seems that if you can't even call it by its actual name, Blu-ray, your opinion is probably worth jack.

I would like to say straight off that I don't promote Piracy. Fair-Use single copying I am all for however. And no "lending" of copies.

That said, when all you people go on and on about "HD-DVD doesn't have region coding but Blu-Ray does" don't forget that DVD's had region coding and it's only the anti-competitive region-locking of Optical Drives that are the problem we face today. On a software level, it's rather easy to rip any region DVD to Region-0 and suddenly the single copy allowed under Fair-Use is compatible with every DVD drive in the house.

Now frankly I don't care whether either comes with region coding because a little encryption or region-coding now only means a little more time ripping your backup disc. SINGLE backup disc, mind, no sharing. I keep backup discs of everything because I sure as hell am not going to pay another $30-$100 for a plastic frisbee... And my friends can either watch things at my place or buy their own frisbees.

All I am concerned about is how much data I can store, how much video I can store, and what is the length-to-quality ratio, maximum bitrate being a constricting factor here.

In this, I believe Blu-Ray wins hands-down. Who of us here constrict ourselves to region-4 DVDs just because our computers don't like us playing other regions? Who has downloaded VLC to play a region that "DVD Player.app" kicked up a fuss about? Armed with a Blu-Ray burner all the "problems" of Blu-Ray would easily be overcome. On the plus side, I could store a hell of a lot more data with what people say about maximum capacity BR discs than with HD-DVD. I could fit hours of DV footage without having to lop it off the end. Ok, I could do that with HD-DVD, but I could do it MORE with Blu-Ray.

When I look at what looks better, I don't look at how it will begin (region coding/read-only drives) but how I will use it every day (Fair-Use ripping/de-macrovision type things/Multi-Layer Burning Drives).

P.S: Personally I think Betamax should have won, I never liked the quality of VHS. But now Blu-Ray has it up on both time and quality. So letting Sony lose a second time is just being a load of indecisive hypocrites.

Nowadays the consumer DOES mind about quality because the consumer just bought a HD-Plasma TV and hasn't had the chance to show it off. And I think they'd prefer showing it off for longer than having to change discs to continue the presentation (think theoretical really long presentation).

P.P.S: Oh yeah, and I should just mention that CDs and DVDs make terrible frisbees.

You are quoting a VERY old article. Recent articles from November report 73% to Blu-ray in Europe. It'd be the same in NZ. It seems the format war has been one in nearly every market other than the US -- and even there Blu-ray is outselling HD-DVD 2 to 1 on disc sales.

Blue ray shmoo ray , you know what I talking about lets not get pedantic, ALL HD FORMATS ON OPTICAL DISC.. are too premature to even contemplate buying, if you have done so, then either Sony or Toshiba love you for it, the fact is optical formats are irrelevant! Its all about the quality you can perceive and that can run off a memory stick, a hard drive a computer or xbox 360 or a ps3 regardless of the optical disc format.

In any-case when one considers who can see the difference, All this talk of optical disc formats is obsolete, and its something the consumer shouldn't even have to worry about, but muddying this format wars most consumers (not the tech heads that hang out here) are staying away, and sticking to DVD which is selling by the millions, and 99% of mum and dads cant tell the difference anyways between DVD and all the HD formats (Morgan gallop polls etc). With the literally millions of titles on DVD and only a handful on BLUE RAY or HD DVD the common consumer isn't buying it (literally), and no dont compare the 1000's of sales in this country of Blue ray, look at the millions of DVD's sold each month, doesn't even scratch the surface (so to speak). In a few years we will all look back and have a good laugh at how this even started, as we sit back and download our latest HD content to our computers, ipods, memory sticks whatever.

AND THIS is based upon what concrete evidence? or polls? Your own?????

This whole debate is getting silly, please go buy a blue ray or HD DVD your loss... most level headed consumers wont be buying any, (unless they have money to burn or like to keep up with the "Jones's"). If you think otherwise, please provide substantial concrete evidence to the contrary. Others OUTA HERE.. enough said........

Well the only people to benefit from HD content are people with HD screens...

But to tell the truth I'm not taking my wallet into this whole format war until there is a clear loser... then I'll probably ignore the winner and invest in Non-Volatile Optical RAM and similar technologies... sounds like the whole data-stored-on-moving-parts fad might blow over eventually anyway.

http://www.zeropaid.com/news/5673/6....n-volatile+RAM

in my opinion bluray will win, this is just one example as to why!

today i went into myers to have a look at some movies, i came across a stand of about 10 rows of movies, the top 2 rows were HD DVD, the other 8 rows were all bluray, there was no other HD DVD's to be found any were in the store, only more Bluray

yet go to Japan, the UK and the USA and its totally different... we so dont matter what happens here on the world wide scheme... any case my money is NONE winning.. and downloads, and digital transfers winning.. and shiny little discs will look ancient like tapes and records do today!

Yeah but how in Australia are we going to be able to download 40GB for a movie, I'm talking about people who want the full uncompressed image of a blu-ray disc.

easy, flash ram drives, portable hard drives, with 100Mb sec broadband, in 2010 this will be a reality in Australia....

Flash drives are going to hit 1TB within 3-4 years..AND even though now its hard to see, we will have 50-100MB sec broadband within 5 years..

Right, and Telstra's going to give up their price gouging on that broadband are they?

And by 2010 there will be another format......

Theory purportedly according to the market researchers in the US is that another format is being worked on by both parties to the issue. The view is that it will be flash based memory that is simply inserted into a player. No skipping - instant play, instant chapter viewing etc. This however works on the basis that 30-50 gigs flash based memory will be cheaper circa 2009 to make it worthwhile.

I have my doubts though....

One thing I haven't seen mentioned here is the combos currently available for HD DVD with one side DVD the other HD DVD. This seems like a very consumer friendly offering that may seem kind of gimicky but it would ease a few concerns about people potentially purchasing a high quality video player already having HD DVD content in their collection.

Blu-ray is still a safer bet than HD-DVD - in the US Blu-ray has 70% of movie titles available. And in Oz it has 95% market share.

Blu-ray is winning, but again let me reiterate that HD-DVD is Region Free which for Australia has to be a big plus. As others have pointed out, Australia doesn't have the broadband to sustain HD movie downloads, so we're going to be stuck with one of these silly, DRM-infested formats.