Sure, it's not a machine for the high end home theater enthusiast. But for the average consumer it might be just the ticket:

[Link: venturer.com]

Venturer sells to Wal-Mart. And it appears Wal-Mart has ordered 2 million already. No price yet. And I'm guessing (just guessing) they will be available by Thanksgiving.

Heh, that company is just around the corner from me.

ding ding ding.... I think I just heard the death knell for BluRay. ;-)

That said, if it's a walmart product and very cheaply built, it may do worse for HD-DVD. How? I bought an upscaling Cyberhome DVD player with HDMI at Walmart a year or two ago. Very much a piece of crap, which soured my taste for upscaling DVDs, HDMI, and Walmart. I've thrown out that cyberhome, and not been back to walmart since. If the cheap HD-DVD player has problems and generated complaints, it may sour the public on HD-DVD, Walmart, and such.

That's the thing though. Obviously it's not going to look great, but the people who go to Wal Mart to buy the Vizio TV's and then think they look great are going to jump on this. If Vizio sells so many TV's, this is bound to sell.

well if it the price is reasonable, and it offers better performance than my Xbox Add-On then i may just need one. it certainly is a nice LOOKING unit from what i can see, thats a bonus.

There'll be a portion of the buying crowd who will buy a Walmart HD-DVD player, and it will play HD-DVDs. They will then know that they are watching high def. Even if they're using an NTSC input because they don't know better! And unfortunately this is the crowd we're talking about here.

As for bad machines, it's hard to get a bad taste for Walmart when you shop there three times a week. It ain't such a big-ass deal to return a bad player if I only have to decide which trip I'm gonna do it on. And, hell, maybe they'll have another 'un I could try!

From what I have read the Venturer is a rebadged Toshiba.
Toshiba/NEC will collect royalties on every one made. The actual Chinese manufacturer is going to buy the drives from Toshiba - and probably the SoC from NEC.
And rumors say it will retail for $199. Meaning Wal-Mart will probably have it for $149.
Entry level player for sure. But probably good enough to get the average consumer to buy one.

come on Daniel, you actually think bookaroni ever knows what he is talking about? China and Canada start with the same letter, that is close enough for him.


Wal-Mart also does not appear anywhere in the announcement (or 2M) but why let facts get anywhere near any of his posts he is not paid for the truth but only to be a cheerleader

Never mind Wal Mart, I expect them to show up at Canadian Tire! :-)

(Seriously, that's the first place I think of when I think "Venturer" brand electronics.)

Most things of this type are made in China these days despite where the manufacturer's company is located, Anthony. Why? because that's the cheapest place to get things made. How else do you think they are getting the retail cost so low? Of course we'll only know for sure once we have one in hand and can flip it over to find the "Made in ?????" label. If Walmart isn't the place to find one then expect Costco or K-mart or your local grocery store (Aldi's where I live) to have a pallet or two for sale.

I know that.

1) this is made in China, all of Venturer's machin3s are made in China

2) if "Chinese player"= made in China then several BD and HD DVD players are already Chinese players. So why where HD DVD fanboys been talking about Chinese HD DVD players? What is meant by Chinese player is one made by a Chinese company. China has "lax" international patent laws which means that they can skip some royalties. This is harder with companies that just outsource to China because when sued they will be sued in their respective country (i.e in this case Canada)

PS so know we have an official comment from Wal-Mart about this


[Link: videobusiness.com]

While his profile says he hires a pro when he can't figure something out, until he corrects it his profile also says he's a "Cunstruction Superintendent." Aside from copying the words, I don't even want to TOUCH that one!

Damn. Must of been drunk when I typed my profile.

my guess it would explain most of your posts :)