HD Movies Finally Reaching Realistic Prices

Up until this Christmas, the likelihood of Dad getting an HD-DVD or Blu-ray player was on par with his hopes of sliding a brand new Ferrari around Germany's Nuburgring. That's because extravagant cost has kept high definition movie players outside the average family home. That is, until this Christmas.

For the first time in the history of the technology, Blu-ray and HD-DVD players are actually affordable gifts. When Sony introduced its first Blu-ray player, the BD-P1000, most homeowners -- even the hardcore techies -- scoffed at the $1,000 price tag. Although Toshiba's HD-DVD players were much more reasonable at about $500, they too were an expensive investment for a technology that had yet to be proven.

Like the gorgeous, slick high definition TVs these players are meant to associate with, HD movie hardware prices are plummeting. There are stand-alone HD-DVD players now available for $100-$200 at major retailers like Wal-Mart. For those who own an Xbox 360 gaming console, the switch to super resolutions can be made for just $129. (Source: canada.com)

With that said, little has changed when it comes to finding the most affordable way to go Blu-ray. Like last year, the quickest and cheapest method is through Sony's PlayStation 3 console, which includes an HD player right under the hood for just $399. Much more expensive than the HD-DVD alternatives, yes, but considering that the Xbox 360 must be purchased before its add-on, the price for HD gaming and movies is actually quite reasonable.

Perhaps the biggest news this year surrounds the plethora of movies finally available in HD. Like the gaming consoles now embracing the technology, it's the titles that will sell the hardware. Although earlier this year it looked as if Blu-ray would walk away with the HD crown due to overwhelming studio support, HD-DVD's recent acquisition of Paramount means some very notable flicks (including Transformers, The Bourne Ultimatum, Knocked Up and Hot Fuzz) will only make their way to Toshiba's player this Christmas. (Source: hispanicbusiness.com)

Although the revival of HD-DVD may in fact hurt HD movie hardware sales -- given the uncertainty -- lowering hardware costs should make the technology a hot item on Santa's big list.