TDk begins shipping blu-ray media

[ultraman36]

I found this

Im still passing until
1) disks become under $2.00
2) Netflix and blockbuster has a very large selection
3) equipment cost what current dvd equipment cost today



http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1948051,00.asp

TDK said Monday that it has begun shipping its first write-once and rewriteable Blu-Ray disc media to retailers in the U.S.
All of the discs will be rated at 2X speeds. The discs aren't cheap; the company's estimated retail pricing for a single 25-Gbyte write-once (BD-R) recordable disc will be $19.99, while TDK will price a rewriteable (BD-RE) 25-Gbyte disc at $24.99. Later in 2006, TDK will ship 50-Gbyte dual-layer media, charging an estimated $47.99 for a write-once BD-R disc and $59.99 for a 50-Gbyte BD-RE disc.

ADVERTISEMENT Spindles of fifty 50-GB recordable Blu-Ray discs will be sold during the second quarter, TDK said.

In March, TDK made a similar announcement for the European market, setting European prices at 15 euros and €20 for 25GB BD-R and 25GB BD-RE, and charging €35 and €45 for the 50-GB BD-R and 50GB BD-RE media, respectively.

"TDK is pleased to be the first to market with bare Blu-ray Disc media, which can be counted among the most significant product introductions in the company's distinguished 70 year history," said Bruce Youmans, TDK's vice-president of marketing.


The announcement also allows TDK to shape the next-generation DVD media pricing depate to its own advantage. Although Toshiba has claimed that it will ship an HD-DVD-enabled notebook, members of the HD-DVD camp have not set an estimated price for media.

[dvdguy4]

And I thought DL media was expensive. WOW

[Supreme2k]

They all start out like that. I remember CD-Rs were about $50 each back when they surfaced. I didn't notice DVD+RW until they were "down" to $15 each. Just give them a ouple of years for mass production. I've seen even DL for just over a buck recently.

[BJ_M]

"TDK is pleased to be the first to market with bare Blu-ray Disc media

what are they smoking ? the media has been on sale for over two years -- so have the machines for that mater (in japan and in sony pro broadcast equipment)

[kush]

retailers in the U.S.

U.S. being the important part there - in the U.S. we seem to get hosed for about a year (or more) for all the new tech goodies.

But I gotta agree with the others..No BD/HD crap until the prices drop drastically, availability of players/recorders/media/etc high, and well the issue of the consumer screwing...umm.. worked around. [edit] Besides there's not even a market for BDR - where's the recorders? If you look hard enough you migh find a STB player, but that's about it - no movies or recording equipment.

[Bob W]

You can buy a HD-DVD player for $400 here http://www.ecost.com/ecost/ecsplash/shop/detail~dpno~707060.asp a Blu-Ray player will cost $1000 when Samsung ships their player June 25.

There are six HD-DVD movies due out on the 18th of this month and no Blu-Ray movies until May 23 (and no player until June 25). Sony will have their Blu-Ray player sometime in September.

[BJ_M]

the blank disks have been sold by sony for the last two years at any sony broadcast dealer (in the usa)

that's what i meant about the tdk press release being off base

[-jsl-]

"TDK is pleased to be the first to market with bare Blu-ray Disc media

what are they smoking ? the media has been on sale for over two years -- so have the machines for that mater (in japan and in sony pro broadcast equipment)

The keyword is bare Previous BD media have been cartridge media.

[waheed]

Im waiting till prices will drop for both drive and media. In fact, im holding out until a dual drive is out for both camps.

[nwo]

retailers in the U.S.

U.S. being the important part there - in the U.S. we seem to get hosed for about a year (or more) for all the new tech goodies.

Try living in the UK we never see HD untill it dead!

[edDV]

The pro versions of Blu-Ray media have been around for a couple of years or more for about the same prices for single layer rewritable 23GB. They were marketed for backup and as video media for the Sony XDCAM product line.The difference is these discs were housed in a cassette. I'm surprised to see the consumer "bare media" priced as high as the pro cassette versions. I wish there was a way to short sell BD DVD.



http://www.tapestockonline.com/professional-disc.html

[yoda313]

Well I think one promising thing here is I think I saw the hddvd player is SUPPOSED to be all set to read recordable media from the start. As long as they don't do the stupid - or + r mess of the dvd format then maybe they can get recordable media to work properly on ALL players.

[SilverBlade]

TDK must be smoking something to think people will spend that much on a blank disc in hopes it won't turn into a coaster.