One thing I find terribly amusing about this HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray nonsense: why does every single review between the two have so many words?

It's seems really simple for these review sites to quantify which one is better: Take a f'ing picture.

I recommend you get hardware for both formats, then get a copy of Planet Earth for all three formats (the third being DVD + upconverter). Sit your ass down in front of a 42" HDTV and compare the best scene from episode 1 of Planet Earth:

Post said screenshot online. Done and done. What's with these 3,000 word reviews? Christ, just post a picture. I know a picture is only worth a 1,000 words, but I'll easily stretch that one picture's worth to 3,000 words after reading some drivel-filled reviews online. Okthnx.

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A related HDTV rant:

There's an interesting post (that comes with a pretty graph!) on the resolutions offered by 720, 1080 HDTVs ... basically the conclusion is such:

What the chart shows is that, for a 50-inch screen, the benefits of 720p vs. 480p start to become apparent at viewing distances closer than 14.6 feet and become fully apparent at 9.8 feet. For the same screen size, the benefits of 1080p vs. 720p start to become apparent when closer than 9.8 feet and become full apparent at 6.5 feet.

Basically, if you own anything between 42" - 50" (which most people I know own), you better put your couch riiiiiggghht next to the TV if you want to emphasize your 1080p resolution. (Assuming you even find something to broadcast at 1080p.)

So don't buy 1080p just cause the number's bigger. Make sure it's actually going to be useful.

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Back to my BR vs. HD-DVD rant:

You want to know your format winner? It's called DVD. Seriously, just buy an upconverting DVD player, which'll take your 720x480 movie and fill in the 1280x720 resolution nicely. At least this way you're not paying a 20% premium on the same movies and buying something that's protected with evil, evil DRM.

If I had an extra $1,000 bucks burning a hole in my pocket, I would go out, buy a HD-DVD and Blu-Ray player and run this test myself on my set-up at home (I'm about 8 ft. away from the TV on a 42"). Oh well.

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Of course, while there's a war raging between the two formats, somebody will figure out how to stream HD online cheaply and beat both of them.

. . .

And while I'm at it, another interesting quote from an awesome article which puts all this in perspective:

Toshiba's DVD-Audio format, along with Sony’s Super Audio CD, both fought to be the evolutionary high-definition standard from the now ubiquitous CD. Sporting support for higher resolution audio quality, surround sound, and a wealth of features that would make any audiophile woozy, they were both fitting contenders for the next great audio format.

But don’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of them.