Mere days after a group of Blu-ray-supporting studios orchestrated an event to show off the Blu-ray Disc format in Los Angeles, the HD DVD format achieved a dramatic resurgence with Toshiba's move to a $100 player. Never let it be said that consumers don't love a bargain--but will price alone decide this format war?

That's a tough question to answer. Clearly, price plays a role. According to a report from market research firm The NPD Group, 62 percent of HDTV owners are waiting for player prices to fall before they buy. There's a historical precedent, too: Conventional DVD players and upscaling DVD players--which convert a standard DVD's 480i-resolution image up to high-definition 1080p for improved playback on an HDTV--both exhibited rapid sales growth as their prices fell below $200.

Toshiba's flashy, visibility-raising strategy was a success. When the price drop hit, Best Buy and Wal-Mart stores (plus a few other retailers that matched their prices) burned through unsold stock of Toshiba's second-generation HD DVD player, the HD-A2--and in so doing, put HD DVD players into the hands of reportedly 90,000 new users.