Greenkey(and Zenster), stop whining, go back into your hole with your fucking betamax or your analog laserdisk, and go watch the original Star Wars until your eyeballs pop out and your ears bleed from the crappy stereo or prologic sound.
And me, I’ll just settle down into my Theater here(and I do mean theater http://briefcase.yahoo.com/local420usClick on the misspelled folder for home theater) ), and watch the latest Jackie Chan flick in DTS. You two enjoy.
Sam
DVDs have significantly higher packaging costs than typical VHS (in the cardboard sleeve). But they are cheaper to press than a tape is to reproduce.
Market penetration hasn’t reached the point yet where the price point can come down enough on CGS in order to make a decent profit. Its really close though, and you should expect to see more and more under $20 DVDs, in fact, for major releases you already are. Expect VHS to start going back up in price(if movies are even released on VHS for long) as the market turns to DVD.
Ah, quitcherbitchin. I just bought 3 copies of Shrek for Christmas gifts at $14 a pop. That’s cheaper than taking even ONE kid along to the theater by a damn sight. At the same department store I also picked up a few older movies on DVD (the old version of Annie with Carol Burnette as Ms. Hanigan, for one - my kids’ favorite) for $9 each. IMHO, that’s not a ripoff. DVDs have a waaay longer shelf life than videos, at my house anyway.
My kids have a TV/VCR combo on a hospital room-type shelf in their room. If it wasn’t so neatly packaged together, I’d be buying them a DVD player this year for Christmas. And they’re little (3 and 4).
I usually see DVDs cheaper than the VHS version. Shrek was $14.95 at a local store, the VHS version was $19.95.
Oh, I just found my new favorite web site! 
(Just pre-ordered the new Bill and Ted DVDs for $9 each, with free shipping. Woo hoo!)