LG Claims New Hybrid HD Disc Player is Out (But Shelves Are Empty)
LG Electronics announced it is putting its second-generation hybrid high definition disc player on retail shelves, making good on a promise made in September at the CEDIA trade show to have the new devices ready for the holidays.
The LG Super Blu Player, officially known as the BH200, will carry a $999 price tag and is capable of reading high-definition discs in the two competing formats currently on the market, Blu-ray and HD-DVD. (Blu-ray is supported primarily by Sony and Panasonic while HD-DVD is the darling of Toshiba and Microsoft.) The player also works with standard DVDs.
Until the consumer electronics industry can settle on a single high definition format for discs -- something we don't expect to happen anytime soon -- a dual format player is the only solution for movie aficionados who just have to have the latest movie in HD.
While Samsung has announced its new hybrid player will be out soon for $200 less, during a visit to LG's headquarters in scenic Palisades, N.J., marketing vice president Allan Jason pointedly explained the value in LG's offering. "It's one thing to say you have a better price on a product. It's another to actually have product on store shelves," he said. LG says the BH200 is available at retailers nationwide, however a quick check of Best Buy's Web site shows product is sold out there and at its stores across the country -- even in Minneapolis, Best Buy's home town. Same goes for Circuit City online and at its retail locations, even in its Richmond, Va., backyard.
Kudos to LG for having a popular product. Too bad for those of us not fast enough to the store to grab one.
From BetaNews.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Barry @ Dec 12th 2007 9:37PM
Buying the LG is not smart economics. You can buy a Blue ray, and a Hd player for a total of $500, Why pay $1000 for the LG??!!
michael @ Dec 12th 2007 11:29PM
Why buy this instead of two? Some people don't want to give their mothers or parents a gift they don't know how to use. This is simple. And some people appreciate that simplicity. I know I would...
kctobyjoe @ Dec 14th 2007 5:18PM
who is it thats PUSHING for a single format? Are these SAME IDIOTS saying we should NOT have a WII, XBOX360, PSP, PS3 etc. F* no! Maybe they are benefitting somhow. I own a PSIII for blu ray and a Toshiba A30 for HD so put THAT in your pipe and smoke it! This ISNT 1970 and it ISNT VHS v BETA. GET OVER IT. BOTH formats wil endure. PERIOD!