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The company abandoned its usual neutrality over a single issue: copying. This was one of six problems with Blu-ray that Microsoft listed when it joined with Intel in backing HD DVD.

'The reason we provided support for HD-DVD is that basically it has committed to several features. Specifically, the mandatory managed copy,' said Donald McDonald,

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vice president and general manager of Intel's digital home group.

Managed copy ensures that users can copy the HD content to a PC or media centre for accessing anywhere in the home and on to portable devices.

'We have not heard an unequivocal statement from the Blu-ray camp to say that you'll be able to have mandatory managed copy without any kind of complications and any kind of issues,' McDonald said. 'The opportunity is for Blu-ray to unequivocally commit to having exactly the same consumer friendly features.'

Blu-ray backers have denied claims that its discs will not permit copying, arguing that managed copy is a feature of the DRM system that both formats use.

Managed Copy is not a function of the optical disc format, but a function of the content protection system,' according to the Blu-ray Disc Association. 'The AACS content protection system, which is used by both Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD, enables managed copy and network streaming functionality. It is not format specific.'