Vendors supporting HD DVD are cutting prices to boost their products, which are vying with Blu-ray disc technology to replace current DVD movie discs.

Next month, consumers can expect to find a range of entry-level players priced at around €300 (US$409), the HD DVD Promotional Group announced Friday at the IFA international consumer electronics show in Berlin

The price is nearly half of what many entry models in Europe currently cost, said Oliver Van Wynendaele, a manager in Toshiba Crop.'s HD DVD group.

Canada's Venturer Electronics Inc. plans to launch its SHD-7000 player at around €300 next month, while Toshiba Corp. will offer its HD-EP30 model for around €350, Van Wynendaele said. Toshiba will also give buyers five free discs.

Toshiba will begin equipping its notebook PCs with HD DVD drives in the fourth quarter, according to Yoshihide Fujii, Toshiba corporate senior vice president and president and CEO of the company's digital media network unit.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.