I am sure this has probably been covered, but I am at work and wanted to buy it when I leave soon, and just wanted an opinion.

I am format neutral, but I am not sure what version I want to buy, BR or HD.

Other than the extra features, I gather the PQ is the same on both versions? Also I guess what are the better extras that the HD version comes with that people been talking about.

Ironically I was going to sell my A2 and go BR only, since I recently bought a PS3, and yes I mainly bought the PS3 for BR and the games as a second reason. But the announcement about Paramount going HD exclusive, well that made me want to keep my A2. I have the have Transformers when it comes out, so to have it I guess I will need to keep my A2. Also when all the Star Trek movies get released I want to get them in high def, so another reason now to keep my A2.

Well thanks for the opinions guys.

I am sure this has probably been covered, but I am at work and wanted to buy it when I leave soon, and just wanted an opinion.

I am format neutral, but I am not sure what version I want to buy, BR or HD.

Other than the extra features, I gather the PQ is the same on both versions? Also I guess what are the better extras that the HD version comes with that people been talking about.

Ironically I was going to sell my A2 and go BR only, since I recently bought a PS3, and yes I mainly bought the PS3 for BR and the games as a second reason. But the announcement about Paramount going HD exclusive, well that made me want to keep my A2. I have the have Transformers when it comes out, so to have it I guess I will need to keep my A2. Also when all the Star Trek movies get released I want to get them in high def, so another reason now to keep my A2.

Well thanks for the opinions guys.

HD DVD costs 5 bucks more, but is a combo. The blu-screen PiP extra is pretty cool too.

HD DVD costs 5 bucks more, but is a combo. The blu-screen PiP extra is pretty cool too.

Yeah, the PiP is very nice, but I'm still down on this combo.. I have to take it back to Best Buy _again_ before my 30 days are up, and I have already put in a call to Warner and Toshiba registering my dudgeon.

I'd say you'd probably be safest buying the BD disc, but then I don't troll BD forums to read their complaints, I only see them when they're put up by HD fans as rebuttal for BD trolls ;)

My HD DVD copy runs fine on my add on, no problems at all.

If you are buying at Best Buy or Circuit City,you can make up the difference in price (on the HD DVD) by having them match Walmart or Target.

The PIP is very good on the HD DVD, and you can use the dvd side on a trip like I just did, when a HDDVD player is not handy, in the car.

I won't lie, I watched the HD DVD movie in its entirety with the blue PIP and it kicked ASS!

My HD DVD copy runs fine on my add on, no problems at all.

Fair 'nuff, but anything less than 100% playback is flawed, you can't trust the format if it isn't 100%. My luck with combos is more like 50%, and that's 50% too unacceptable. And it isn't the player (or else my luck with combos would be 0%?), it's the XA2 with the latest firmware update (as of a week ago).. I haven't had this much trouble since my old Panasonic DVD player couldn't play _The Matrix_ (leading me to buy the Sony 200DVD changer CX850D OOTOMH)..

And my luck playing noncombo HDDVDs on the XA2? 100%. Combos need to be 100% or they need to die.

Positives for the HD DVD version
--------------------------------
Extra web enabled features
Get a DVD Version
The Red case looks MUCH better than the Blu case with this movie.


Positive for Blu Ray version
---------------------------
$5 Cheaper




Everything else is a wash.

The HD DVD I got from Netflix played Flawlessly on my A2 with NO updates. I have a version from last December so not sure what that even is, but it's had VERY few issues with any disk I've thrown at it.

If you want top notch special features buy the HD DVD version.
If you want top notch audio buy the BD version. The uncompressed track is awesome and has more dynamics.

If you want top notch special features buy the HD DVD version.
If you want top notch audio buy the BD version. The uncompressed track is awesome and has more dynamics.

What he said.

HD-dVD PIP is what it's all about. The movie itself was only ordinary but this feature on HD-DVD blew (blue?) me away.

I dunno, the sound on the HD DVD blew me the hell away. One of the better surround sound experiences I've had in my home theater. And the picture...holy CRAP!

If you want top notch special features buy the HD DVD version.
If you want top notch audio buy the BD version. The uncompressed track is awesome and has more dynamics.

To the OP, in technical terms, the Bluray version has both a 16-bit/48KHz LPCM (uncompressed) soundtrack, and a 24-bit/48KHz Dolby TrueHD (lossless compression) soundtrack.

The HD-DVD version has a 16-bit/48KHz Dolby TrueHD soundtrack (which is equivalent to the Bluray's LPCM soundtrack.)

The 24-bit audiotrack has more dynamics than the 16-bit audiotrack, but only if you have an HDMI-audio capable receiver, and of course, really good speakers.

I saw both played on a plasma tv last weekend. The video quality appeard to be equal. The blue screen extra was cool along with the commentary that went with it.

if you need the sd side, get the hd dvd version, if not the bd version is the way to go. i am a combo hater myself, though i like non combo hd dvds.

The PQ on this are equal... If you just like to watch movies don't even bother with the HD-DVD PIP... The Audio I found to be a tad better on the Blu version... A toss up anyway you look at it, but you will save money with the Blu version..

To the OP, in technical terms, the Bluray version has both a 16-bit/48KHz LPCM (uncompressed) soundtrack, and a 24-bit/48KHz Dolby TrueHD (lossless compression) soundtrack.

The HD-DVD version has a 16-bit/48KHz Dolby TrueHD soundtrack (which is equivalent to the Bluray's LPCM soundtrack.)

The 24-bit audiotrack has more dynamics than the 16-bit audiotrack, but only if you have an HDMI-audio capable receiver, and of course, really good speakers.

According to benes' spec thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=760714) and High Def Digest (http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/300.html), the TrueHD track is 16 bit, not 24.

The HDDVD of 300 kills the BD. The extras are the best yet, and I had planned on buying the BD before I rented the HDDVD and saw the extras.