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Blu-Ray manufacturers have slashed prices in a big way in order to make this Christmas season a hockey stick movement for the adoption of the format. Prices have been cut by almost 50% or more, according to WSJ:

Entry-level Blu-ray players have dropped to below $230 at major retailers including Target Corp.,Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Best Buy Co. Some experts predict that promotional prices may fall below $150 on Black Friday, the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. Earlier this year, most Blu-ray players retailed for $400 or so.

Sales picked up at Best Buy after prices were cut, said Mike Mohan, Best Buy’s senior vice president of consumer electronics. Still, he said, some consumers may not understand the benefits of the technology, which can offer crisper images than standard DVDs when viewed on high-definition TVs. "We have a job to do in explaining to customers why Blu-ray is important," Mr. Mohan said.

But the only road block in the adoption of the format is not just the prices of Blu-Ray players. Blu-Ray discs are a major hurdle in the commoditization of the format with prices as high as $30, which makes them almost twice as expensive as normal DVDs. So till the industry figures this out, the format is a major no-no.