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Xbox 360 HD DVD drops to $179, tempts with 5 free movies photo

If you've been on the fence about picking up the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive, you might be pleased to know that the deal has been sweetened a bit.

Just announced at the San Diego Comic Con, Microsoft is dropping the price of the external HD DVD Player from $199 to $179 in the United States starting August 1st. It gets better as five free HD DVD movies are offered to anyone who purchases the add-on between August 1st and September 30th of this year.

Although prices are quickly dropping on HD DVD players, this is still going to be one of the cheapest ways to get a high-definition disc format in your home (provided you own an Xbox 360). Also, keep in mind that this drive also functions as a player for your PC or Mac with the proper drivers.

The 'free movie' deal is really just an extension of Toshiba's "Perfect Offer" promotion, which was originally reserved for Toshiba HD DVD players. This is a mail-in offer, and the discs are chosen from a selection of 15 titles. You can find a list after the jump.

Lastly, Microsoft is releasing 300 'on demand' on Xbox LIVE Marketplace on August 14th to promote the movie release on HD DVD. In a similar promotion, the first episode of Heroes will be made available for download to promote the release of Heroes: Season 1 HD DVD, though this one will be a free download.

 

Eh:
Tomb Raider
Chromicles of Riddick
Constantine
Apollo 13
Perfect Storm
We Were Soldiers

Um:
Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow
Rundown (?)
Four Brothers
Dukes of Hazzard
Blazing Saddles
Casablanca
U-571
U2: Rattle & Hum

YES!:
Seabiscuit


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30 comments | showing # 1 to 30

PacoDG's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 08:51
PacoDG
The picking 5 movies thing blows.
Why's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 08:56
Why
Haha they've resorting to giving these horrible movies away.
galagabug 's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 08:57
galagabug
Blazing Saddles!!!!!!!! and you guys are complaining?


Keef's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 08:58
Keef
The drop and free HD dvd's has me sold, but, i gots a question!!

If i get a 360 HD DVD drive from america, or japan, would i be able to use it on my UK 360 with UK hd dvd's???
BluDesign's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:03
BluDesign
God... Damn you MS! Stop this! Just release a BluRay drive already...

Easy choices, all of them.

Apollo 13
Casablanca
Sky Captain
Blazing Saddles
Drink coaster (Our choices? German Seamen, New England Seamen, or a Jew hater...)

$179 IS awfully tempting for a near dead format... Especially since the NIN live concert video from last years tour is on HD DVD.
Ha-Puken's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:06
Ha-Puken
20 bucks? gimme a frickin' break...
Snaileb 's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:08
Snaileb
Dale North is a HD movie entrepreneur. Cerealy though screw these movies.

(lmao @ Chromicles)
BluDesign's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:13
BluDesign
Nope, I stick by my guns. I'll wait for the $300 BluRay player. Thanks but no thanks MS.
tehuberone's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:36
tehuberone
So $29.99 X 5 = $149.99

$179.99 - $149.99 = $30.00

HD-DVD Player = $30.00

Um.... sounds like a good deal to me.
ChrisFurniss's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:44
ChrisFurniss
THE SHERIFF IS A NI-
Kryptinite's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:48
Kryptinite
This is an awesome deal. Makes me wish I didn't buy mine at 199 and only receiving stupid ass King Kong.
Rhoq's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:53
Rhoq
I only got 3 free HD DVDs with my Toshiba HD-A2. Selection is a bit "iffy" (more titles to choose from when the offer was for 3 films), but it's still one hell of a deal.
Dale North's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 09:59
Dale North
c'mon guys: Seabiscuit!
RICHARD BLOCKER's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 10:07
RICHARD BLOCKER


Where all the white women at?
Kartzan's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 10:22
Kartzan
I walked by the sony style store the other day and the 60GB PS3 that was going for 499 also had this 5 free Blu Ray discs, it was very very tempting...
908peruvian's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 11:41
908peruvian
whoever came up with that 5 category idea
needs to get shot.

if i could pick from any 5 movies at the store
i'd be happy

and they need to stop those combo discs too.
costs 10 bucks more than blu-ray WTF !!
Crunshii's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 11:42
Crunshii
Whats the bigger movie industry heading more to? HD DVD or Blue Ray? forget the rest, forget that xbox or PS3 players support it, which one is dominating in the movies.

After you answer this question, then pick the player, dont pick a player that will play *some* movies, but the one that will play the *most* and eventually over take the other one.
Ritalin Twitch's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 12:05
Ritalin Twitch
Until this stupid format war is over, I'm firmly committed to spending that $200 on more hard drive space.

No reason. Just need that space for "legitimate archival purposes"
Lord Helmet's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 12:18
Lord Helmet
Wow... Blazing Saddles aside, that's one big, steaming pile of HD crap.
ZeeJayTL's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 12:38
ZeeJayTL
thats tempting...and i dont even have an HDTV
Reallynotnick's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 12:54
Reallynotnick
Both the Matrix and Hot Fuzz are on HD-DVD, I pretty much have to say the format war is over, so go home blu-ray.

No really, someone just win god dammit. I am sorta sided with HD-DVD because the players are cheaper, and they can put both the DVD version and the HD version on one disc. Really all their movies should be that way, and just stop making the regular DVD's.

Grrrrr, I want my HD goodness.
Zero Iscariot's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 13:07
Zero Iscariot
Crunshii, you (smoke) rock!

I'm enjoying my HD-DVD drive. Planet Earth, the aforementioned NIN tour in 1080p, Goodfellas, Serenity, all killer flicks. I am picking up "300" and Hot Fuzz next week too.

HD-DVD is not dead, wait until Wal-Mart stocks 2 million cheapo HD-DVD players for $179 this holiday (not the 360 drive BTW). The only thing keeping Blu-Ray strong right now is studio support and PS3.
Sony made you buy a Blu-Ray player. So I bought HD-DVD on principle alone.

-Blu-Ray
-Beta-Max
-UMD
-12 different Memory Sticks
-Minidisc

Sony is more concerned about what format you're buying your media on than putting out good media. Name a great Sony Pictures movie, or Sony CD (that doesn't have root-kit!) from the last few years?
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 13:27
Sharpless
There are easily five good movies there. Personally? I'd go with Apollo 13, Rattle and Hum (shut up), Sky Captain, Tomb Raider (Angelina Jolie double-shot FTW!), and Casablanca. It's not a bad selection at all, really.

I still have no desire for any of the new DVD formats, though.
Lord_Satorious's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 13:30
Lord_Satorious
Not too bad a selection of free movies, there's at least one good or halfway decent one in each category. I dunno if I'll buy this, but it's a fine excuse.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 13:31
Sharpless
And yes, Zero is correct. The only reason Blu-Ray is dominating is because Sony is forcing it down consumers' throats with the PS3. Fucking assholes. That's why the goddamn system cost a million dollars. Even if HD-DVD fails, Microsoft did the right thing by not preinstalling it on all their consoles.
Nyteshade's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 13:45
Nyteshade
It's WAAAAAAY to early to make educated predictions on the high-def format war...

High-def sales have just now started to finally SLOW regular DVD sales, but they still haven't put a dent in them. With the PS3 forcing Blue-Ray down consumers throats, and the super cheap HD players coming, the war is just starting.

It'll be at least another year or two before a winner can be "picked," if even then. Expect this format war to rage on for a long, long time. There may not even be a winner, digital download could make physical media obsolete, period. Then neither wins.
Crunshii's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 18:39
Crunshii
well this is a rumor from a store manager but what the heck, lets throw it in there. Im just noticing a trend now renting stores are kinda following Blockbuster.

"Woolworths go Blu-ray exclusive. Drop HD-DVD."
http://www.playthree.net/2007/07/woolworths-go-blu-ray-exclusive-drop-hd.html
Nyteshade's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 19:03
Nyteshade
@Crunshii First of all, look at the source... but even if it is true, that's only a piece of the UK and Australian market. Wal-mart dominates US and a good portion of the world, and they'll be getting some cheap HD-DVD players.

There will be HD-DVD players under $200 hitting this holiday season, the cheapest Blue-Ray player will be around $350-400... Expect HD-DVD player sales to take back the "lead" they got from the PS3. On stand alone (not-PS3) player sales HD-DVD is winning.

It's like the Wii pricing all over again. I expect there to be a huge jump in HD-DVD player sales, because it'll be the first time a HD player enters a mainstream market price...

To throw back at you Crunshii, how about a $99 HD-DVD player !!!

It's only a special deal, but it shows that HD-DVD players are going to hit reasonable prices long before Blue-ray...
Crunshii's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 19:15
Crunshii
hmmm ok, good hand Nyte, how about ill take that 99$ HD DVD u said and ill raise you a Target.

Target to sell only Blu-ray DVD players source, Microsoft.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=OBR&Date=20070726&ID=7235318
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/26/2007 20:05
Sharpless
Target has only agreed to sell them through Christmas. The policy may change afterwards. Or it may not.

Blu-Ray is winning. Blu-Ray will probably win. It doesn't deserve it, though.
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