Lesser-known brands are dropping their Blu-ray player prices even further. In early September, Best Buy Co. advertised its Insignia brand Blu-ray player for $229. It also offered to sell the player at just $149 with the purchase of a high-definition TV.

Overall, prices for Blu-ray players dropped 12% in the third quarter to $350, after adjusting for new-model introductions and old models pulled from the market, according to PriceScan, a price- and product-comparison service. Even now, market share for Blu-ray players is still relatively small. Parks Associates, a market research and consulting firm, says stand-alone Blu-ray players are in 1.7% of U.S. households versus high-def TV from cable or satellite providers, which is in 26% of U.S. households.

Manufacturers have been outfitting their Blu-ray DVD players with new features to lure shoppers. Sony's new players now start up in about six seconds, down from up to 50 seconds for previous players. Samsung's new players come with a chip that improves the picture quality for standard-definition DVDs on HD TVs.  

From the article, "High-Def Options Vie With Blu-ray" by Christopher Lawton

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