Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: Comparing the Next Generation DVD Formats

If you watch a lot of movies on DVD, you know that the best DVDS have a better picture quality than you get with regular television. But if you have a high-definition television, you also know that HDTV broadcasts have an even better picture than you get with your DVD player. That's because DVDs aren't high definition -- yet.

The current DVD format delivers either a 480i or, if you have a progressive-scan player connected via your TV's component video inputs, 480p picture. That means that the picture is comprised of 480 horizontal lines, with either interlaced or progressive scanning. Standard definition TV (SDTV) is 480i (interlaced); the 480p (progressive) DVD picture is sometimes called enhanced definition TV (EDTV).

For high definition programming, however, you need more resolution than that. A high definition TV (HDTV) picture has either 720 or 1080 lines of resolution, with either interlaced or progressive scanning. That's a lot more resolution than you get with either SDTV or EDTV programming, and why HDTV looks so much sharper than regular television or DVD. But if you have a high-definition television set, you want as much high-definition programming as possible. Which begs the question -- why can't you get HDTV programming on DVD? The answer is, you can -- if you move to one of the new high-definition DVD formats.

Why We Need a New DVD Format

Introducing Blu-ray and HD DVD

Connecting a Next-Generation Player

Comparing the Formats

Which Format Should You Buy?

Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.