I’ve been doing a little reading about the next generation of “DVD” players. Here’s what I’ve gathered so far.

Sony’s next generation format is called Blu-ray. Toshiba’s next generation format is called HD-DVD. Both formats are due late spring/early summer. The two formats are not compatible with each other, meaning Blu-ray players won’t play HD-DVD discs and HD-DVD players won’t play Blu-ray discs. However, both next-generation players should be backwards compatible and should be able to play most DVDs you currently own. Both formats are capable of storing much more information than today’s DVD’s. A current DVD can hold 4.7 gig (9 gig, dual layer). HD-DVD discs can hold 30gb on a dual layer disc; Blu-ray, 50gb. There are also rumors that 3 and 4 layers may be possible on these discs.

HD-DVD offers a max resolution of 1080i. The “i” stands for “interlaced”. Blu-ray offers a max resolution of 1080p. The “p” stands for “progressive”, which is better than interlaced. For comparison, a VHS tape has approximately 250 lines of resolution and current DVDs have 500 lines, so the next generation of movies should look “twice as good” — that is, if you have a television (and cables) that will support it.

According to this article, “new software included on both Blu-ray and HD-DVD releases will automatically slash the image, making it only marginally better than current DVDs, unless consumers have a relatively new connector and cable called HDMI to hook up players to their televisions. Only one in 20 HD sets sold to early adopters over the past few years has the right version of the connector. Only 15% of new sets sold this year will include it, and deliver the full 1080 resolution capable of showing such detail.”

So not only do you need a new television — you need the right new television. And you’ll also need the right player. According to the same article, many players plan on “upconverting” image quality, which means “so the same disk may look vastly different, depending on which machine you purchase and the size of the TV”.

Blu-ray and HD-DVD players are expected to cost in the $300-$500 range initially. Sony’s PlayStation 3 due this November will contain a Blu-ray drive and can be used to watch movies. HD-DVD on the other hand is being backed by Microsoft, and rumors of an externally available HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 are already circulating as well. The division is not limited to videogames — movie production companies (who also own DVD rights) are dividing as well, meaning some movies will most likely only be available on one format or the other.

I’m sure both formats are stunning, but this is definitely one battle I’m not willing to get in the middle of. DVD looks “good enough” for me, and while I can remember saying the same thing about VHS tapes just a few years ago, to jump into the world of DVD only required the purchase of a player. The cheapest 1080i television I’ve been able to find so far runs about $2,500 — plus you’ve got to figure in the price of a player on top of that. I’ve always considered myself a bit of an early-adopter when it comes to technology, but I think this time around I’m going to have to wait and see what happens first.