That's all there is?

Seriously, while the development of both HD-DVD formats is progressing (particularly Blu-Ray, based on what I've been hearing lately), it may be a couple more years before anything actually reaches the market and even longer before a significant library of programs is available. That 480p image (which is already several leaps ahead from the ~200i we were stuck with on VHS for so long) can offer a great picture, and it can offer the picture today. Had the industry elected to not formally adopt the DVD format until it could support 720p or 1080i video, we probably wouldn't even be here talking. The format would never have launched in '97, or some other (probably inferior) format would have taken it's place. Maybe D-VHS would have been the winner of this hardware cycle, even though it retains the limitations of tape wear, no extra features, and a lack of direct access.

One of the inherent "dangers" of the home theater hobby has always been the evolution of technology -- something that is more true today than ever before. The secret to enjoying the hobby is remembering to stop and enjoy it. Don't let yourself get overly caught up in the hardware. Get a good progressive scan player (which has become a lot easier in the last year or two) and spend the next year or three happily spinning DVD's. If you've already got a 720 or 1080 line display, you can look forward to upgrading a single component to gain full benefit of a future HD-DVD format.

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