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Blu-Ray for MacBook Pros

Numberzz

By Numberzz

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Today, Fastmac released an upgrade to the DVD drives in Apple's latest computers. The upgrade is a bit much for the average user, $1000, but if you're in the movie business this is a great choice. Fastmac is offering the Blu-Ray upgrade on a lot of recent(and not-so-recent) desktop and laptop computers.

iBook G4

iMac G5

iMac Intel

MacBook Pro (17-inch)

Mac mini

PowerBook G3 Pismo

PowerBook G4 Titanium (667 Mhz or higher)

PowerBook G4 Aluminum

 

fastmac-bluray-burner.jpg

 

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unix

unix 0

Posted

Are the displays set up for it? I mean, they cannot run native HD, right? Additionally, is there any software to decode or burn Blu-Ray discs yet?

mifki

mifki 0

Posted

my mbp runs native full hd (MBP 17")

Yami Bakura

Yami Bakura 0

Posted

Why isn't the MacBook on the list?

Mebster

Mebster 1

Posted

No HD-DVD drives? :)

Colonel Ingus

Colonel Ingus 0

Posted

OK you can quote me on this, when Leopard gets released all of the new SuperDrives will be Blu-Ray compatible, or they will have a Blu-Ray version. New Mac Pros will be released too... :)

unix

unix 0

Posted

my mbp runs native full hd (MBP 17")

 

Ah, yes. I always forget about the behemoth!

cringemaster

cringemaster 2

Posted

Cool. Just, who the hell will use blueray with a pismo? G3? cmon

Colonel Ingus

Colonel Ingus 0

Posted

No HD-DVD drives?

For a Mac? :P Macs are about high-end specs and performance. HD-DVD is geared toward the budget minded market. Compare the specs :P

glassJAw

glassJAw 0

Posted

How would this work out on a 13inch screen? And would the Macbook be able to play HD on a external monitor?

Gooly

Gooly 0

Posted

costly

Numberzz

Numberzz 0

Posted

You cannot have these installed on the MacBooks for some reason. But you can on the old iBooks, so, it is probably something about the MacBook's optical drive. I think it is not the standard size. Correct me if I'm wrong.

crazzyyfool

crazzyyfool 0

Posted

Why no MBP 15-incher?

cringemaster

cringemaster 2

Posted

I guess when it comes to MacBooks, size matters. afaik, yeah, the macbooks and smaller 15 inch macbok pro use a much more compact optical drive, but it still surprises me that they would support such older hardware.

Mebster

Mebster 1

Posted

For a Mac? :rolleyes: Macs are about high-end specs and performance. HD-DVD is geared toward the budget minded market. Compare the specs :unsure:

Actually the real reason blu-ray is being offered is because Apple helped create it with Sony. So clearly you would use it also. Another reason would be because M$ is currently backing Toshiba's HD-DVD.

 

But then again this is a third-party, right? So why do they care about the politics?

 

And about the specs. The average HD-DVD is more advanced than the average blu-ray. Also a new HD-DVD format now is capable of storing more data then blu-rays.

Colonel Ingus

Colonel Ingus 0

Posted

Apple helped create it with Sony.

Do you have a link to verify any of this? I know that Apple is a supporter of Blu-ray, but I've never seen in print anywhere that they helped to actually create it.

 

The average HD-DVD is more advanced than the average blu-ray.

I think you've got that backwards. Check here ^_^

 

a new HD-DVD format now is capable of storing more data then blu-rays.

Not for very long. A new Blu-ray quad-layer format will hold over 100GB ^_^

vassillios

vassillios 0

Posted

Released today? this has been available on their site for some time now.

Ayanami

Ayanami 2

Posted

=\

 

God I wish I could have high-def DVD on my 15" MBP.....

That's a bummer....

Taylor_C

Taylor_C 0

Posted

You cannot have these installed on the MacBooks for some reason. But you can on the old iBooks, so, it is probably something about the MacBook's optical drive. I think it is not the standard size. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

 

That's correct, the MacBook uses a special optical drive that's smaller and oddly shaped compared to the more standard ones used in the MacBook Pros. Regarding Blu Ray, while it may be great to have a drive, as far as I know, no software currently exists to actually play the discs. Apple's DVD Player certainly doesn't support it, though I'm not sure if it will or will not once Leopard arrives.

Colonel Ingus

Colonel Ingus 0

Posted

no software currently exists to actually play the discs.

Do you mean like Toast 8? :(

Mebster

Mebster 1

Posted

Do you have a link to verify any of this? I know that Apple is a supporter of Blu-ray, but I've never seen in print anywhere that they helped to actually create it.
This is what I could get hold of in 5 mins.

Blu-ray.com: Who developed Blu-ray?

Wikipedia: Blu-ray Disc Association

 

I think you've got that backwards. Check here :P
Sorry I messed up what I was saying. The average HD-DVD in the market contains more material then the average Blu-Ray at the moment. True the Blu-Ray has more capacity but that's not really much good if you're not going to use it. ;)

 

Not for very long. A new Blu-ray quad-layer format will hold over 100GB :D
Wait for the Octi-layered HD-DVD with 1TB. :P
Ayanami

Ayanami 2

Posted

They better at least offer external ones. Or maybe external ones bundled with Apple TV?!?!

Colonel Ingus

Colonel Ingus 0

Posted

This is what I could get hold of in 5 mins.

Thank you Mebster for the links. However I think you misunderstand the purpose of the Board of directors as it applies here. 9 companies started the development of Blu-ray. They are the main founders of the format and are listed here. Other companies can pay a fee of $50,000 a year to guide in the formats creation, but they are not listed as the main patent holders. For a fee of $3,000 a company can become an active member of the Blu-ray association. There are currently 94 members. Only the original 9 companies can take credit for the main patents, and Apple is not one of them. Apple may however present ideas for the format, and then the original 9 companies will vote either for or against using those ideas.

Mebster

Mebster 1

Posted

Thank you Mebster for the links. However I think you misunderstand the purpose of the Board of directors as it applies here. 9 companies started the development of Blu-ray. They are the main founders of the format and are listed here. Other companies can pay a fee of $50,000 a year to guide in the formats creation, but they are not listed as the main patent holders. For a fee of $3,000 a company can become an active member of the Blu-ray association. There are currently 94 members. Only the original 9 companies can take credit for the main patents, and Apple is not one of them. Apple may however present ideas for the format, and then the original 9 companies will vote either for or against using those ideas.

I didn't know that. Thanks for that info. :o

Urbz

Urbz 2

Posted

Do you guys really believe in Blu-ray over HD-DVD? I like the larger capacity, BDJ (very cool, but I don't know if something that expansive will ever be used to its full potential), and the blue cases, but HD-DVD seems more consumer friendly. It's cheaper and has a solid spec that every player supports, whereas Blu-ray players support features on a per-player basis. As a result, the entry level player will not get you some of the features that the higher end ones will, while HD-DVD players all offer the same options. Except 720p/1080p. Which is stupid.

 

I dunno. I used to be 100% Blu-ray, but now I'm undecided. It's unfair to get the one with the better content: IMO, they both have a nice choice of movies (with my current pick for content being Blu-ray!). And lets be clear: DVD still rocks.

 

-Urbz


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