HD-DVD or BluRay?

[Dodece]

Honestly you should ignore pretty much everything said in this thread up to this point. The reality is most of these posters are not trying to do what is best for you, but what is best for their fanaticism. Like religious fanatics trying to convert the natives. Most of them would not have an opinion one way or the other had a certain console manufacture not used their latest console as a Trojan horse for one of the formats. Thus they support the format since it is good for their console. Others support the other, because it would be bad for that console.

These are the things you need to know to make a informed decision.

Both formats support backwards compatibility with DVDs. The only difference is backwards compatibility for CDs is mandatory for HD-DVD. However most BluRay manufacturers will support that format regardless.

Unless your television supports 1080p there will be no visual difference between the two players. Even then the popular opinion is that the difference is marginal. Even if your set does not have 1080p you should still have 720p. Frankly the difference is not enough to get me to use 720p over 1080i.

There are few things in life more certain then cheaper being better when it comes to consumers. That said if there is a front runner it is HD-DVD. Do not be concerned with the current numbers. Most consumers are not buying in yet, but HD-DVD is the closest at the moment. So if your looking to play it safe go cheaper. Even then backwards compatibility plays to your favor you still have the DVD compatibility, and you usually get enough movie offers to make it a moderate risk.

Ignore the console consideration. Your looking to buy a movie player not a game player, and despite what some have written previously. The PS3 does not have an altogether brilliant library, or as of now a back catalog to play off of. Honestly they are bragging about you spending another two hundred dollars to get half of a console.

Equally don't buy the player to compliment a 360 either. Lets be rational here the 360 does have reliability issues. Being able to play the movie through your PC is not a bonus really. Your buying a player to watch movies on your television. The console is a weak spot you really want a stand alone player. Ironically you can actually rent high definition movies through the 360. However I recommend something like Netflix is cheaper. Hell movies on the 360 are almost highway robbery. Then again On Demand cable service is not much better.

Anyway the quality is the same for all intent and purposes. Studios will fall in line with the winner. The only real difference is the price, and in all honesty we all know who wins there. More importantly the price will determine who is by far the most likely to win. For my money the HD-DVD player is the safer bet. Not only does it seem more likely to win out in the end, but your not taking quite the same gamble. Better to have spent two hundred on a DVD player then four hundred on a DVD player.

One other thing you can watch all the movies on either player, because they are both backwards compatible with DVDs, and those do not look half bad on a high definition screen either.