Blu-ray player/recorder

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Oleg Volk

Need recommendations on which model external blu-ray player/recorder to get for use with a desktop. Price is a consideration but the ability to play movies and record data is a must.

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6 Responses to Blu-ray player/recorder

  2. Speakertweaker says:
    September 19, 2011 at 10:03 am

    I use this one at work:

    http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10487

    It’s a fantastic drive, if a little pricey, but it’s good for any recording up to masters. Be advised, though, that with any BD-ROM that you will have to have an HDCP compliant display in order to play back Blu-Ray movies.

    tweaker

    • Oleg Volk says:
      September 19, 2011 at 10:58 am

      How can I verify that my displays are HDCP compliant?

      • Sigivald says:
        September 19, 2011 at 3:18 pm

        If it connects with an HDMI connector, it will be HDCP compliant.

        If it connects with DVI and is digital (or is any sort of DisplayPort or MiniDisplayPort) it is very, very likely to be HDCP, with the odds increasing with new-ness; a DVI-D monitor from 2003 might not be HDCP. I’m not sure you can buy one now that isn’t.

        The manufacturer’s information should say, in any case.

        (I suspect that any BD writer in any external case would work just fine.

        I’m sure that $399 LaCie is a fine piece of kit*, but I doubt it’s any better than one that costs $179 … or much better than a $99 one cobbled together yourself from an enclosure and a raw drive.

        Since LaCie doesn’t make their own BD drives or chipsets, just packages them and makes enclosures, the difference will be minimal.

        The only relative negative I see is that the LaCie comes with movie playing software, but the same stuff (PowerDVD) is available for $50, if you don’t want to fool around with VLC to watch movies.

        * LaCie power adapters are famously horrible, but the things they power are quite nice.)

      • Speakertweaker says:
        September 20, 2011 at 7:52 am

        HDCP compliance will be listed in the product specs, usually in the video section of the spec not too far from the connection types. HDMI is usually an indicator of compliance, but it’s not always. Don’t get burned; check the specs.

  3. Mikeholio says:
    September 19, 2011 at 12:18 pm

    Most Blu-Ray players will play video with the following caveats:
    – It can’t be an Apple system. Apple refuses to license the necessary materials and there are no players for it
    – You need to have a player that supports BD. Most players do, but they’re 50-100 USD. Many BD drives will come with lite versions of a given player, which may be enough for your needs.
    As for recording data, there aren’t too many issues there. Both Mac and Win either have built-in utilities or programs you can purchase.

    Hope that helps.

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