Many of you already know that there are two High Definition DVD-like formats. One is called Blu-Ray and the other is called HD DVD.
Now for the interesting part: When Sony came out with their PlayStation 3 (PS3), they built into it the capability to play Blu-Ray Disc and SACD formats. But now, not to be undone, Microsoft has weighed in on this competition with their own player which is an Xbox 360 add-on. The new Xbox 360 HD DVD player must be used with an existing Xbox 360 game console, so if you don’t have one, you will need to purchase both. There may also be a combination package available.
There’s no clear word on support of other formats (DVD-A, for example), but given the price tag and the fact that Microsoft is notoriously obtuse when it comes to including features people will want, my guess is that it’s only HD DVD compatible, not DVD-A compatible.
So, recapping, the two players are Sony PS3 (Blu-Ray) and Xbox 360 HD DVD player (requires Xbox 360 Console). Neither player supports both formats, so you will need them both.
