If HD-DVD can really push the adoption some studios may have to switch back to at least being format neutral. With good name brand HDMI upscaling DVD players selling for ~$99, I think we’re going to see a lot of people spend $25-$30 more to get HD-DVD capabilities. Nevermind the fact that for $126 on Amazon.com you get the HD-DVD player PLUS SEVEN movies, that is just a really good deal.

HD content is here, to stay. Where it will live is really yet to be determined. I would like to see streaming win the “format war” as I have all the equipment I need now to handle it. A decent PC. No $400+ player with $25+ movie disks. That sounds like a much easier transfer to me. For full disclosure, I own a 42″ LCD 1080p TV and HD-DVD player. HD-DVD seems like the lesser of two evils to me, even tho it may die off in 1-2 years. I may end up “losing” that money, but I have spent only $170 on the A3 and got 9 movies. I dont like sony so no blu-ray for me. My past with sony is this:

Sony 50″+ rear projection TV with bad main board after 14 months ($980 part, repair declined, toss TV)

DSC-717 camera $1200 when they came out. Memory stick capacity a joke, dead CCD after 15 months. Toss camera.

Sony $400 DVD player when they first came out. Lens outta whack after 13 months. $275 repair, declined, toss player.

I LITERALLY have nothing in my home sony now cause it has all broken. I bought all that stuff around the same time and my opinion of Sony is that they mfg stuff to last just past the warranty period. The other thing is that once it is dead, it costs less to replace it than repair it due to tech prices dropping. Sony’s business model doesnt include customer support at all. The least they could do to maintain customers is sell parts at cost on older models to keep customers. Instead I get the impression they double part costs. Just MY experience and I am only ONE person. I am quite sure there are millions of people who have bought nothing but sony and had good luck. Thats fine, but sony has lost me as a customer. I have no real plans on buying a PS3 just to watch movies since its the only completely future-proof Blu-Ray player (future-proof only as long as blu-ray lasts). That seems like it was setup that way, and without the consumer in mind.

Neither format is “bad”. Just different, and those differences are disappering. Both do 1080p and have great sound. The only thing HD-DVD has really now is PiP en-mass, and Blu-Ray should be doing something about that soon enough.

To answer Crackinhedz, sure sure, as we all know, every DVD pressed from the studio comes in glorious Dolby mono, I can’t imagine anyone needing more. I believe that goes back to my statement about the “elitits”. “Well if it isn’t (Scottish!!) Dolby TruHD then its CRAP!” The average consumer doesnt have the equipment to run 7.1 TruHD. Dolby digital 5.1 or there abouts is the best 90% of the market has. But its the same as with ALL tech, the top 10% drive the market. Nvidia makes a new video card, sells it for $500+. They sell 100,000+ worldwide. Then the next year they introduce a watered down version of the same card for $250+, that sells millions worldwide. But those hardcore enthusists are what drives the market when they soak up those $500+ cards.

All I am saying is thanks for driving the market, but dont act like ur the majority.

To everyone in general:

What ur doing is inflicting your tastes forcefully on others when you start screaming “X FORMAT IS DEAD! MOVE ON PEOPLE!” Then you yell at someone else for saying the opposite. What ur doing is no better than ANY mfg forcing a format on us consumers, which you just yelled about. You can’t yell about having HD-DVD forced on you and then go be a “fanboy” for the other side. You are no better.

Bah, no one will stop what they are doing anywho. Thats why these format wars get passed over by me. Just don’t go screaming at any one person unless you know their situation or reasons for buying one format or the other. Another disk format is bad, so they both lose in that regards. If there was a decent HD movie download service that was good, fast, and NOT riddled with crappy DRM, i would drop all my disks today.