The first pirated copy of an HD-DVD has appeared on the internet, just weeks after details of how the format could be cracked were posted by a hacker.

The movie Serenity weighs in a huge 19.6GB and is available as MPEG-4 VC-1 file on a torrent site. The file would take a day to download on a broadband connection. Also available on the web are King Kong and Batman Begins.

The HD-DVD is protected by an encryption system called AACS. Last month, a hacker by the name of "Muslix64" divulged details on how to bypass the system and back up the movie onto a hard drive. He also said that the same techniques could be used to bypass Blu-Ray discs as well.

On Absolute Gadget, we revealed that the adult entertainment industry embracing the HD-DVD format, while LG tried to call a truce in the format war with its new player.