One Clever Solution to the High-Def DVD Wars

I've gotten your (many) emails and read the (even more) comments. Opinions on HD DVD vs. Blu-ray are as heated as they are with the Mac vs. PC people. And there's sadly no end in sight to this prolonged battle.

But recently, a new, if temporary, solution has emerged for those who've chosen one camp over the other. In the U.S., Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is only available on Blu-ray, not HD DVD. Here, 20th Century Fox is a Blu-ray-only studio for all its titles. But overseas, that's not necessarily the case. Because American firms aren't as savvy with overseas distribution, the studios partner with foreign companies to manage video sales and production there. What's an "exclusive" in the U.S. is meaningless in Germany. And that's why a quick visit to Amazon.de or a gray-market importer will net you an HD DVD copy of the Fantastic Four 2 disc. Since there's no region coding on HD DVD titles, all you have to do is turn off the German subtitles and you're watching a high-def version of the film in the format you prefer. (The flip side is a little tougher: There are HD DVD-only titles in the U.S. that are available on Blu-ray overseas, but since Blu-ray does have region coding, you'll have to buy from a site in our broad region (including all of the Americas and Southeast Asia).)

Naturally, this will cost you. For the above movie, 29 euros, plus overseas shipping. That's an awful lot to pay (especially considering the quality of the film in question). But for the occasional title that you absolutely must have in a format which isn't available here, it might be worth the investment.

The case is even better considering that, once in a while, high-def releases arrive overseas well before they're available here. Want Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on HD DVD? Just buy it from Amazon.uk, or wait until it comes out here... in December.

LINK: Blu-ray vs. HD DVD: a Solution Abroad