Venturer HD DVD Player Set to Launch December 29

For some time now, we've heard about a cheap HD DVD player from Venturer set to "change the format war."

While we don't yet know the price -- it won't be announced until the end of December -- we know that the SHD7001, a 1080i player, will be available exclusively via the UK's QVC TV Home Shopping Channel on December 29th.

The player will also be available on http://www.qvcuk.com, where presumably US consumers will be able to purchase it.

The SHD7001 will come with copies of "Hulk" and "Troy" on HD DVD, as well as an HDMI cable.

"We are very excited about this product launch," says David Rouse, Venturer Sales Director, in a press release. "At last an affordable solution for the many thousands of HDTV owners."

The unit will feature support for Dolby TrueHD and come in a sleek black and silver finish.

While the suspected price of the Venturer player -- at one point linked to a deal with Wal-Mart -- was supposed to be lower than other HD DVD units, the sale of Toshiba's HD-A2 for $98 set the bar for cheap players.

Will Venturer's HD DVD player be the cheapest player available? How much do you think it will cost?

Let us know in a comment below.

Update: SHD7000 Available at Walmart.com

Just minutes after posting this story, it came to our attention that Walmart.com is currently selling the SHD7000, an HD DVD player from Venturer, for $199.98. (Click here to view the product.)

According to the Web site, the unit, also a 1080i player is in stock.

Target.com is also selling the SHD7000 for $249.99, but says that the item is "arriving in 2 to 6 weeks."

A representative from Venturer says that the SHD7000 is "pretty much the same product" as the SHD7001, "but the SHD7001 is aesthetically better looking," apparently.