With Quantum of Solace opening next week, MGM has seen fit to re-release some James Bond classics yet again. You can’t blame them: Bond’s been a profitable franchise for over 40 years now. But there’s something different with the latest editions, as they dovetail with the now-growing consumer adoption of Blu-Ray and HDTVs. They’ve been cleaned up and sent back out into the world, all sparkly and hi-def.

The movies come individually or in sets of three or six, and as usual it’s a mixed bag of new and old. But man, do they look good. The series’ first entry, Dr. No, is positively sumptuous, its Jamaican scenery and Ursula Andress’s legendary entrance absolutely crisp, bright and clear. My personal favourite, From Russia With Love, also comes in a sweet edition, as do For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball, Live and Let Die and the more recent, pretty meh Die Another Day.

But here’s the rub. Everybody pretty much mangled the HD rollout about as badly as they could have, with multiple competing image sizes (720p, 1080i, 1080p) and disc formats (remember the HD-DVD-Blu-Ray war?). As a result, Blu-Ray hit the scene not fully baked, as it were, without all of its features in place, meaning many players require firmware updates to stay up-to-date—and to even play newer discs at all. If you have a Playstation 3, that’s not such a big deal, as updating is fairly painless, but some owners of stand-alone players are reporting that these discs just won’t play or require lengthy, annoying firmware upgrades. All so you can access “features” like stronger copy protection! If you have a PS3 or newer player it shouldn’t be cause to worry, but it’s something to keep in mind.

And if you really want to access the awesome power of HD, make sure you check out Yule Log—Christmas by the Fireplace, a new Blu-Ray disc that’ll let you zone out in front of a fake fireplace in sparkling high resolution.