Back when Microsoft decided it would back HD-DVD instead of Blu-ray many might have thought 'so what, it's a software company, not a film or hardware manufacturer'.

Well, Microsoft is one of the 12 companies behind the MPEG LA which collects license fees from VC-1.

HD-DVD has pretty much used VC-1 exclusively, whereas Sony has stubbornly stuck with the inferior mpeg2. Perhaps Sony doesn't like the idea of paying its competitor cash in hand for VC-1.

Although it is no way conclusive, the website dvdwars shows HD-DVD clearly in the lead in terms of sales.

You might suggest the tides will change as Sony's inclusion of Blu-ray in the PS3 hits home, but then there's the '360…

'The Xbox360 only has a DVD drive' I hear you shout! But for an extra £129, the HD-DVD add-on makes it by far the cheapest way to get HD content into your living room.

Now we've gone a plugged it into various PCs. The results are promising and we'll post our conclusions online soon.