Thousands of people will buy a hi-definition television this year. Most of them will opt for one with a 1080p resolution, which is the best resolution available right now. They may be expecting to be able to view television at this high resolution. Yet, most will not be able to accomplish that feat. You see, there are currently no television transmissions in 1080p. Regular VHS players, digital recorders, and DVDs all work at a lower resolution. The only way to get the best out of that new television is to purchase a hi-definition DVD player along with new hi-definition movies.

That's where the problem comes in. In case you haven't heard, the hi-definition DVD market is in the middle of a format war. There are two competing formats. One is called Blu-ray. The other is HD DVD. The two are incompatible. So a Blu-ray player can only play Blu-ray disks. An HD DVD player can only play HD DVD disks.

Although reminiscent of the Betamax-VHS wars of the 1980s, this battle is more multifaceted. In the video tape battle, it was simply two competing types of hardware. In a nutshell, Betamax has a spiffier name, smaller footprint, and superior quality, but lost to VHS whose hardware was cheaper.

Today's high-definition DVD wars are much more complex. Although some DVD hardware manufacturers like Samsung are now making equipment for both formats, most are supporting one format or the other. Movie studios are already producing hi-definition discs, so they are also playing a big roll in support for the standard of their choice. Since DVDs  can also be played on computers and gaming devices, PC and game manufacturers are also aligning with one side or the other.

The Blu-ray camp has the backing of manufacturers like Sony, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Philips, Pioneer, and Panasonic. PC manufacturers like Apple, Dell, and HP are Blu-ray supporters. Movie studios like Sony Pictures, Disney, Fox, and Warner are putting their movies Blu-ray.

The HD DVD backers include manufacturers like Toshiba and Onkyo. They are backed by PC-related manufacturers like Microsoft, Intel, NEC, and Toshiba. Movies from Paramount, Universal, Warner, and DreamWorks are now on HD DVD.

The battle is a long and hard-fought one. More than a year into the confrontation, the two are still neck-in-neck. The quality of both formats is outstanding. As mentioned earlier, both can play at 1080P while a standard DVD has only a 480p native resolution. The average viewer will be amazed by the definition and details that they both provide and would be hard-pressed to say that one is better than the other. Blu-ray discs hold more data with a dual layer disc able to hold 50GB of information compared to 30GB for HD DVD. Although HD DVD has a few more small features, none are deal-makers or breakers. Since both formats offer superior and fairly equal audio and video quality, the decision of which to purchase comes down to price and movie selection.

Right now Blu-ray is more expensive, with most players costing about $300 to $500. You will want to buy Blu-ray if you want to see Ratatouille, Cars, Superman or Spiderman.

HD DVD players are a little cheaper. Wal-mart recently had a Toshiba player for $99. While the supplies were extremely limited, this could portend cheaper prices in the near future. You will want to buy an HD DVD player if you want to watch Transformers, Blades of Glory, or Top Gun.

One of the cheapest ways to get a hi-definition DVD player is with a gaming device. The Sony PlayStation 3 comes with a built-in Blu-ray player for $399 or $499, depending on the size of the hard drive. Microsoft's Xbox 360 (from $279 to $449), has an optional HD DVD player that can be purchased for about $180.

Manufacturers are looking for solutions to the format-war dilemma. Both LG and Samsung make hybrid hi-definition players that play both formats. However, at $700 to $1,000, it is cheaper to buy one player of each format than to purchase the dual-format player.  Warner Home Video has announced that they will market a hybrid disc, called Total Hi Def, with one side for HD DVD and the other side for Blu-ray Disc. However, that is still in the future and it would take the backing of the movie studios to make it a success.

So far, the consumer solution to the format wars is to wait it out. It may, however, be a long wait. Both formats are engaged in a real battle. The Blu-ray camp recently invited technology journalists to a fantastic tour of Hollywood in hopes of getting their support. The HD DVD segment is being just as deliberate in their efforts to promote their format. Right now Blu-ray has sold more DVDs and has the edge. But if the cost of HD DVD players plummets faster, HD DVD, like VHS, may be the ultimate winner.