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Wal-Mart’s Pre Black-Friday Sale Offers Impressive HDTV Discounts
Fri Nov 06, 2009 at 12:00 PM ETTags: Walmart, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
Black Friday is only a month away, but Wal-Mart is kicking things off early.
There’s little disputing the glory of Black Friday. Sure, lining up at 4am is a pain, but the opportunity to get a ridiculous deal can be impossible to resist. Need a new Blu-ray player, HDTV, or just a handful of movies to add to your collection? Black Friday is the day for you. Though the last year or two have been less than impressive, this year is expected to be huge.
Wal-Mart gets things started early with some pretty solid pre-Black Friday discounts on televisions, and a less than impressive mark down on a Blu-ray player. On Saturday, November 7th, the simultaneously loved and hated giant of a chain will be offering one day only specials.
A 42” Sharp LCD is first on the list, (LC42SB45UT) for $498. It’s a 1080p television that offers a native contrast ratio of 2,000:1 and four HDMI inputs. The $498 asking price is around two hundred dollars less than online retailers such as Amazon.
If that’s not your thing, there’s also a 46” plasma from Panasonic (TC-P46U1) for $788. At around $300 under the typical asking price, the Panasonic sports a 1080p resolution, a native contrast ratio of 30,000:1 and a 600Hz sub field drive that helps to reduce motion artifacts.
A Sony Blu-ray player (BDP-S360) is selling as well, but with a $148 price tag for an item selling online at $151, high demand doesn’t seem likely.
Also of note is an incredible deal on the Xbox 360 Arcade unit. The normal $199 price will net you not only a 360, but a $100 Wal-Mart gift card as well. The Xbox Arcade does lack a hard drive but does include enough built in memory to run Netflix and save a few games.
Source: Wal-Mart
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Best Buy to Embed CinemaNow on Most Connected Devices
Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 11:00 AM ETTags: Best Buy, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
No, we’re not just talking about Dynex or Insignia here, Best Buy announced today that they’ll be embedding the Roxio CinemaNow service into nearly all capable devices sold in their stores, in a variety of brands. Oh, and there’s more.
The move will effect more than just Blu-ray players and HDTVs, as the CinemaNow digital distribution service will be embedded into not only the usual suspects but set-top boxes, personal media players, and even mobile phones. From what we’ve heard, essentially anything that can play video and connect to the internet.
So with a majority of the hardware purchased from Best Buy set to offer up the digital rental and purchasing service CinemaNow, what’s next? And how exactly does this aggressive move towards digital distribution benefit Best Buy?
Best Buy’s Chris Homeister has the answers. “We’re going into this business in a big way,” he states. “The idea is to let consumers pay once for a DVD and then eventually be able to play it on any device.” This would mean, essentially, that a DVD purchase from Best Buy or BestBuy.com would translate into digital rights for the same content.
Best Buy hopes that the inclusion of the service and the future availability of same day digital copies will create loyalty to the brand from consumers who tend to be increasingly concerned with bargain hunting.
Of course, an advertising and educational campaign is sure to follow, explaining to consumers exactly what they’re getting and how it benefits them. As Dave Habiger of Sonic Solutions puts it, “With Best Buy's ability to drive in-store promotion and education, consumers will come to quickly understand and appreciate the convenience, flexibility, and control that digitally-delivered video entertainment affords them.”
Source: Yahoo News
Wal-Mart Offering Home Theater Installation
Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 10:00 AM ETTags: Walmart, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
In an attempt to position themselves as an alternative to Best Buy’s Geek Squad, Wal-Mart steps up their offerings.
Wal-Mart is the absolute last place that a home theater enthusiast thinks of when they’re looking for a new TV, speakers, or Blu-ray player, but it’s one of the first for many consumers. Wal-Mart takes the all-in-one store concept a step further today by announcing their new home installation service.
For a cost of anywhere from $99 to $339, customers can have their new television, computer, network or home theater set up by Wal-Mart’s team. The service includes a pre-purchase consultation and a tutorial on how to use the newly purchased equipment once it is set up.
So when you’re standing under the bright glow of Wal-Mart’s overhead lights this holiday season trying to decide between the Sylvania and the Westinghouse display and mulling over whether or not to shell out the extra few hundred dollars for a HTiB, you can take solace in the knowledge that a Wal-Mart associate will happily assist.
Source: Reuters
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Sony May Be Looking To Hit Entry Level Pricing
Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 04:00 PM ETTags: Sony, High-Def Retailing, Industry Trends (all tags)
Looking for a way to strengthen their share of the market, Sony appears likely to release lower priced HDTVs
While there's a constant struggle to dominate in field of high end HDTVs, the economically priced entry level television market seems to be dominated by the likes of Vizio. Sony sees an opportunity there, and is set to launch a new B series of televisions.
According to Taiwan’s DigiTimes, Sony’s B series will launch with prices lower than their current entry level TVs in both 32” and 40” sizes. Sources say that “the price of a 32-inch B series Sony LCD TV is estimated at about NT $15,000 (US $462.96) or even lower.”
The other advantage of producing a less expensive line of televisions is that Sony would have a little more flexibility as far as production goes, something that would help the manufacturer hit the numbers it forecast earlier this year. Currently, it looks like Sony will only be able to ship 14 million sets in the 2009 fiscal year, despite a projected 17 million.
The B series is expected to launch in early 2010, and a more official announcement is expected soon.
Source: DigiTimes
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Redbox Tests Disc Sales Through Kiosks
Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 01:00 PM ETTags: Redbox, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
In a move that’s a bit less appealing than their ever popular $1 rental kiosks, Redbox has announced DVD sales kiosks.
Clad in black rather than the iconic red, the new “Vidigo” kiosks will test consumer desire to make full DVD and Blu-ray purchases through kiosks. While no definitive information exists on Blu-ray pricing, DVDs will run between $19.95 and $20.95.
Current Vidigo kiosks are essentially Redbox kiosks colored black, but the new kiosks will be designed with space in mind, and will be smaller and slimmer. The new space saving design was created with the hope that Vidigo kiosks will be featured in convenience stores rather than large retail locations.
These ‘sell through’ kiosks would be in direct competition with stores that already sell DVDs, but certainly appeal to studios like Fox and Warner who have less than favorable opinions of the Redbox rental kiosks.
Source: Video Business
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Westinghouse Ships 42” 120Hz 1080p LCD for Only $750
Wed Sep 30, 2009 at 01:00 PM ETTags: Westinghouse, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
Westinghouse has announced that they are now shipping their new sets, which feature a 120Hz refresh rate, at an unheard of $750.
Keeping in mind that Westinghouse isn’t a brand that leaps to mind in a conversation about quality and HDTVs, the release of their new TX-42F970Z is still fairly significant. When any technology gets filtered down to the economy brands, it can be seen as a fairly good indicator that not only do people want it, but it’s here to stay.
Ray Roque, the VP of Marketing at Westinghouse speaks highly of the new set. “LCD has clearly become the HDTV technology of choice for the majority of consumers in the U.S.” he says. “ Westinghouse is working to bring high-end, advanced HDTVs to all consumers at the most affordable price points possible.”
The TX-42F970Z also features a 4ms response time, a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, and four HDMI inputs.
Source: Twice
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Westinghouse Ships 42” 120Hz 1080p LCD for Only $750
Wed Sep 30, 2009 at 01:00 PM ETTags: Westinghouse, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
Westinghouse has announced that they are now shipping their new sets, which feature a 120Hz refresh rate, at an unheard of $750.
Keeping in mind that Westinghouse isn’t a brand that leaps to mind in a conversation about quality and HDTVs, the release of their new TX-42F970Z is still fairly significant. When any technology gets filtered down to the economy brands, it can be seen as a fairly good indicator that not only do people want it, but it’s here to stay.
Ray Roque, the VP of Marketing at Westinghouse speaks highly of the new set. “LCD has clearly become the HDTV technology of choice for the majority of consumers in the U.S.” he says. “ Westinghouse is working to bring high-end, advanced HDTVs to all consumers at the most affordable price points possible.”
The TX-42F970Z also features a 4ms response time, a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, and four HDMI inputs.
Source: Twice
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Vizio’s VF551XVT Available Now at Just Under $2,000
Wed Sep 30, 2009 at 09:00 AM ETTags: Vizio, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
The first local dimming television from Vizio, and the cheapest on the market in its size, the Vizio VF551XVT is now available.
For a $2,200 MSRP and a $1,999 street price, the newest television from Vizio offers local dimming LED lighting, a 55” screen and 240Hz refresh rate. The lower pricing doesn’t come without sacrifice however. The VF551XVT is missing a few things that have become standards on Vizio’s higher end TVs.
Vizio’s new display is without options for viewing of networked or internet based content. According to Laynie Newsome, Vizio’s VP of Marketing, this choice was completely intentional. “We didn't want to wait any longer to introduce the breakthrough picture quality enhancements of TRULED and Smart Dimming technology to our customers at a previously unattainable price point,” stated Newsome. “We feel there is a strong market demand for this type of television today at this price. And those who are interested in the internet content capabilities won't have long to wait.”
The VF551XVT is considerably cheaper than other fully backlit LCDs, and features a total of 960 LEDs spread across 80 control blocks, for an impressive image. The set also offers 240Hz Smooth Motion technology, which combines 120Hz technology with scanning backlight, ensuring a smooth picture.
Source: Vizio
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Vizio’s VF551XVT Available Now at Just Under $2,000
Wed Sep 30, 2009 at 09:00 AM ETTags: Vizio, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
The first local dimming television from Vizio, and the cheapest on the market in its size, the Vizio VF551XVT is now available.
For a $2,200 MSRP and a $1,999 street price, the newest television from Vizio offers local dimming LED lighting, a 55” screen and 240Hz refresh rate. The lower pricing doesn’t come without sacrifice however. The VF551XVT is missing a few things that have become standards on Vizio’s higher end TVs.
Vizio’s new display is without options for viewing of networked or internet based content. According to Laynie Newsome, Vizio’s VP of Marketing, this choice was completely intentional. “We didn't want to wait any longer to introduce the breakthrough picture quality enhancements of TRULED and Smart Dimming technology to our customers at a previously unattainable price point,” stated Newsome. “We feel there is a strong market demand for this type of television today at this price. And those who are interested in the internet content capabilities won't have long to wait.”
The VF551XVT is considerably cheaper than other fully backlit LCDs, and features a total of 960 LEDs spread across 80 control blocks, for an impressive image. The set also offers 240Hz Smooth Motion technology, which combines 120Hz technology with scanning backlight, ensuring a smooth picture.
Source: Vizio
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Best Buy Details Insignia Blu-ray HDTV Combos
Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 10:00 AM ETTags: Best Buy, Insignia, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
Retail giant Best Buy has released details on their upcoming Insignia brand Blu-ray player HDTV combos. At $599.99, they run a scant $100 more than the equivalent drive free model.
Insignia isn’t the first name that comes to mind when thinking of home theater products, but it will almost certainly be on the lips of those searching for a cheap way to get into high definition this holiday season. Best Buy’s 32” Insignia HDTV/Blu-ray combo features everything that the $499 drive free model does, plus a Blu-ray player, at a price of $599.
The display is Full HD, and features a contrast ratio of 4000:1. Insignia’s new set also features a pair of HDMI inputs as well as ins for composite, component and PC. The set also features an Ethernet port that “lets you connect your TV to your home network” according to Best Buy’s site.
Little information on the Blu-ray drive is available, and the site specifications appear to be off, as the section detailing the built in player states a DVD player, rather than Blu-ray.
The Insignia Blu-ray HDTV combo has not been dated, but it can certainly be expected before the holiday shopping season kicks in.
Source: Best Buy
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MORE HIGH-DEF GEAR NEWS TAGGED "HIGH-DEF RETAILING":
- Sony Moves Cautiously Towards Video On Demand Same Day Releases Sep 24, 2009
- 57 Percent of Californians Against Big Screen Ban Sep 17, 2009
- Maryland Ban on MAP Pricing Hits Oct 1st Sep 17, 2009
- Maryland Ban on MAP Pricing Hits Oct 1st Sep 17, 2009
- Vizio Tops LCD Sales Again Aug 24, 2009
- Sony’s Television Stimulus Plan – Cash for Junkers Aug 21, 2009
- Marantz’s UD9004 Blu-ray Player Shipping Now Aug 04, 2009
- Sony Slashing Prices On TVs, PS3 Says Samsung Jul 31, 2009
- Lexicon Launching THX Certified Blu-ray Player Jul 27, 2009
- Consumer Electronic Sales Down For First Time In 8 Years Jul 22, 2009
- OLED Production Pushed Back By LG Jul 20, 2009
- TiVo and Best Buy Hook Up – The DVR-TV combo is born Jul 10, 2009
- Shopping Via Blu-ray Coming Soon Thanks To Bright Stage Media Jul 10, 2009
- Shopping Via Blu-ray Coming Soon Thanks To Bright Stage Media Jul 10, 2009
- A Cost-Conscious Renters Guide For Building Your High-Def Home Theater Jun 30, 2009
- Sony CX7000ES 400-disc Blu-ray changer coming soon May 21, 2009
- Walmart Emphasizing 1080p and Blu-ray in Technology Focus Shift May 21, 2009
- Amazon Launches Massive Blu-ray Sale Mar 09, 2009
- Frys and Blockbuster Offer HD DVD Bargains Dec 30, 2008
- Best Buy Offers $100 Blu-ray Player, But There's A Twist Oct 22, 2008
- Best Buy Offers $100 Blu-ray Player, But There's A Twist Oct 22, 2008
- Amazon Offering Sony BDP-S300 for Under $200 Sep 22, 2008
- Memorex Announces Blu-ray Player For Less than $300 Sep 19, 2008
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