The Video Game Critic

It's the same difference you see between DVD and HDTV.  It definitely looks better, but whether you are going to care in the middle of a good movie is another issue.  A good way to tell is to decide whether you are a visual learner or an audio learner.  I have always been an audio learner, and consequently I really notice the sound of a movie, but as long as the picture is generally clear, I am happy.  If you are planning on getting into an HD disk one way or another, I would definitely stick with HD DVD, in which case the 360 add on is a smokin' deal.  I just don't think Blu ray is as definite a format as HD DVD.

Can someone explain to me the difference between HD DVD and blu-ray?

[QUOTE=Crevalle]Can someone explain to me the difference between HD DVD and blu-ray?[/QUOTE]

Well some basic facts is that blu-ray players are in canada $1300 while HD players are half that. In theory a blu-ray disc has a higher capacity per layer than HD (I think 25gig/layer) so presumably it can have a higher bit rate reulting in better image quality. However, dual layer HD discs are 30gig in size and while a dual layer blu-ray disc would be fifty gigs, these dual-layer blu-ray discs  end up being coasters on the assembly line as there are having many problems creating dual-layer blu-ray discs. As a result, HD discs for the moment have more capacity than blu-ray discs. HD DVD use a superior compression and encoding method which results in superior image quality and sound while blu-ray discs are still encoded in mpeg-2 resulting in picture quality that is no different than DVD quality and sometimes worse. The sound is also worse on blu-ray discs than HD-DVD because of the encoding methods again. Right now HD DVD is vastly superior  while blu-ray is full of problems which could lead to the demise of the PS3 as Sony opted for the wrong format as it stands now.

Blu Ray has a little more room per disk (HD DVD recordable disks actually have more available room than normal disks, so it varies a bit), but it's debatable whether the extra room is really needed.  Both formats are backwards compatible with DVD, although Sony only made that change at the last minute.  Both have the same picture quality.  I've heard that compression issues could result in HD DVD having superior image and sound quality, but I think it's doubtful that the difference would be even detectable by anything but expensive test equipment.  (especially the audio  portion).  Both formats are capable of 1080p output, which is what really matters.  Blu Ray actually has more companies backing it, but when it comes to companies that will really help decide a winner between the two formats, it's pretty equal.  I think HD DVD has the edge because it came out sooner, which makes it currently less expensive that Blu Ray, and it had some name recognition in being called HD DVD.  People who know nothing about Blu Ray will instinctively turn to HD DVD because it has two familiar terms in it, "HD", and "DVD".  You may not think that matters, but it does.  And, whether the compression issues make a visible difference or not, people will buy according to those kinds of things, and salesmen will claim that they see a huge difference.   (See "The Emperor's New Clothes")

[QUOTE=bluemonkey]

I know some HD DVDs also have the DVD version of the film on one side.  Is this widespread?

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It's not widespread, but it is becoming more common.  I don't think Blu Ray is able to do this without problems, so it is another tally on the board for HD DVD.

I just want to know if the player is decent enough. If it is, I'll eventually get one.. if only for Serenity in HD

The only way to know if the player is any good is to wait and see how its reliability holds up after a few people buy it and give feedback on it.  Other than that, except for maybe some weird bell or whistle that sets it apart from other players, there is nothing else that would make it any better or worse than another HD DVD player.  I'm not much of a believer in measurable differences between consumer level DVD players.  I feel the same way about cables and speaker wire.  As long as it works, there's no reason to spend more.