"HD DVD supporters last week alleged Blu-ray Disc's chosen copy-protection scheme could introduce "playability and reliability issues for consumers".

They also slammed movie studio Twentieth Century Fox's claim that Blu-ray Disc is the most secure of the two next-generation optical disc formats as "surprising and misleading".

The comment follows Fox's announcement that its Fox Home Entertainment subsidiary will release content on BD. Fox joined the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) last October, but only now has its home video wing formally committed itself to the format.

Fox provided a list of some of the highlights of its film and TV libraries, the implication being titles such as Die Hard, Alien, Moulin Rouge, The Sound of Music, All About Eve, The Simpsons, 24, X-Files and Lost in Space will becoming to BD in due course, though Fox did not say so explicitly.

Nor did it say when they will appear, noting only that titles will be available when "Blu-ray hardware launches in North America, Japan, and Europe". At this stage, it's not clear when that will be.

Here's the contentious - for the HD DVD camp, at least - part: "Fox's commitment to publish on Blu-ray is a direct result of the organisation's recent adoption of copyright protection measures, including renewable security, that address the needs and concerns of the studio and the entire Hollywood community."

And: "Blu-ray also features the most advanced copy protection."

Rubbish, say HD DVD supporters. "The content protection system of HD DVD provides an equivalent level of security as the system advocated by Fox for Blu-ray," an HD DVD Promotion Group spokeswoman told The Register." [more]

Now we have trash talk from the HiDef DVD wars!