Just saw this... this war is really getting fascinating...

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6423230.html

another codec, another decoder chip to manufacture, another encoding of a movie to author and store

Even if HD DVD doesn't "win" I'm glad they were around to rapidly drive down the cost of BD hardware.

HD DVD needs 2 things to happen in '07 to stay in the war long term. Cheap players, which they will have now. A major BD studio to become neutral. These flood of players is their best chance to make the second item happen.

You are missing a very important one: BIG EXCLUSIVE TITTIES, um TITLES.

We are talking Harry Potter, Matrix, GWTW, Wizard of Oz, Jurrassic Park, Jaws, etc.

The more I consider that, the less I think it's totally accurate. If anything, I'd like to see one or two BD-only studios go neutral and release BD and HD DVD day-and-date. I'd be crazy to say that titles won't make any difference -- they will -- but I don't think they have to be exclusive. In the long run, less expensive hardware (and software, for that matter) will make the biggest difference.

Harry Potter, Matrix, GWTW and Wizard Of Oz are all Warner titles, which are dual format. They are not exclusive at all to hd-dvd. Also, Jurrassic Park and Jaws had to be pulled from the HD-DVD Promotions group list and a apology was given to SS for putting those titles on the list without his permisison. So i wouldnt hold my breathe for those. I am still waiting out this war myself, i like HD-DVD player prices, but not sure where they are headed.

Yes they are exculusive to HD-DVD. Warner came out and said The Matrix Trilogy would be an HD-DVD exclusive, similar to V For Vendetta. I am betting good money more of their "bigger" titles, similar to The Matrix Trilogy will all be HD-DVD exclusives.

Wrong. Warner is dual format and ALL titles will be on Blu-Ray same day from here on as well, including V for Vendetta and the other catchup titles that were released on HD-DVD first last year.

From Warners Blu-Ray press release at CES this year:

Press release (business wire - requires login)

Where did you get the info that Warner was going exclusive on the Matrix HD DVD?

Matt, I think you're getting confused with the Warner France announcement which had the list of releases for '07. All the movies on that list with IME were for HD DVD only but Warner U.S. has already said they will catch up on all the releases on BD and new releases will be dual format.

or Universal releases 'Jurassic Park' exclusively on HD-DVD

Man, these dual format releases are what is going to make my decision, or has already made my decision in this format war. At first I wanted to go HD-DVD. The players were cheaper, and when they were first released the HD-DVD picture quality was supposedly better than Blu-Ray. But now they say the PQ of Blu-Ray is about even. Even with the Studio support Blu-Ray had, I still liked HD-DVD better.

But now things have changed. I'm jumping on the Blu-Ray bandwagon. When the samsung BD-P1200 gets released, I am going to get one. And if Toshiba releases a cheaper HD-DVD down the road I might get one too, just for the universal releases. But if I had to choose between Blu-Ray, and a double format HD-DVD for the same movie. I'm going with the Blu-Ray version. Why the hell would I want a SD version, if I had a HD player? It makes no sense. i HATE flipper disks. Stupid business move on HD-DVD or the studio's part. Blu Ray is going to win this war.