Wanna pick up a HIGH DEFINITION player soon and am wondering if one format is starting to pull ahead. I know Blu-Ray is the slightly higher quality Format but DTS is slightly better than Dolby Digital 5.1 and yet Dolby Digital seems to be more popular..... so, what's the word so far ? Which format has a better selection ?

Sony is really trying to push Blu-Ray, but its not working. The PS3 is bombing hardcore and the format simply isn't catching on. IMHO, Blu-Ray will die the slow painful death of minidisc and beta. It is the better format, but if it catches on it will be quite a while from now. My vote goes for HDDVD.

If you're picking up a high definition player I would recommend an XBOX360. =) And I hope you have a nice widescreen tv and surround sound to compliment it! (When I can afford that setup, thats what I'll do.)

-Drake

I heard the ps3 was selling well,mainly because it is a cheap way of getting a Blu ray player,I also heard/read somewhere that Samsung have a machine that plays both formats.
I personally couldn't give a fig as I don't have high def or blu ray eyes so the whole thing just passes me by

i remember the VHS Beta war. I lost that one going with beta,which imo looked better than VHS.

I also believe the Blu Ray will meet the fate of beta/minidisc.

The mistake Sony have often made with their new formats is not to license anybody else to make them. That's why Betamax video didn't take off. Other makers agree on a format and get on with it...leaving Sony to sulk and feel hurt because their better format got ditched by the market.
I believe that Sony have actually started to smell the coffee. Time was that most of their mass market electronics were genuinely better built and performing than the competition...but those days are long gone.
They still get away with charging higher prices than other makers for the same thing though !

I think the Blu Ray will win out eventually. As was mentioned, other companies are supporting the format and not just Sony. Also, since Sony has their own movie studio, all of their movies will be released in Blu Ray and not HDDVD.

Thanks for all the info so far. Always a lot of very technically knowledgeable people on here. WILL see if anyone else wants to add something...

I hope Toshiba's HD DVD wins because I bought their deck about three months ago for $500.00...its even less now with Wal-Mart selling a $299.00 version with less features. I got nine free movies when I bought Toshiba's player.

blu ray
cause its better

The best way to go is hybrid / dual format ... here's the skinny from Kim Kommando:

"High-definition DVD players and movies are the buzz for video enthusiasts. After all, they deliver much better pictures than standard DVD players. But before you buy a new HD DVD player, it pays to do your research.

There are two high-definition formats: HD DVD and Blu-ray. The formats are incompatible; so many buyers have been hesitant to commit. Perhaps you remember the VHS and Betamax format war of the 1980s?

To get around this issue, some studios release movies on both formats. But many stick to one. More movies have been released on Blu-ray.

A solution is on the horizon. LG recently released a player that handles both HD DVD and Blu-ray. At $1,200, it is pricey; however, it won't soon become obsolete. Samsung will also release a dual-format player this year.

Total Hi Def (THD) discs are also coming in 2007. These discs will contain both HD DVD and Blu-ray versions of a movie.

Warner Bros. developed THD, but other studios may adopt it. The discs won't be much more expensive than other high-definition discs.
High-definition movies currently cost $30 to $40.

Only Toshiba sells HD DVD players right now. Several companies sell Blu-ray players. Prices range from about $400 to $1,500.

Getting the best picture

Before you spend this kind of cash, make sure you'll get the best picture. Most players will output 1080p. Others only output 1080i.

Smoother, clearer images are provided by 1080p. The p stands for progressive scan. All the lines of resolution are refreshed electronically in one pass.

In contrast, 1080i is interlaced. Odd-numbered lines are refreshed first. Even-numbered lines are refreshed in the second pass - 1/30th of a second later.

To get the highest resolution, most players require an HDMI connection. There are different flavors of HDMI. HDMI 1.3 offers twice the bandwidth of version 1.2. It can support more advanced video and audio technologies.

High-definition players also support other types of connections. But these connections won't give you the best picture.

Audio features

Pay attention to players' audio features. They all have optical digital audio outputs. This allows you to listen to digital sound in surround.

Only some have analog surround sound outputs. You may need to upgrade your receiver if it doesn't have an optical audio input.

Additionally, there are several types of surround sound. All players are compatible with 5.1-channel surround sound. You may have a 7.1 or 8.1-channel surround system. In that case, make sure the DVD player supports this.

High definition players have many of the same features as standard DVD players. They will even play standard DVDs. But not all will play audio or MP3 CDs. Check for this, if it is important to you.

Networking features

HD DVD players have Internet support. You can connect to the Internet from the player to access additional DVD features. This is not the case with Blu-ray.

Look for memory card slots and computer connections. You can access pictures, music and videos stored on your computer or memory card.

High-definition players have been around for a year. But the format war has not been settled. For now, the best option may be a dual-format player."

i have read that blu ray software is outselling hd dvd

I think Blu Ray is higher definition, 1080p, as opposed to 720p for HD DVD. Both are considered Hi Def however, and either is fine with me (actually, I prefer 720p since that's the type of TV I have! Refusing to double the cost by going 1080p when not a single channel broadcast in 1080p and the ONLY way you can watch ANYTHING in 1080p is via Blu Ray).

I'm guessing HD DVD will win out because their discs can be manufactured in existing factories, where as I thought I read somewhere that Blu Ray needs an entirely different and new technological set-up to be manufactured. So it probably will go the way of the Beta even though, like the Beta, it's probably considered better.

I also read an article that says it ultimately will be decided by the porn industry, whichever way they go (selling in such high volumes), so will the industry.

The players that handle both types of discs are definitely the way to go.Personally,I am waiting for LG's 2008 model because,they rushed this year's model resulting in a handful of glitches ( no HDMI 1.3 connection,only HDMI 1.2,won't play/does not support HDi interactive features of HD DVD discs plus a couple of other problems noted in C Net's review).Here's the link to the detailed review :
[reviews.cnet.com]

Another reason that I'm going to wait for the 2008 LG HD DVD \ Blu Ray Disc player is because I'm not sure if I trust Samsung as I had one of their DVD players break down on me after 18 months a few years back.Hopefully someone like JVC,Pioneer,Denon,or Yamaha will also put one out sometime soon.

Speaking of JVC,they are developing a dual layer blank recordable disc that has a blank DVD layer and a blank Blu Ray Disc layer.Blank Blu Ray Discs can hold 25 GB.(Blank HD DVD's have a capacity of 15 GB.)

Also,LG makes a computer drive that records all DVD formats,CDs,as well as Blu Ray discs.It reads but doesn't write HD DVDs.Right now it's a little expensive but the price will eventually drop and it's less costly as an option on two new Hewlett Packard desktop computers.

I'm sure that at least one of the two will survive.They should not be surprised by the slow start largely due to the overpriced equipment and discs.Also,most people are not aware of the two players that handle both types of discs and don't want to drop a large amount of money on a Blu Ray only or HD DVD only player because they are unsure if the one they choose will be the one that survives.
I would say that things will pick up when the cost drops and more people become aware of the players that handle both types of discs.