Wal-Mart Stores Inc. this week began offering a $298 Magnavox Blu-ray disc player to online customers in a bid to further adoption of the high-definition format.
The Magnavox NB500MG9 is one of the least expensive Blu-ray disc players on the market, with most starting at the $399 range.
The device offers full 1080p HD resolution, up-convert for standard DVDs, HDMI 1.3 output, and Blu-ray Profile 1.1.
Rumors of a sub $300 Blu-ray player at Wal-Mart began in Apr. of this year.
To date, adoption of Blu-ray disc players have been tempered due premium pricing over conventional DVD players.
However, new products like the Magnavox NB500MG9 and Best Buy Co. Inc.’s $349 Insignia NS-BRDVD Blu-ray player are likely to spur further interest into the high-definition format.
Sony Corp.’s Playstation 3, a device that includes a Blu-ray disc drive, retails for $399 at U.S. retail.
The Blu-ray format declared victory over Toshiba Corp.’s HD DVD format in Feb.
NPD Group Inc. in May said that Blu-ray disc player sales fell 40 percent in Feb. from Jan. Sales rebounded three percent in Mar.
In addition to Wal-Mart, retailers including Target Corp., Circuit City Stores Inc. and Netflix Inc. back the Blu-ray format.
Retailers have begun offering retail incentives for Blu-ray disc titles to drive U.S. sales.
Amazon this week began offering up to 50 percent off high-definition titles in a new Summer Blu-ray Blowout sale.
Also, Circuit City this week is offering a ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free’ promotion for select Blu-ray disc titles.
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