Hush, now. Don't say the "B" word.

Billions ride on avoiding that now-dirty term, a reminder of a costly battle that plagued the electronics industry for nearly a decade.

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With DVDs already offering excellent picture and sound quality, is there a place for these formats? Post your coments at the Digital Domain Blog

The "B" word? Betamax, the notorious fallen contender to the VHS recorders and videotapes that still populate homes. The new combatants: Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, a new generation of high-definition entertainment software that aims to succeed the DVD.

And unless a minor miracle happens, one of the formats may inherit Betamax's dubious crown of failure.

Buyer beware — and stay clear of the shrapnel.

"At some point, something will win," said Joni Blecher, home theater analyst with JupiterResearch. "When you have two standards, there's always going to be a problem. One of the positives is consumers will have more say than they even know."

This month, the first crop of these bleeding-edge discs and players — both on HD DVD — will be unleashed on a market that's growing hungry for hi-def programming. Blu-ray Disc software and hardware arrive at the end of May. Products will be available everywhere from Best Buy to BrandsMart for early adopters who want to maximize the potential of their HDTVs. For most home theater fans, the dust might settle before they need to make a decision.

Meanwhile, trash talk between the two camps rivals a professional wrestling bout, with each side criticizing the other.

"It's really a shame," said Frank Sadowski, who manages global vendor programs for Amazon.com's electronics store. "Everyone in the retail community has been begging them to come together on a format. We're not serving the customer by a format war."

Amazon.com, he said, will support both sides, but Sadowski also said he "can't imagine both formats thriving long term."

Similar features

Ed Scruggs, owner of Sound and Cinema in Alpharetta, doesn't expect to stock either technology until there's some idea of the momentum.

"I don't think customers are going to put down money until the dust settles," he said. "By summertime, there should be more direction. Both are capable of great pictures. I think it's going to be positive because people want more hi-def content."

There are far more similarities than differences between the two formats.

Each boasts resolution of 1,080 lines, considered the reference standard for hi-def programming. Both feature interactive abilities, from downloading upgraded content to games.

What primarily separates the two is storage. Blu-ray Disc currently boasts as much as 50 gigabytes, compared with HD DVD's 30GB capacity. Each is capable of storing a pristine copy of a film at a hi-def resolution or carrying an entire season of a television series in standard resolution.

California-based Sonic Solutions, which creates authoring systems and playback software for electronics companies, may be among the most objective parties. The company has worked in developing both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.

"The video and audio formats are very, very similar," said Executive Vice President of Strategy Mark Ely. "The formats will look and sound identical."

Incompatible formats

The interactive element adds some very cool potential. Hooking either format's player to a broadband Internet connection can theoretically update a movie with new scenes, commentary, trailers and other content.

Nonetheless, electronic giants that have bonded to Blu-ray Disc believe it offers the more progressive technology. And the most films.

"What Blu-ray really has going for it is the largest group supporting it," said Andy Parsons, senior vice president of advanced product development at Pioneer USA. "The format that has the largest selection of content is going to make the most sense."

Parsons, also chairman of the promotion committee for Blu-ray Disc, noted that Blu-ray Disc has more support from Hollywood studios. Seven — including Disney, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. — will release films and products on Blu-ray Disc. Comparatively, HD DVD has commitments from Paramount, Warner Bros. and Universal.

This may be a key factor as the battle heats up, because neither format is compatible with the other. While old DVDs will work, you cannot play a Blu-ray Disc on an HD DVD machine.

Benefiting consumers

While HD DVD champions may be fewer, the group is hawking its product as a seamless evolution from DVD for manufacturers. Translation: It's easier to make.

"Many of the facilities, tools and systems developed over the past 10 years can still be used for HD DVD," said Mark Knox, adviser to the HD DVD promotion group. "That translates to a much more rapid time to market, and a smoother and more economical transition."

That's another vital factor separating the two. Toshiba's first HD DVD player — which should hit shelves in a matter of weeks — will retail for $500. The first Blu-ray Disc components could push the $1,000 mark and beyond. Movies for both formats are expected to be wholesale-priced in the low-$20s, about 20 percent more than current DVDs.

Steep? Somewhat. But perhaps not for long.

Two rival formats duking it out for supremacy could actually end up benefiting consumers who crave radical electronics and are willing to wait.

"You're more likely to have lower cost players with two formats instead of one," Ely said. "Next generation Blu-ray and HD DVD players are expected to come at below than $500. You're going to end up with price competition you wouldn't see otherwise."

Success could rest beyond the cinematic experience.

Game consoles may determine the eventual winner. Sony's hotly awaited PlayStation 3 will run on a Blu-ray Disc drive. Not to be one-upped, Microsoft has announced that an HD DVD add-on drive will be available for the Xbox 360.

Why change?

Still, there's one solid reason neither format could thrive: Current DVDs still look good. Very good.

New DVD players can convert the standard 480 lines of DVD resolution into 720 or 1,080, producing a fairly sterling picture. With low-end DVD players as cheap as $30, why would anyone want to invest thousands in new hardware or replace their entire film library? Better yet, why even bother with software?

Many forecast direct downloads for all entertainment as the future. Apple's iTunes store hawked 1 million copies of "Lost" reruns and music videos in just 17 days. The compact disc industry is sprained as people are almost voting song by song for digital transfer of music in lieu of a trip to the music store.

Another obstacle to overcome is the number of households with HDTVs, which are necessary to view the increased resolution. JupiterResearch predicts the current number — 21 million — will swell to 31.7 million homes this year and to more than 55 million by 2008.

Promising, yes. But perhaps not enough to carry either format to the throne.

Or will the stunning scenery on hi-def discs seduce folks to plunge into HDTV?

"The visuals will be the dominant driver," said Dan Raymer, editor in chief of the Web site Dvdfile.com. "There are going to be millions of high-definition displays sold over the coming year. DVD was such a dramatic improvement over VHS, and people couldn't get enough. Films on high-definition discs will be the killer app for the transition to HD."

Seeking the future-proof

A harbinger may be emerging from a source once deemed unseemly.

The adult film industry has long been the barometer for a format's success. Pornography contributed to the success of VHS. And one adult film director has made his choice.

"Blu-ray is a far superior product," said Joone, co-founder and director of adult-film production house Digital Playground. "I want something future-proof, that has the capacity for what I want to do. HD DVD is evolutionary. Blu-ray is revolutionary."

The HD DVD camp, though, is shouting its virtues through the streets.

A national marketing tour, sponsored by Toshiba, will stop in metro Atlanta today at the HiFi Buys in Buckhead, Wednesday at the Kennesaw BrandsMart, and on Thursday at the HH Gregg in Duluth. The tour allows the public to watch HD DVD demonstrations.

Expect similar flair when the first Blu-ray discs hit shelves on May 23.

The game is about to begin.

"This is a very hard one to call," Raymer said. "I'm having difficulty looking into the crystal ball and predicting a winner."

Trying to figure out the difference between HD DVD and Blu-ray? Take a glance at the difference — and similarities — between the two next-gen formats:

HD DVD disc capacity: 30 GB

Blu-ray Disc capacity: 50 GB

Initial hardware cost for HD DVD: $500 or greater.

Initial hardware cost for Blu-ray Disc: $1,000 or greater.

Studios supporting HD DVD: Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros.

Studios supporting Blu-ray Disc: HD DVD: Buena Vista, Lionsgate, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox.

Consumer electronics companies supporting HD DVD: Include Toshiba, Microsoft, Hewwlett-Packard, Sanyo, RCA, Intel.

Consumer electronics companies supporting Blu-ray: Include Sony, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, Pioneer, Sharp, Apple.

First HD DVD titles: Include "Tomb Raider," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "The Bourne Supremacy," "Apollo 13," "The Chronicles of Riddick," "Jarhead," "Cinderella Man," "Mission Impossible."

First Blu-ray Disc titles: Include "Kill Bill: Vol. 1," "Batman Begins," "Lethal Weapon," "Aeon Flux,' "Sense and Sensibility," "Reservoir Dogs," "Ice Age," "The Matrix."

HD DVD game console support: Xbox 360

Blu-ray Disc game console support: PlayStation 3

Where to see it: An HD DVD demonstration, sponsored by Toshiba, will take place throughout the day on Tuesday at the HiFi Buys in Buckhead. Other demonstrations will be held on Wednesday at the Kennesaw Brandsmart and Thursday at the Duluth HH Gregg.