Next generation storage will need a new storage medium. Reel to reel video, then VHS, then DVD. Next, download or solid state.

Mr AC will say "Hey, I can get a movie from a website using my 8mbps cable line? That's familiar, just like when I download por^K stock quotes from websites." Or, he'll say "Hey, movies now come on 16 gig compact flash cards. That's familiar, just like the card in my camera, which also has a slot on my laptop, and I can use on the card reader on my PC."

And for personal storage, the "write once, read many" design of CDs and DVDs is outdated by solid state, just like linear playback of tape/VHS was outdated by non-linear CD/DVD. I agree that the cost of HD media (and dual layer DVDRs) is way too high. Mr AC is smart enough to buy a removable hard drive these days (I know, becuase average users have mentioned this to me).

No sense in paying a lot for technical engineering feats of brilliance squeezing 30gig on a 5" disc when you can buy an external drive or a (in a few years) comparable solid state media card. Discs are done.