HD DVD To Launch in Australia, This December
11-01-06, 04:05 PM
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HD DVD To Launch in Australia, This December
HD-DVD is being released in Australia.
"Toshiba Corp. has announced that its line-up of HD DVD players that is currently scheduled for release in the European markets starting next month - HD-E1 and HD-XE1 - will also be available for sale in Australia starting this December. The HD-E1 (Aus$1099) is scheduled to be available at retail from mid-December while the HD-XE1 (Aus$1,599) is expected to be available from February 2007. At the bottom of this post are image previews of HD-E1 (First) and HD-XE1 (Second). Both can decode and playback Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital-Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS-HD (DTS Core stream is played back) audio tracks but ultimately what you get is a maximum of 5.1-channel audio via the analog 5.1 outputs and/or HDMI."
http://hddvdformat.blogspot.com/
The reason I am posting this is because a few weeks back one of the members on here wrote a pretty derogatory post about how people on the HD forums were rubbing how great the format was in some of the people faces who were unable to get the format yet. I specifically remember that he was an Australian who said that HD-DVD wasn't going to be released there for quite a long time. Well here you go, looks like you will be able to sell that huge DVD collection I remember that you said you had and will be able to upgrade to HD-DVD if you choose to.
PS...
"Toshiba Corp. has announced that its line-up of HD DVD players that is currently scheduled for release in the European markets starting next month - HD-E1 and HD-XE1 - will also be available for sale in Australia starting this December. The HD-E1 (Aus$1099) is scheduled to be available at retail from mid-December while the HD-XE1 (Aus$1,599) is expected to be available from February 2007. At the bottom of this post are image previews of HD-E1 (First) and HD-XE1 (Second). Both can decode and playback Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital-Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS and DTS-HD (DTS Core stream is played back) audio tracks but ultimately what you get is a maximum of 5.1-channel audio via the analog 5.1 outputs and/or HDMI."
http://hddvdformat.blogspot.com/
The reason I am posting this is because a few weeks back one of the members on here wrote a pretty derogatory post about how people on the HD forums were rubbing how great the format was in some of the people faces who were unable to get the format yet. I specifically remember that he was an Australian who said that HD-DVD wasn't going to be released there for quite a long time. Well here you go, looks like you will be able to sell that huge DVD collection I remember that you said you had and will be able to upgrade to HD-DVD if you choose to.
PS...
11-01-06, 04:18 PM
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Well no hard feeling here. I am glad that he will be able to upgrade and wont have to sit in the background and just listen to how good we all think it is. He can become one of us and actually boast about how good it is!!
PS...
PS...
11-02-06, 03:46 AM
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While I'm an aussie desperately awaiting the arrival of the format I didn't write a derogatory post like you described about people rubbing it in my face. In fact, I'm jealous of all you bastards (what with you constantly rubbing it in my face 
)! The price seems pretty steep though. I could import the A1 for a lot less and just use a step-down transformer.
Personally, I'm waiting to see if the R1 HD add-on for the 360 will work with my local 360. It's my interim solution until more players become readily available.
)! The price seems pretty steep though. I could import the A1 for a lot less and just use a step-down transformer.Personally, I'm waiting to see if the R1 HD add-on for the 360 will work with my local 360. It's my interim solution until more players become readily available.
11-02-06, 11:59 AM
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That's about $850 for the E1 and $1250 for the XE1.
What's with AU and EU getting the shaft, price-wise? Is it tariffs, VAT, or just a strategy on the part of the manufacturers to get more out of smaller markets?
What's with AU and EU getting the shaft, price-wise? Is it tariffs, VAT, or just a strategy on the part of the manufacturers to get more out of smaller markets?
11-02-06, 03:23 PM
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VAT and the shaft. VAT is adjustable to compare the numbers to the USA properly. Just add your local sales tax to compare.
What's really bad is when there's a European company that sells stuff cheaper in the USA or Japan than in Europe.
What's really bad is when there's a European company that sells stuff cheaper in the USA or Japan than in Europe.
11-03-06, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Spiky
VAT and the shaft. VAT is adjustable to compare the numbers to the USA properly. Just add your local sales tax to compare...
Perhaps people from the EU and Australia can weigh in and let us know what the VAT rates are.
"Shaft" remains a likely explanation for the price differential though...
11-03-06, 11:03 AM
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I just mean that if you want to do any price comparing, you have to use the full cost on each side of the pond. EU prices always list with VAT included, USA prices always list with sales tax excluded. You have to add sales tax to see the best comparison. Any difference at that point is "the shaft" or a complaint to the local govt about tax rates.
What would be an invalid comparison would be subtracting the VAT and comparing shelf prices without tax. Because the VAT is higher, this means little.
What is EU VAT, 17%? Versus 6-10% sales tax in USA.
What would be an invalid comparison would be subtracting the VAT and comparing shelf prices without tax. Because the VAT is higher, this means little.
What is EU VAT, 17%? Versus 6-10% sales tax in USA.
11-04-06, 12:17 AM
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Originally Posted by lizard
I don't think adding sales tax is a valid comparison. (I don't know if Australia uses a VAT or, if so, at what rate.)
11-04-06, 12:51 AM
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One of our local chains (JB HiFi) has commenced also advertising Samsung's Blu-ray players - limited stock for $1599.
It will be interesting to see what the uptake of either player will be in Australia - with prices of these players so high.
There has been no indication of what prices will be of the discs themselves.The current market for SD DVDs is dominated by a few businesses (Brazin - Sanity / HMV / Virgin) Coles/Myer (whats left of that business - inc Kmart and Target) and the Woolworth / BigW. HD and Bluray are going to have to be quite 'convincing' to get these chains to invest in another 2 products.
It will be interesting to see what the uptake of either player will be in Australia - with prices of these players so high.
There has been no indication of what prices will be of the discs themselves.The current market for SD DVDs is dominated by a few businesses (Brazin - Sanity / HMV / Virgin) Coles/Myer (whats left of that business - inc Kmart and Target) and the Woolworth / BigW. HD and Bluray are going to have to be quite 'convincing' to get these chains to invest in another 2 products.
11-04-06, 03:50 AM
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Just a side note. We got in stock of the high end Toshiba laptops a while ago with built in HD-DVD drives and pushed the reps for a couple of months to get us some HD-DVD sample discs to show off.
2 months later we get a disc. Pop it in the drive and it turns out to be a bunch of WMV-HD videos downloaded off the MS website.
That's really the closest we've come here to 1080p video, and even then there aren't many 1080p screens on the market. Only 2 of the 50 odd large screens we have in store are native 1080p.
I'd say it will take at least till this time next year before we see enough market penetration for the average joe to even ASK 'what is 1080p and why do I need it?'
2 months later we get a disc. Pop it in the drive and it turns out to be a bunch of WMV-HD videos downloaded off the MS website.
That's really the closest we've come here to 1080p video, and even then there aren't many 1080p screens on the market. Only 2 of the 50 odd large screens we have in store are native 1080p.I'd say it will take at least till this time next year before we see enough market penetration for the average joe to even ASK 'what is 1080p and why do I need it?'
