More retailers are ramping up their own price cuts on HD flatscreens prior to the traditional day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, in what is turning into an all-out price war. That would seem to signal good news for would-be HD consumers, but no one knows if it will last until Dec. 24 or if the cuts will be short-lived, in order to start getting shoppers to retailers.

Wal-Mart started it all by jumping the gun on the holiday season when it unleashed reduced prices on several HD models on Nov. 3--a full three weeks prior to Black Friday, Nov. 24 (HD Notebook, Nov. 8, 2006).

Best Buy is now planning to offer 42-inch LCD and plasma models starting at under $1,000 (about $200 below its current points), according to published reports. That would appear to beat Wal-Mart's currently reduced prices by about $150.

Banc of America Securities, the investment banking arm of Bank of America, said this week that Best Buy is asking vendors to suspend "minimum advertised price" levels for a few days prior to Thanksgiving to allow the retailer to offer larger discounts than originally planned, according to MarketWatch. Best Buy, the biggest CE-centric retailer in the U.S., was not officially commenting on its holiday sales strategy.

Circuit City is planning to start its Black Friday price cuts one day earlier than usual--on Nov. 23, Thanksgiving Day.