Yeah, Warner seems happy with 640kbps which is what they are putting on both formats. Them leaving off the TrueHD track is really strange, but maybe the fact the players don't decode it and there are no receivers on the market to decode it was the reason.

This is my opinion, but I think WB is more focused on HD-DVD than BD. I dont think they necessaily care about the extra space right now.

Until we start seeing a better product on BD than HD-DVD from WB, no one will convince me otherwise.

Look at Batman Begins and the other WB big titles....they arent even announced for BD yet.

As far as I know, + is just compressed differently or something...it makes it smaller...isnt that right? Maybe Spiky or Josh_Z can chime in.

They are supposed to sound the same and are both 640kbps.

Dolby Digital Plus can run up to 3Mbps on HD DVD (the Dolby spec supports up to 6Mbps)

You also get 7.1 channels and it supports fall back legacy support on DD equipment at 640k

It's optimized for streaming media moreso that DD(AC3) is. I'm sure DD vs DD+ sounds the same when you're comparing equivalent bitrates.

And I would expect that, like Sony and Disney with BD, the studio's position on those flagship titles are that if you want them in HD, you'll need an HD-DVD player. That's how the war should be fought, and I am 100% in support of that position.

...for now.

I expect they will be released eventually...sooner rather than later.

I do know that they have to "get in line" for BD50's so they could be starting to get the "older" HD DVD discs out on BD50's first before they get to the more recent releases.

I know all about the LG rumors of releasing on HD DVD next year. I know they will be switching to VC-1 encoding. But regarding their current BD titles....are they re-encoding those with VC-1 and releasing again on BD? I want Crash badly, but if it comes out next year with a better picture and features, then I can hold off. Would all of these BD re-releases be placed on BD50's?

With The Decent being MPEG-2, I'm not sure the VC-1 rumor can still hold water, but being that this is Lionsgate we are talking about, you can be sure that these titles will be re-released - my guess is in 3 years time.

AFAIK, there aren't going to be ANY re-releases on BD.

Why not just buy the HD DVD's when they come out?

Again, BD50's are definitely in short supply. You have to essentially be on a "waiting list" to get them. I don't think LG is high on that list.

So yeah, as I was waiting (FOR FORTY MINUTES) for the Best Buy employees (yes, multiple) to find a copy of Children of Mana last night I FINALLY got to see a properly setup HD demo last night.. it was a 40" Samsung LCD playing a clip of Chicken Little on Blu Ray. I think I pooped my pants a little bit. Everything I've seen in stores (HDTVs in CRT, LCD and Plasma flavor, Xbox 360, HD broadcast, HD DVD and Blu Ray) to this point looked.. well.. wholly unimpressive. I knew they were probably just not setup right or whatever.. but it had always kept me on the "wait it out" side of things (I even checked out a theater specialty store that had less to show off than a Best Buy!).

Now, I've got a little tingle in my pants.. and of course this is after I decided NOT to buy an HDTV and spent $800 on a new PC. Ah well, anyway.. looks like I might be joining the bandwagon around the time I get my tax return (maybe). I'm still not sold on either format yet (I'd prefer HD DVD just to not support Sony..) but it's all about the titles for me.. so I guess either is fair game.

At least I'll get to play Metroid Prime 3 in widescreen.

That is a good start. I remember playing F-Zero on the Cube for the first time in widescreen 480p. Very impressive. HD stuff is even better.

please don't chew me out, but Lionsgate will do HD-DVD, ?? (cowers and shields face)

It's pretty much guaranteed at this point. Starting 2007.

I keep seeing this stated as if it's a done deal. When have they ever given any indication that they were planning on going neutral?

When have they ever given any indication that they weren't?

Well by that rationale, everyone not named Fox or Sony would be going neutral soon. I'll believe that when I see it.

That's pretty accurate: Disney and LG.

And even Fox may not have a choice if Newscorp is the one with the balls. The "mouthpiece" for them may not be the one making the real decisions.

As far as LG and Disney are concerned, I'll believe it when I see it. Like DFNYC says, "Talk doesn't matter." Even if these are rumors, I think it's best to leave them as that. I'd also be surprised to hear anything before CES in 2007 as the sales in the next two months are going to be looked at with a fine-toothed comb by the studios. I personally can't wait to see what happens to BD sales after November 17th.

Haha...the new blockbuster online site lists the Bluray section as "Bluray DVDs"

Yep. It's very similar to MPEG2 vs MPEG4.

And what hmurchison said. Although I don't think the higher 3Mbps rate does anything for the sound. I think that is to cover storage and streaming issues, not audio quality. They weren't going for better sound, that is what TrueHD is for. They just wanted better space/bandwidth to fit in more channels. It can actually handle 10 or more full range channels, but HDDVD/BD only use 7.1.

Everybody is saying that. Makes my ears bleed. OW!!

My Amazon Prime trial membership ended long ago, but when I was at the site today, they offered me another free month.

Cool....I got it too! Thanks for the info.

But then why even bother to support BD in the first place. Kind of stupid thing to do at least to me it doesn't make sense.

I think studios who plan on going HD dvd will have their gameplan ready to tell us the truth at CES. They really have no incentive to make an uniformed choice until they see what happens with the PS3 attachment rates, as you accurately said. I think Nov 17th won't really show us the entire picture though. BR sales will probably pick up in Nov-Dec, but many of the PS3s will stayed wrapped up till Christmas. Early January is key for Blu-Ray IMO. Hd-dvd needs to put on a hell of a show the next two months to impress studio heads.

All the rumors say LG and Disney are interested, but people shouldn't forget MGM. We have heard nothing concrete from any studio, but, MGM has been the studio pointing fingers at Sony the last few months.