This needs to be quoted more just because of how outright wrong it is.

"The read speed for HD-DVD is 48Mbps while Blu-ray has a 72Mbps read speed."

For starters, you're confusing the maximum bit-rate of both formats with the read speed of the disk. Speaking of which, the read speed is dependant on the reader and is no way inherintly limited by the format.

"Imagine if you could get all the Star Wars films on 2 disks, it is possible, but only on Blu-ray."

Lulz. Why not claim you can have the whole trilogy on one disc, since it is possible with high compression/low quality encoding on Bluray. But seriously, do multiple disc matter that much to you? 

Err, no, all Blu Ray and HD DVD movies are 24fps. DVD's are 60 but only because of 3:2. The only thing you will find at native 60fps is video based material, ie. TV shows and music videos.

DVD managed 300'000 in the 1st year, 1.1M in the 2nd and 4M in the 3rd. Blu Ray has that beat on it's own easily.  Even HD DVD isn't that far behind. 

 Just curious, are you counting the PS3 as a BluRay player in your estimate?  If so that's just wrong.  Remember that onyl a good 40% know that the PS3 has a BluRay player and not even all of those use it as a BluRay player.  I know if I had a PS3 I still wouldn't bother buying BluRay players because I don't want to buy a format that might lose (not saying it is just that it can).

I'd be willing to buy a format that might lose if I needed a new, decent DVD player anyhow and it was $99.  There is a reasonable chance HD-DVD players will be available with 5+ free movies for $99 - $149 this holiday season.  At those prices, people would be willing to buy it for the free HD movies alone.

I am counting the PS3 but it's difficult not to, the dedicated players are truely awful and no one is buying them. People with didicated home theaters are buying PS3s just for Blu Ray. I recon a good 40-50% have had some use as a player even if it was just 1 or 2 discs.

 Being cheap does help things out A LOT.  Actually, HD DVD currently has two great things going for it Blu-Ray cannot boast:

1. It's cheaper.  In the eyes of mass consumers cheaper is always better.
2. HD DVD/DVD combo movies.  Suddenly buying an HD DVD  movie isn't a risk.

Ok, lets take all that as fact just for fun.

Look at the PSP. A lot of people buy PSP's and buy one or two games so why aren't developers taking more notice of the PSP? Because people only buy one or two games and then pirate the rest. Now I'm not saying people pirate BluRay movies but people do notice that people aren't buying the movies.

Now to take what you say seriously.

You recon that 40-50% of PS3's are used as BluRay players? Well since you recon it must be absolutely true and your word must be infallible. In my previous post I mentioned that a good 40% of people even know that they're PS3's are HD compatible. Do you assume (or recon) that everyone who knows that their PS3 is HD compatible automatically buys BluRay movies? Well you shouldn't. Just because people know about it doesn't mean they actually use it. I know a few people who own a PS3 with no HDTV so there's no need for them to buy BluRay movies and actually nobody I know who owns a PS3 owns a single BluRay movie except Taladega Nights. Now saying that is about as scientific as you recon, but I recon that the majority of people who own a PS3 don't use it as a BluRay player.

-edit-
And if the dedicated players are so awful why are you assuming that  BluRay is so great?  Do people really want something that is awful and expensive?

I don't think Blu Ray is great, I think it's a flawed format which will go the same way as UMD. HD DVD has had pretty much everything going against it from the start, but slowly but surely it is coming through.

I would like everyone to know that this thread finally pushed me over the edge. I finally gave in and joined the High Definition nation. I decided to go with a 37" High Definition LCD flat panel. The price was reasonable in that it did not cost me over a thousand dollars. That said I am mired in some buyers remorse. Please let me have no regrets lord.

Seriously I had put it off for far too long. My old clunker was going on twenty years old only supported cable, and the sound and visual were not up to par. Sound was cutting out during gaming, and the games themselves looked scratchy. Even a brand new coaxial was not helping all that much, and who knows how long my VCR will hold out. That would be my primary by the way. Everything runs through the VCR. So the choice was getting to be one of I was going to be spending money so why not invest upwards.

I have some questions for the peanut gallery. The model I bought only supports up to 1080i. I seriously considered buying a model that supported both however the price difference was fantastic. I was already determined to stick to a budget that, and I was pushing with screen size. Push come to shove I would rather have a bigger screen rather then support a expensive format.

From what I understand BluRay runs on 1080p. Does that mean on my television that both formats will look exactly the same, or would the BluRay actually look worse. Would I notice any visual difference at all. Has my television made the format choice for me? Even if both formats play equally well I think I would defer to the cheaper format.

I am also curious that since the PS3 is a BluRay player. Would there be any visual difference between a PS3 game and 360 game at all? Curious if the format has a bearing on the quality of gaming visuals. Obviously with the dent in my wallet it will be some time before I make a decision. Just curious have I already made the decision.