and more... with all but warner and vivid supporting them exclusively... plus there is the import adventure...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:24PM]

Seriously folks, if you don't have the game systems that support the high def formats, the prices are low enough jump into the format war... and you should. Trust me; you're missing out on some spectacular home theater in HD. Even the "worst" Blu-Ray or HD DVD players are going to be a spectacular audio and video upgrade. Take my word for it: Buy a reasonably priced player from EACH format, hook yourself up with movie by mail service, and don't buy any movies until the format war is over. You'll get at least 10 free movies out of buying both machines, you'll be able to be format neutral and enjoy ALL of the HD titles while the format war plays itself out. In the end, you'll be out the cost of at least one machine (if you don't use it as a DVD player somewhere else in the house), but by the time this format war is over, you will have gotten your money's worth.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:25PM]

a2- Firmware Update Version: 2.7

Applicable Models: HD-XA2, HD-A20, HD-A2, HD-A2W, and HD-D2.

Overview: As part of our commitment to provide world-class service to our customers, Toshiba is supplying this firmware update for use by purchasers of Toshiba HD DVD Player models listed above. This firmware update improves support for 1080p/24Hz OUTPUT, improves network connectivity supporting the download of web-enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues identified by Toshiba. In addition, this firmware update provides High Bit Rate Audio functionality for the HD-XA2 player. When integrated through the HDMI connection to a 7.1 capable multi-channel A/V receiver, High Bit Rate Audio has the potential to offer the latest in high definition surround sound.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:32PM]

@LA26

The Stargate SG1 & Stargate Atlantis franchises are released under MGM not Universal. If they are ever considered for release on HD it would be on Blu-ray I'm afraid because one of the owners is Sony.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:46PM]

Ohhhhh I thought it was like MGM/Universal thing even though the SG Pilot movie released on blu-ray.

Since Stargate did air on Universal's Sci-Fi channel thought there may have been some slight conflicts of interest.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 20th 2007 1:20AM]

True that I want Stargate to come out in HD besides just the movie. It is in fact owned by MGM which is owned by Sony so it will be on Blu Ray if the eps come out soon. I've already got The Ark of Truth on preorder from Amazon. They are probably still making money on the other box sets and the ultimate boxed set. Perhaps MGM will release them all together once concluded in one big set.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 20th 2007 9:44AM]

Hopefully one big box set.

I know they have tons of behind the scenes footage....I still remember giving up weekends to watch Stargate on Fox after v.i.p came on......those were the days.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:33PM]

Get yourself a copy of Apocalypse Now to go with that $200 player. "I love the smell of desperation in the morning!!"

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 3:35PM]

Wow, Engadget has the most precise comment clock in the universe!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 4:19PM]

Not that they had a choice about lowering the prices for that player, with the 1080p Blu Ray players at $299 or under ;)

Oh and HD DVD fans, you lost -again- on disc sales this week, despite Bourne, and a -BOGO- !(first ever for the format, thus quite successful on amazon for a bit) So much for the "large influx of new buyers" eh? ;)

Nielsen Videoscan - 58:42.
From now on, it's a whoopin :)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 5:00PM]

@Greg

Please, HD-DVD has been lowering the price of their players first, with Blu-ray following suit. I know you would like to think the clearance sale of a profile 1.0 players caused the A30 to lower in price, but I highly doubt it. HD-DVD player prices have been coming down steadily now and with Christmas less than a week away, they most likely are trying to pick up last minute shoppers.

On top of that, don't you think claiming Blu-ray victory with sales numbers is a little premature consider the fact that the numbers are not out yet? They haven't even been leaked yet, are you just making up numbers again?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 6:51PM]

Greg,

Xbox 360 sold 1.57 million Call of duty 4's while ps3 sold 444K through all of Nov (for as long as it was available.

1.57 million vs 444,000... LOL PS3 is dead

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 20th 2007 9:11AM]

58:42? That's great with only 1/5th the players!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 4:20PM]

Is this HDDVD profile 2.0?

[simbadogg Posted Dec 19th 2007 4:36PM]

@nfinity
after being gone from engadget for so long, i was actually beginning to miss some of your comments. now i remember how fanboyish there are, and i sometimes wish i stayed away for longer
@eric
of all the companies that you put out, the only ones that really count are universal and paramount. the same can be said w/ blu ray and all their small studio support. its the sonys, warners, mgms etc that make the big blockbusters that really count. weinstein and a bunch of porn...eh, not so much.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 6:21PM]

I think this place (EngadgetHD) is starting to turn into a FatWallet deal site. I want to hear about technology releases, breakthrough in technologies, content, etc.

I can search for my own best price on the Internet.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 6:57PM]

Zargon, I wondered the same thing. I have seen the nielson numbers come out on thr before...never remember on a wed. I was just about to go to avs and see if anything did.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 7:09PM]

I just checked both the blue ray and hd dvd areas at avs and no one has post numbers.. just another blue ball fanboy posting miss information.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 7:51PM]

@Mike

The thread about the Neilsen numbers on AVS is in the HDTV Software Media Discussion section: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=955369

There is no word at all of the numbers. Dave Vaughn, the one that has leaked them in the past, is claiming to not have them yet from his source. So we are just going to have to sit tight, who knows... maybe we will have to wait until Friday.

It is just easier for people like Greg to make up numbers to try to pass them off as fact.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 8:04PM]

Eh? VideoScan numbers aren't released until Friday, last I looked. And if that figure is accurate it would represent Blu-ray's lead _narrowing_, so it would be a boon for the HD DVD camp.

In regards to the BOGO special, there were promotions going for both formats, so that's a wash. Likewise with the "large influx of new buyers" since Blu-ray has a quarter million PS3s sold every week.

In terms of disc sales the big seller will be almost certainly be Harry Potter. Bourne should have a good showing. Pirates of the Carribean will almost certainly have another strong week, possibly Superbad as well.

Considering the install base disadvantage HD-DVD sits at thanks to the PS3 and the trend from the last month it would be excellent for the red camp to hit 1.38:1 this week. For a bit of histoircal perspective, take a look at the wekly ratio over the past year or so:

http://www.gothpoodle.com/wdomburg/videoscan-ratio.2007-12-19.png

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 8:09PM]

Actually, early reports are looking like Potter is not selling as well on either format as expected. Bourne beating it on HD-DVD by almost 2 to 1 and Pirates beating it on Blu-ray. There are no reports how HD-DVD is doing in respect to Blu-ray in general to really put those in retrospect of the big picture, however. There are also early reports that Potter only sold 1.25 to 1 on Blu-ray vs HD-DVD.

This week should be interesting to see what truly unfolds.

I just wish Christmas (and my wife) had not gotten in the way of the BOGOs the past two weeks. No movies for me. :(

[bushi Posted Dec 19th 2007 8:42PM]

and now you too can wait minutes for a dam dvd player to start up :p.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 20th 2007 12:30PM]

Get this at Sams and Costco right now for $199- with an included HDMI cable

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 20th 2007 9:15AM]

More like 20 seconds (which is still too long). Then again, the Blu-ray standalones take the same amount of time.