Register Hardware

Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/29/qvc_debuts_venturer_hd_dvd_player/

QVC debuts Venturer HD DVD player

By Scott Snowden
Published Saturday 29th December 2007 11:15 GMT

Updated Venturer's anticipated cut-price SHD7001 HD DVD player went on sale this morning on the QVC home shopping channel for less than was expected. At £162.62 (or two easy payments of £84.96), it's the cheapest standalone HD DVD player on the market.

First announced at IFA, we covered the SHD7001 back in September (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/09/02/ifa_venturer_cheap_hd_dvd/). Then in November (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/29/qvc_gets_venturer_hd_dvd/) it was announced the QVC home shopping channel would sell the device exclusively.

Venturer SHD7001

Venturer's SHD7001: only available on QVC

According to the presenters, the device is only on sale until midnight tonight. However, we suspect the deal will be repeated again at a later date. The player comes bundled with HD DVD copies of Hulk and Troy, plus a voucher entitling you to five free HD DVDs via a mail-in offer from the European HD DVD Promotion Group.

It also comes with an HDMI cable, though the player provides component-video and composite-video outputs too. There's a 10/100Mb/s Ethernet port on the back for linking HD DVDs to online content, and both digital optical and analogue audio outputs.

Plunging player prices could be the critical factor in revealing a winner in the Blu-ray vs HD DVD format war, as we covered earlier this month (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/21/blu_ray_vs_hd_dvd_price_war/). Many consumers are still confused about whether to invest in HD DVD or Blu-ray, and the high cost of players has allowed them to step back from the debate. However, falling prices have brought both technologies within reach of a greater number of consumers, paving the way for a more unequivocal choice of format.

Update: It seems this offer was QVC's "Special Value" of the day, and the Venturer is actually still available on the QVC website (http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.detail/params.item.558115/walk.yah.UKEL-UK21), but for the upped price of £206 plus £6.95 P&P.