I'm new to HD-DVD and just bought a XBox HD-DVD drive to hook up to my HTPC. I've been buying HD-DVD disks from Hollywood Video and some of the disks have scratches. Will this effect playback as I've heard that HD-DVD is more sensitive to scratches than regular DVDs. Also Hollywood Video offers a disk polishing service which is supposed to remove scratches. Does it work and is it worth it? I know that those home disk polishers don't work and ruin disks (CDs, DVD, etc). Thanks.

I've found that, at least with regular DVDs, that if you've got a scratch, you're better off buffing it out by hand rather than using one of those home machines. The home machines clean off the entire surface, whereas if you do it by hand, you're only actually attacking the scratched area. Why buff off an area of the disc that's perfectly fine? That should work for HD DVDs as well, though I will admit I haven't yet had to try it (and I've bought my fair share of used HD DVDs, though none from Hollywood Video).

I know that those home disk polishers don't work and ruin disks (CDs, DVD, etc).The products (DVD & CD) from Playright have worked for me. Click Playright (http://www.cdplayright.com/) for more info.