@darendt:

Your analogy is nonsensical. Additionally, Blu-ray has proven in many ways that it is currently NOT the better format, with disc space being the only real advantage it offers. Of course, as far as movies are concerned, studio support will ultimately be the deciding factor.

The data layer of Blu-ray discs is so fragile that they require additional protective coating. I would hardly call that an added benefit, it's just more BDA spin. This also creates problems with costing, as the manufacturing yields of Blu-ray discs are reportedly problematic.

 That's some nice spin there yourself. That hard coating makes Blu-ray Discs much harder to scratch and damage than HD-DVDs, DVDs and CDs. That's a good thing. Period.

@ shams

In terms of reliability, since you are picking on BluRay so much, have you failed to see people that have been having issues with the Transformers HD DVD? Freezing issues, skipping, being stuck on web updates, forcing you to do things like deleting cache in order to get the disc to play properly? Or remember the chroma bug?

example:
http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?t=22056&page=2
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=928707
http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/hd-dvds-latest-firmware-update-enables-web-features/

Like you said "Consumers should not have to worry about whether the discs or features will work with their players". Obviously both formats have their issues, hence the need for multiple firmware updates required for both formats. HD DVD spec may be finalized, but don't you find it strange that they are still adding features or firmware updates to an already finished spec?

I don't disagree that the HD-DVD players have not been faultless. What I take issue with is the attitude of the BDA toward the consumer. As I said, I own both formats, and based on all available information, I prefer HD-DVD and believe that it would ultimately provide more benefit to the end-user in both the short- and long-term. Many parties already seem to have conceded the battle to Blu-ray, which I find to be disappointing; a lot of their progress has been based on hype rather than fact, though they have certainly made progress with their product. In the end, if it wasn't for the PS3 featuring Blu-ray, we probably wouldn't even be having this conversation.

HD DVD because it is the official successor to DVD and has a better movie selection in my opinion. Its also cheaper and even though Blu-Ray has more storage space and stuff, they will still both play the exact same movies at the exact same resolution.

According to who?  The DVD forum?  Who gives them the right to decide th e"official successor" to anything?

Sony and Philips began working on Blu-Ray technology long before Toshiba jumped on the blue laser bandwagon, and the product is far more "legitimite" than HD DVD is, especially considering the fact that HD DVD had almost no CE support when it launched aside from Toshiba.

Ultimately, the consumer will decide what's "legitimate" and what's not.

@makingmusic476:

Technically, the DVD Forum would be exactly the people to select the "official" successor to DVD. It doesn't mean anything other than exactly that, although the name recognition factor may have some small amount of influence.

K-mart drops BR in favor of HDDVD!
http://www.dvdtown.com/news/kmart-choose-hd-dvd/4873

The war is OVER! (sarcasm)

they still have K-mart around???? I thought only a few states still have K-mart.  If that statement is is about Walmart then its another story.