To rephrase the question you're asking:
"How much less would (insert your brand here) charge for their (model XYZ) BR player if they pulled the DACs out and called it the model XYZ BR transport?"
So, a bit of speculation:
AFAIK, the guts (including transport section) of all current BR players are all manufacured by large electronics companies. For these firms, costs are largely driven by volume - and whatever component costs could be saved by pulling the DACs would likely be offset by the costs of running a smaller volume product variation.
Bottom line: pulling the DACs out of most BR players could actually increase the final retail cost of the product.
If the market will support it (a resonably big if), you can expect smaller firms (variations on Oppo) to start marketing transport only BRs, because their economics differ, and omitting components actually will lower their product cost.
Just my speculation.
Marty
"How much less would (insert your brand here) charge for their (model XYZ) BR player if they pulled the DACs out and called it the model XYZ BR transport?"
So, a bit of speculation:
AFAIK, the guts (including transport section) of all current BR players are all manufacured by large electronics companies. For these firms, costs are largely driven by volume - and whatever component costs could be saved by pulling the DACs would likely be offset by the costs of running a smaller volume product variation.
Bottom line: pulling the DACs out of most BR players could actually increase the final retail cost of the product.
If the market will support it (a resonably big if), you can expect smaller firms (variations on Oppo) to start marketing transport only BRs, because their economics differ, and omitting components actually will lower their product cost.
Just my speculation.
Marty