Panasonic's pricey Profile 2.0-compliant
DMP-BD50 can't
really be worth that much more than the PlayStation 3, can it? According to a review over at
CNET, the answer is likely no, but if you can somehow overlook the sticker, there's a really solid Blu-ray player behind it. Phrases like "excellent image quality" and "outstanding soundtrack support" dominated the review, but even though it was deemed the "most recommendable standalone Blu-ray player to date," critics still couldn't deny that the PS3 was simply "better and cheaper." After all, standard DVD performance was seen as lackluster and operational speed was "sluggish" compared to Sony's latest console, leaving us to wonder how in the world Panny justified such a price tag. Nevertheless, the full review (video included) is waiting just down there, but if you weren't sold already, we doubt this will sway you.
posted Jun 11th 2008 9:44AM
Not sure how they can justfy $700 for this thing, why not go to walmart and pick up a PS3 for $299 (Use the $100 gift card for food or whatever). There was a report from the Nikko Citigroup saying that Sony had gotten the PS3 production costs down to $400. So how much can the DMP-BD50 cost to make? $300 tops? I can't imagine Panasonic selling many of these. Maybe this initial high MSRP is to make it seem like an amazing deal at $299 come november.
What a ridiculous price! It's a Panasonic, not a Pioneer. I've yet to find a complete, current player.
THIS is a complete, current player. Did you read the article?
The reason that it's so expensive is that they're actually making money off of it. The PS3 is still deeply subsidized by Sony to help drive game adoption. I'm sure if a similar profit structure were applied to the PS3, then the price would be much higher than $700.00.
The PS3 wouldn't cost $700. That's simply absurd.
DrXym, you can't just say something is absurd and expect anyone to believe you. I don't think you read what I wrote.
The Panasonic yields profit to:
1) The manufacturer
2) The retailer
The PS3 yields the profit to:
0) No one
The PS3 exists to sell games and movies. Nothing else. That's why it's so cheap.
Sorry Trent, but you started it by asserting $700. Even when Blu Laser diodes were as rare as hen's teeth, Cell & RSX yields were poor and the PS3 was just rolling off the production, iSuppli guestimated the PS3 cost $805. Since then blue laser diode prices have fallen through the floor and yields of Cell and RSX and other parts have improved substantially. Back in 2006 they were talking of 10-20% initial yields on Cell. If that were now 60% (still a very conservative figure), that means they cost 1/3 what they did, on top of which die sizes are smaller meaning even further savings. And Sony have been aggressively pushing through cost saving measures such as moving from 90nm to 65nm to 45nm meaning more chips per wafer as well as simplifying the internals such as removing BC hardware.
I see no reason to believe the PS3 isn't selling at or very close to break even point already. Especially when Sony have said as much in past statements and independent analysts support those views.
Certainly profits on consoles come from games more than they do hardware, but that doesn't mean any console maker likes selling their hardware for a loss. And they work very hard to ensure that they don't even if they might at the beginning of the console's life time.
As for Panasonic's $700 MSRP. The clue is in the MSRP. It doesn't cost them that much to make, and indeed I expect you'll see those players go for $500 by Christmas with Pansonic still enjoying a profit.
So what Panasonic can make premium products also. Just like Sony, the name goes on the crap they sell at Best Buy and on quality products sold at real Sony dealers.
Wow, who'd a thunk it?
Another expensive Blu-ray player that completely coincidentally and for some very strange reason is a deeply underwhelming DVD player.
Seems like the obvious advantage they have (in the USA) over standard def (only 480 lines visible in the USA on SD) isn't quite enough & they have to rig the game even more, eh?
Who'd have thunk it. Crybaby finds yet another arbitrary reason to whine about blu ray. Grow up baby, your precious format is dead.
Everytime Truth Teller pollutes a Blu-ray thread, an angel loses its wings. Mods, don't let anymore angels lose their wings, IP ban this crybaby.
Oh dear, that's really pretty pathetic.
When faced with the facts clearly mentioneed in the article (a high price & underwhelming DVD performance) the resident Blu-ray cheer-leader resorts to the usual weak personal attacks.
Is there no Blu-ray story you can't 'soft-soap' no matter how bad, eh?
.......oh, & not forgetting the other one continuing that ridiculously lame & totally laughable camapaign to get me banned.
LMAO
The pricing is pretty ridiculous, especially considering the Samsung BD-1500 and Sony BDP-S350 are each $399, and will be upgradable to BD-Live at a later date (They're BonusView capable now).
I have a PS3 and a Panasonic BD-30. I love the BD-30, but if I were interested in BD Live, a PS3 is definitely the way to go now (or Sony or Samsung if you want a stanalone unit).
I expected more from this unit, especially at this price. At $800 I would expect this to have a superb upscaler. Boo on you Panasonic.
The only hope is that maybe this is an issue with software and can be fixed with a firmware update.
I was considering getting this player awhile back, but I have already pre-ordered the Pioneer BDP-05FD. And I am paying less than $700 for it!
Somehow I think Panasonic's strategy is to get rid of the BD30's and even BD10's before they lower the price on the BD50. You will probably see the BD50 at Best Buy for $700, though, with an occasional sale bringing the price down to $600 until the MSRP is lower to the $500-$600 range later this year.
Isn't the Pioneer BDP-05FD a 1.1 player, not 2.0? That would explain why it's cheaper.
This player should be $100.
As a Blu-Ray guy I have to admit...prices like this make me wish there was a competing format. :(
Don't worry, it's coming.
The 'spurs engined' DVD players & HD TVs are going to be making a big splash later this year.
Whether Blu-ray can withstand competition from regular DVD-priced players that give a much improved (way better than upscale) image is another matter.
Similarly the improvement they will offer to HD TVs is going to get noticed fast.
Sharp for instance have already licenced the tech from Toshiba......
.....and they won't be the last to either when this takes off.
Just like those damn Chinese HD DVD players should be arriving on our shores ANY day now right Truth Teller?
Lol every time you predict something I laught so hard. You have no credibility. You were wrong about almost everything regarding the format war.
So why would anyone believe a word you say?
That's Truth Teller for you. The crybaby thinks a glorified upscaler is going to somehow save DVD. Clutching at straws like usual.
I think I'll wait till this fall before I buy a Bluray player. I'm HOPING the selection will be infinitely better than the stuff thats out now.
I've heard of the future Sammy and Daewoo.
As long as prices remain this high blu-ray will NEVER take off.
Don't we all have upconverting DVD players already? Does it matter that this BD player doesn't upscale worth a damn? I got a nice Denon unit that has a better DVD picture than my Tosh HD-DVD player. The HD-DVD player wins on picture and sound quality for HD-DVD software... So I have both players. One plays DVDs, the other HD-DVDs.
Incidentally, what is the big deal about an upscaling DVD player? If the DVD player doesn't upscale the image, the HDTV will. Otherwise, it wouldn't be displayed full-screen. It certainly doesn't add any detail to the image that wasn't there to begin with, so what's the point?