LG debuts new Blu-ray/HD DVD combo optical drives

sweet! I might have to get one of these is they are good quality.

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The new GGW-H20LI will retail for $500 USD and can read both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats as well as write dual layer BD-R/RE at 6x.

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$500 for a 6x dual layer BluRay burner is a good retail price. Street prices should be even lower. I wonder why they couldn't get HD DVD burning included in the specs.

If this is a SATA drive then I may seriously consider trying one out.

Why should one buy this bloated ubber expensive $1200 dual format player when i can just wait a few months and get the Samsung BDP-UP5000 for under $600 :) LG better start to lower the price before people know about the samsung dual hd player also.

I doubt the BDP-UP5000 will retail for less than $600. The 2 new Samsung BluRay players are priced like this:
BDP-1400 - $549
BDP-2400 - $649
So their new dual format player will most likely be more expensive than the BDP-2400.

Someone at avsforums explains how the original news article on the BDP-UP5000 was misunderstood:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthrea...&&#post10961540

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Definitely bad information... on the price.

Pocket Lint is referencing cdrinfo. cdrinfo never gives sources, but they probably ripped it from afterdawn, who referenced (incorrectly) Electronista, who referenced (correctly) the German site heise, who were the first to post the news, directly from Samsung Germany.

Relevant quote:
Quote:
Samsung meinte zu den Kosten für den interessierten Anwender lediglich, dass der Preis etwa 400 Euro über dem eines "einfachen" Blu-ray-Players liegen werde.

Translation:
Quote:
Regarding cost for any interested user, Samsung said only that the price would be about 400 Euros over a "simple" Blu-ray player.

So yes, it'll be 400 euros more than a single-format Blu-ray player. It won't be 400 euros.

That's the problem of fourth-hand news.

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The price of the BDP-UP5000 will be 400 Euros or about $550 above that of a regular standalone BluRay player. Expect this to be at around the $1000 mark.

We should probably ask one of the AD Staff to correct the price quoted in this news article since it's been proven to be erroneous:

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/10261.cfm

writers always cost more tis good to see the tech evolving!
evolve noa! faster!!better!!
LOL

Quote:

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I doubt the BDP-UP5000 will retail for less than $600. The 2 new Samsung BluRay players are priced like this:
BDP-1400 - $549
BDP-2400 - $649
So their new dual format player will most likely be more expensive than the BDP-2400.

Someone at avsforums explains how the original news article on the BDP-UP5000 was misunderstood:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthrea...&&#post10961540

Quote:

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Definitely bad information... on the price.

Pocket Lint is referencing cdrinfo. cdrinfo never gives sources, but they probably ripped it from afterdawn, who referenced (incorrectly) Electronista, who referenced (correctly) the German site heise, who were the first to post the news, directly from Samsung Germany.

Relevant quote:
Quote:
Samsung meinte zu den Kosten für den interessierten Anwender lediglich, dass der Preis etwa 400 Euro über dem eines "einfachen" Blu-ray-Players liegen werde.

Translation:
Quote:
Regarding cost for any interested user, Samsung said only that the price would be about 400 Euros over a "simple" Blu-ray player.

So yes, it'll be 400 euros more than a single-format Blu-ray player. It won't be 400 euros.

That's the problem of fourth-hand news.

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The price of the BDP-UP5000 will be 400 Euros or about $550 above that of a regular standalone BluRay player. Expect this to be at around the $1000 mark.

We should probably ask one of the AD Staff to correct the price quoted in this news article since it's been proven to be erroneous:

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/10261.cfm

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Done, and thank you for pointing it out.

Thanks DVDBack23. It was a source of confusion in a few forums and news sites.

Devices like this will be the 'peace-keeping force' in the Format War, and will assist in the consumer uptake of HD in general. One device that plays both formats means the consumer doesn't come out the loser if one ultimately 'fails' nor do they have to buy two seperate devices to insure the ability to play the movies they want to see. If a movie is only available in BD no big deal. If it's only available in HD-DVD no bid deal.

It also reduces the need for movies to be released in multi-formats to help sell the product to the most customers possible.

As more dual devices come to market and saturate the consumer purchases I see this becoming similiar to the whole +/- issue that arose in the 'last gen' media.

Who will win the format war? With these devices the consumer! And that's really how it should be in a capitalistic and free market society! These studios refusing to settle on a standard, and then refusing to release on multi-formats were in affect telling the consumer: We don't value your business enough to offer you our product because you chose one HD format over the other. If you want our product then buy BOTH formats.

My general attitude while awaiting a saturation point for dual format players has been to tell these media companies who essentially say the above: fcuk that and fcuk you!

Now that my choice of format is secured by choosing 'both' I just may, and thats still an uncertain may, delve into these new HD formats and see if I really do need to, want to, or desire to, rebuild a DVD collection in whatever format the movies are available in or if my 'old tech' SD DVD's will suit me fine and maybe only buy my new purchases in a new format... if even that.

But while I could have come out the loser I wouldn't even consider even THINKING about it.

Originally posted by error5:

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$500 for a 6x dual layer BluRay burner is a good retail price.

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- Oh come on error5, it's not "a good price" at all.

It's less outrageously expensive than similar drives were before.

$75 would be a "good" price.

Originally posted by error5:

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If this is a SATA drive then I may seriously consider trying one out.

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- I'm pretty sure it would be, that does seem to be the new standard they are all moving to.

Originally posted by hughjars:

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- Oh come on error5, it's not "a good price" at all.

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Another expected rebuttal from hughjars.

Considering the first BluRay writers from Sony, Panasonic, BenQ and Plextor were priced from $750 to $1K, this $500 LG has a good price considering it's a dual format reader and a 6x DL BD writer.

Remember the first DVD -R and +R writers were priced similarly when they first came out in the late 90's - early 2000's. It will be a while before they come down to your "good price" of $75. Expecting a 1st gen dual format reader/BD writer to retail for $75 is the height of optimism.

I agree with error5. $500 is a good retail price and street prices will be even lower. With this drive anyone can convert any existing halfway decent HTPC to a combo player for less than expected.

If I remember correctly my dad's first PC DVD writer was a 2x DVD-R (no +R) which retailed for $450. His first standalone DVD recorder was a $2K Panasonic. Prices will come down eventually.

Mmmmm 500 is a good starting price for a dual player and a Hdef buner,single players and drives need to be under 300 tho.

Originally posted by dblbogey7:

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With this drive anyone can convert any existing halfway decent HTPC to a combo player for less than expected.

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Exactly what I was thinking... and if you don't care for BD burning you can opt to use the $400 GGC-H20LI as your dual format reader.

I guess I am at a loss here, why didn't they include the burning of the HD-DVD disc also? If it had that....then I am interested for that price.

I would never buy an expensive product from LG. When it goes out in 3 months and they hang up on you don't say I never warned you. Thank god for extended warranties and class action suits.

This sounds pretty good. Pitty im not a LG fan.

Originally posted by error5:

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Another expected rebuttal from hughjars.

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- You've got this all wrong; I'm not arguing for tha sake of it but a DVD drive (even with HD DVD reading & BD read/burn) @ $500 is not "good".

Just because it's less outrageously expensive than things have been before does not make it "good".

I'm simply asking for a little reality here, @ $500 they'll not be looking like a bargain to too many punters either, like I said when they start to reach something pretty close to regular current SATA DVD prices then I'll maybe be saying the word "good" in the same sentence.

:P

Originally posted by hughjars:

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I'm simply asking for a little reality here, @ $500 they'll not be looking like a bargain to too many punters either,

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On the other hand expecting a Dual HD format reader/BD burner to cost as much as a DVD drive this early in the game and at this point in time is IMO out of touch with reality.

Originally posted by eatsushi:

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On the other hand expecting a Dual HD format reader/BD burner to cost as much as a DVD drive this early in the game and at this point in time is IMO out of touch with reality.

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- No, now you're missing the point too.

I didn't say I expected prices at the level of a regular DVD drive this early into things
(tho at the rate the players are falling in price - the Toshiba HD A2 & 5 freebie movies is now down to $199 - I think the drives are being well on the slow side of things).

I was referring to what people were trying to say was "good".

$500 for a DVD drive is not my idea of "good".

Bl**dy expensive, yes. Good, no.

Originally posted by hughjars:

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Originally posted by eatsushi:

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On the other hand expecting a Dual HD format reader/BD burner to cost as much as a DVD drive this early in the game and at this point in time is IMO out of touch with reality.

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- No, now you're missing the point too.

I didn't say I expected prices at the level of a regular DVD drive this early into things
(tho at the rate the players are falling in price - the Toshiba HD A2 & 5 freebie movies is now down to $199 - I think the drives are being well on the slow side of things).

I was referring to what people were trying to say was "good".

$500 for a DVD drive is not my idea of "good".

Bl**dy expensive, yes. Good, no.

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yes but this a dual player thus being only at 500 is good......

Originally posted by hughjars:

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I was referring to what people were trying to say was "good".

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I appreciate your populist point of view but unfortunately the people have no say in setting the initial price point of a new product such as this. Market forces usually result in lower prices in the long run but this early in the game we're all at the mercy of the CE companies.

Expensive? Yes. But a reasonable and correct price at this point in time if you consider history and other similar products.

Originally posted by error5:

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Originally posted by hughjars:

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I was referring to what people were trying to say was "good".

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I appreciate your populist point of view but unfortunately the people have no say in setting the initial price point of a new product such as this. Market forces usually result in lower prices in the long run but this early in the game we're all at the mercy of the CE companies.

Expensive? Yes. But a reasonable and correct price at this point in time if you consider history and other similar products.

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well said,once you understand that it can play 2 formats at 300 a pop is reasonable , then once you see the general price drops coming 400(well 400-450 anyway :P) by 09 is as reasonable.

I would pay $300 for a drive like the one mentioned for $500. I may pay up to $500 if I ever actually need the increased storage or ability to play high definition discs. Right now, however, I believe that the price is very polarizing: No one who does not have to have such a drive will pay so much!

Also, I truly believe thedre is not any compelling reason, other than you can not buy blank HD-DVD-R/RW discs, that the ability to record on HD-DVD couldn't be included at little or no extra expense. Why is the HD-DVD group dragging their heels on this? If the group is dragging then why are all the individual manufacturers following this. Someone needs to break out and offer the HD-DVD burning capability. Can anyone tell me why this isn't happening?