Dear Apple, WHY NO BLU RAY in the new Macs!?!?! ARGH!

[Porco]

Oh yeah.. Apple has REALLY been hurting lately.. they only posted their best ever Quarterly results with $1.67B in profits (mostly attributed to Mac sales).. with their share projected to shoot above $300.. Must be because of all that lack of BluRay offering..

That's not really a very good argument though - we don't know how much better still (or indeed worse, if that's your position) Apple would have done with their results if they'd been offering an option to buy Blu-ray drives in the macs with full movie playback support in OS X.

I think there's a good chance that they'd have sold even more, to people who wanted that option. On the other hand, I can't personally see how merely having the option would have stopped many people from buying the mac they bought anyway, especially if this apparently necessarily horrible kernel-invading software was also purely optional software that only people with Blu-ray drives had to (or indeed could) install.

We know from this forum that there are numerous people who'd like the option for Blu-ray, and I think it is fair to surmise a decent number of them would have purchased some machines that as things stand, haven't been. So is there anyone who bought a mac recently who would really have said "you know what? If Apple offered Blu-ray support, I wouldn't have bought my new mac! Purely on principle!"?

It just doesn't seem very likely to me that Blu-ray support as an option would have done anything other than improve sales of the mac. But we'll never know, will we?

 

[hitekalex]

Unfortunately most of them coming from ipod users - which let's face it don't know their arse from their elbows. Ipod sound quality is ***** compared to dedicated DAPs like Sony Walkmans, you wouldn't catch an audiophile seen dead with one!

Wha?? Most of what coming from iPod users, Apple revenues? Wrong once again - the latest Apple profits are attributed to record Mac sales.. so I guess all these millions of new Mac users are somehow happy without BluRay drives.

I won't even bother with your last nonsensical comment about iPod users not being "audiophiles".

 

[Icaras]

The movies run about $40 a pop. You aren't even getting the full blu-ray experience watching a movie on a "15-30ish" screen. 1080p is best experienced on a 42" and above TV, sitting about 6'-8' away. You aren't getting this on a computer. The day I pay $40 for a movie to watch it on a computer screen, when i could rent it for $3.99 will never come.

The only thing I agree with in the Blu-ray on a computer concept, is the fact that everyone should have the option if they wanted it. Windows has the option, but a lot of people here don't want windows. There should be a Mac option.

Amazing. 5 pages in already and this guy is still full of fail. Get the $40 hoax out of your ass and please try and catch up with the rest of the human race? Now go on to Amazon right now and fetch us a $40 blu-ray disc please so you may humor us all.

Secondly, why couldn't sitting in front of a 27" computer display 2'-3' away, be compared relatively to sitting 6'-8' away from a 42" TV? Or unless you sit "in front of the computer" 6'-8' away as well?

Secondly who uses discs anymore anyway.

Um....yea, I use discs.

 

[bruinsrme]

Because he apparently has no idea why Jobs is opposed to Blu-ray support.



Because then you might understand what Jobs is opposed to Blu-ray support. You don't have to agree with it, but surely you can see Apple's point, considering that Blu-ray software has to be included in the kernel.

Licensing fees aside.

Are you suggesting that the kernel has reached its limitations in the expansion of newer technologies, DRM or things we may see in the future or Apple feels it will open the door for a security hole or is apple just not able to incorporate such a change in the kernel without a major re-write?

I really think its nice having the bluray option. If I had an imac I would hope to have a bluray player.

But to be fair in this argument the Dell XPS all in one does not have a bluray player option either.opps scratch that the new 24 XPS one and the Studio 19 must have just updated because last week neither had bluray as I recall.

 

[msmth928]

Wha?? Most of what coming from iPod users, Apple revenues? Wrong once again - the latest Apple profits are attributed to record Mac sales.. so I guess all these millions of new Mac users are somehow happy without BluRay drives.

I won't even bother with your last nonsensical comment about iPod users not being "audiophiles".

Yes, Mac sales from iPod owners - i.e. non-traditional Mac users.

Bother with my comment about iPod sound quality or not - fact is an audiophile, or anyone serious about music and sound quality wouldn't touch one with a bargepole for their main DAP.

 

[maclook]

do 3rd parties sell blu ray drives for the iMac or is it unsupported by OSX??

 

[Michael CM1]

It seems to me that Blu-Ray is already obsolescent, as connections to the internet are getting faster and faster and it makes much more sense to download a HD movie than to go to Costco, shell out $15, take the disk home, and watch it once or twice. In any case, I don't see that many Blu-ray movies out there; there are many more DVD's. BR players have come down to under $200 -- I was thinking of buying one, but then wondered what I will do with it. My own opinion is that Apple is correct in not investing the money to develop BR and in not charging people for a BR device most of them will never use. The one use that might prove worthwhile is to transfer data -- it's very handy to put something on a $.75 recordable DVD and send it. If recordable BR disks come down to a dollar or less, then it might be worth getting a BR drive.

Woooooooooooooooooow. I mean really, woooooooooooooooow.

First, maybe connections are getting faster, but the prices aren't exactly dropping. It costs me $35/month for a 3Mbps connection. It streams Netflix stuff in "HD" OK, but sometimes it has to catch up. As for downloading an "HD" video, it would probably take me less time to drive 15 minutes to Target or Best Buy an come back with a BD, not to mention the 4GB of storage space it uses up.

As far as the dumbest comment ever made concerning BDs vs. DVDs for sale, DVD HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 12 YEARS!!!!!!!! Anything and everything put on video will be on a DVD. BD is just now getting past the point of early adopters. It's catching on faster than DVD at the same point in its lifespan.

Now let me explain two things: First, just because a video is 720 pixels tall does not mean it is equal to all other video that is 720 pixels tall. You want proof? Take a home movie from VHS, rip it to your computer, then enlarge it to 720 pixels tall. Not the same quality as even an iTunes HD download, is it? Now go find some compressed 1080p video and compare it to 1080p video from a BD. It's not close. The compressed digital file isn't bad by any means, but 1080p BD is the gold standard.

The other thing: People on here have got to figure out that this clique of "I never use my optical drive so they're dead" posters is a severe minority compared to the general population. Do you see all of those CDs, DVDs and BDs on the shelves at Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy? Do any of them look like dying media? iTunes took over as the top music selling site in the US in 2008. Most everybody else in the top whatever does their sales primarily through CDs, although Amazon is gaining in MP3 popularity. MOST PEOPLE BUY MUSIC ON CD. An even more extreme number buy movies on DVD versus iTunes, Amazon, etc. digitally. The same is true for BD. Just because you have this fantasy world without optical discs doesn't mean you are even close to a majority of users.

 

[powerbook911]

I think it's a shame Blu ray didn't show up, since there was rumors it would appear. This scares me because: it may show up on a next revision some months down the line.

A bit frustrating because mentally it's a significant feature, and I don't know if I want to be stuck with the version without it, even if my use for it would be limited.

 

[ob81]

Amazing. 5 pages in already and this guy is still full of fail. Get the $40 hoax out of your ass and please try and catch up with the rest of the human race? Now go on to Amazon right now and fetch us a $40 blu-ray disc please so you may humor us all.

Secondly, why couldn't sitting in front of a 27" computer display 2'-3' away, be compared relatively to sitting 6'-8' away from a 42" TV? Or unless you sit "in front of the computer" 6'-8' away as well?

I see your position, but you clearly haven't researched exactly what 1080p does for a viewer, or how the size of the TV and the range from the television plays a HUGE part in viewing experience. If you had, you would not be here making a point for a computer screen. 27" was introduced a day ago. 13" and 15" are the most popular Apple sizes offered. Let's narrow the variables to make your point valid though.

On the other hand, I have to admit that I am being narrow-minded myself. I am thinking from a group aspect, as I have to make decisions that have to benefit more than myself. If I get a 15" laptop and tell my family that we will watch blu-ray on it, that wouldn't work. There are people out there that want to watch 1080p on their macbook with their Bose series 3 sound system hooked up (PIMP). I am with you. Yeah! Get us Blu-ray Apple!!

 

[darthkarl]

This scares me because: it may show up on a next revision some months down the line.

I feel the same way, that's why I'm sitting on my wallet until Apple includes a BR drive on the 27" iMac. Otherwise I would have pulled the trigger on Tuesday and bought one.

 

[Icaras]

I see your position, but you clearly haven't researched exactly what 1080p does for a viewer, or how the size of the TV and the range from the television plays a HUGE part in viewing experience. If you had, you would not be here making a point for a computer screen. 27" was introduced a day ago. 13" and 15" are the most popular Apple sizes offered. Let's narrow the variables to make your point valid though.:

But I do understand that there is an important relationship between the size of your TV or display versus the range in which you sit from it, and I'm quite aware of the diminishing effect of 1080p in smaller sub 40" displays in the confines of a typical living room.

That said, I am a little puzzled as why you claim I don't understand this argument and that I haven't not done my "research". All I did was simply ask you to elaborate on how this relationship of viewing distance vs. screen size affects the viewer sitting in front of a 27" iMac. Anyway, I'll ask again: Is the experience of sitting in front of the 27" iMac not similar to sitting away from a 42"+ big screen TV?

Which is what I, the OP, and others here have been trying to essentially drive at: you are sitting CLOSER to a display that is SMALLER, which to me, would logically suggest that you retain that relationship and thus, one could appreciate 1080p effectively.

I cannot think of any more simpler or more narrow way to simplify the variables to make it as comprehensible as it already is.

Oh and I'm still waiting for that $40 blu-ray.

 

[spcdust]

I feel the same way, that's why I'm sitting on my wallet until Apple includes a BR drive on the 27" iMac. Otherwise I would have pulled the trigger on Tuesday and bought one.

I'm loathed to say this but I'm with you on this. The new screen size of 27", 16:9 aspect ratio and a decent HD resolution all seem to make the inclusion of Blu-ray an obvious next move.

I really wanted to buy this iMac as, to be fair to Apple, it's a decent revision. HOWEVER I can't help thinking the inclusion of a Blu-ray BTO option isn't that far away. Maybe Apple want to get the initial Snow Leopard bugs ironed out before they do an update to allow Blu-ray to work in OSX? Also, from a marketing perspective, I wouldn't be surprised that on the next Apple Pro updates Blu-ray is offered as an option with the rest of the range following either very soon afterwards or possibly simultaneously.

Can't believe it but if I can resist I'll sit this revision out and maybe come Spring 2010 we'll also get an improved GPU in the 27 inch monitor. I appreciate there probably wasn't an alternative GPU for Apple to put in at this moment in time but how long has the ATI Radeon HD 4850 card been around - it's got to have been about 16 months or so? That's also a lot of real estate for the it to power - fine for current day usage but looking to the future I would probably want something a bit more current installed or offered as an option.

 

[northy124]

Oh and I'm still waiting for that $40 blu-ray.

On Amazon only the boxsets are going into $40+ but at Barnes and Noble (online) on the other hand also in-store some/most sell at MSRP as well

Depends where you buy I guess so ob81 had a point, kind of

 

[cocky jeremy]

If you want blu-ray, go buy a damn plasma screen tv. Cheap asses. What good is 1080 HD on 27 inches anyway?!

 

[spcdust]

If you want blu-ray, go buy a damn plasma screen tv. Cheap asses. What good is 1080 HD on 27 inches anyway?!

Maybe you should consider this single point.....

Many people may have BR players for their main TV and therefore purchase BR disc films / TV series. Bit of a pain that for an alternative viewing you can't use them on your nice new 27" iMac as it only has a DVD drive.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Maybe you should consider this single point.....

Many people may have BR players for their main TV and therefore purchase BR disc films / TV series. Bit of a pain that for an alternative viewing you can't use them on your nice new 27" iMac as it only has a DVD drive.

Why is that such a big deal? I never got into DVD movie viewing at all, computer or otherwise... if that helps explain my lack of interest in Blu-Ray movies.

To the poster who mentioned plasma TVs: You forget that typical viewing distance for an iMac is a lot less than that for a plasma TV, of ANY size.

 

[jjvdhoef]

Bluray is still a bit of a gamble as far as formats go.

In Europe (or the Netherlands an France at least) broadban prices are much lower. For instance, for my cable, phone and internet (50mb/s) I pay 64 euro's.

We don't as many digital distribution options though. HD tvsets are selling well, but blu-ray not really. DVD's are still the bulk of sales. People just don't see the difference. Would I like a bluray drive in my mac? sure. But I can see the business case against it. Especially when you consider the digital distribution platform that is itunes. I would expect an quality hike in the movies offered there sooner than a bluray drive.

 

[yg17]

Why is that such a big deal? I never got into DVD movie viewing at all, computer or otherwise... if that helps explain my lack of interest in Blu-Ray movies.

To the poster who mentioned plasma TVs: You forget that typical viewing distance for an iMac is a lot less than that for a plasma TV, of ANY size.

Just because you don't use something doesn't mean others won't.

 

[spcdust]

The death of Blu-ray as a format has been greatly exaggerated.

The quality of a correctly mastered Blu-ray disc is vastly superior to anything downloaded from the iTunes store.

Blu-ray discs have "enhanced" content.

A lot of the World do not have such fast internet speeds that make downloading of HD content practical.

Call me old fashioned, but many people do still like to have their films in a physical format.

For data storage it's got a huge capacity.

For video editors working in HD Blu-Ray is an obvious addition they would like to see included as an integrated option on Apple computers - the brand of choice for many media creatives.

 

[jjvdhoef]

The death of Blu-ray as a format has been greatly exaggerated.

The quality of a correctly mastered Blu-ray disc is vastly superior to anything downloaded from the iTunes store.

Blu-ray discs have "enhanced" content.

A lot of the World do not have such fast internet speeds that make downloading of HD content practical.

Call me old fashioned, but many people do still like to have their films in a physical format.

For data storage it's got a huge capacity.

For video editors working in HD Blu-Ray is an obvious addition they would like to see included as an integrated option on Apple computers - the brand of choice for many media creatives.

Never mind the quality of the itunes store, it's still a competitor and gives apple an incentive to not include bluray. Furthermore, quality of a download can be changed.

The enhanced content isn't very appealing, and the subject of a lot of ridicule.

We already have a pretty high quality physical format: DVD. Good enough for most people.

Data storage hasn't caught on. I don't know the numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if usage costs are higher than for say a external hard-drive.

Internet speeds in most of the western world are increasing at a dramatic rate. My provider for instance has a goal of 100 mbps for next year.

I don't know if professional video editors need something like bluray.
It might be nice to show something quickly, but I doubt they export to bluray right now.

 

[yg17]

Never mind the quality of the itunes store, it's still a competitor and gives apple an incentive to not include bluray. Furthermore, quality of a download can be changed.

To match the quality of Blu Ray, a downloadable HD movie would have to be around 30 gigabytes in size. And Apple would have to raise their prices, possibly beyond what an average Blu Ray costs, for that kind of storage space and bandwidth on their end.

The enhanced content isn't very appealing, and the subject of a lot of ridicule.

Ridicule? I haven't heard that. I like all the extras. If you don't like, don't watch them.

We already have a pretty high quality physical format: DVD. Good enough for most people.

VHS was good enough for most people when DVD came out, but that didn't stop Apple from including DVD when it first came out.

Data storage hasn't caught on. I don't know the numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if usage costs are higher than for say a external hard-drive.

Hard drives fail. Optical discs are a lot more reliable and are a good backup solution.

Internet speeds in most of the western world are increasing at a dramatic rate. My provider for instance has a goal of 100 mbps for next year.

Great, and I'm sure along with speed increases will be monthly transfer caps, since that's the route ISPs are taking now.

I don't know if professional video editors need something like bluray.
It might be nice to show something quickly, but I doubt they export to bluray right now.

I'm not a pro video editor, but I'd find it hard to believe that they don't wish they could export their content to Blu Ray to distribute it.

 

[Icaras]

On Amazon only the boxsets are going into $40+ but at Barnes and Noble (online) on the other hand also in-store some/most sell at MSRP as well

Depends where you buy I guess so ob81 had a point, kind of

TV series box sets and box sets don't count. I said 'A' blu-ray, as in a singular blu-ray disc release. You ain't going to find any $40 blu-ray disc in any mainstream or popular e-tailer or brick and mortar shops these days. You just won't.

 

[3lutz3toe]

AMEN! The wants seem to be endless isn't it? People complain about prices yet they want all of these added extra stuff. We already know that Apple wont cut their prices that much. Adding Blue-Ray as an external drive makes much more sense than internal. Not everyone care or even want a Blue-Ray drive!

Blu-Ray on a computer is a gimmick anyway. If you want to burn blu-ray for some weird reason, get an external drive. Watching $40 movies on a computer screen? NO THANKS.

 

[hitekalex]

Yes, Mac sales from iPod owners - i.e. non-traditional Mac users.

You have any proof of that, or did you just pull that out of thin air? In any case, I fail to see how this has any relevance to the discussion of Bluray on Macs.

 

[CharlesPDX]

Yes, I am thinking of that one for my iMac, but I want it the be the built-in optical disc for everything so I don't have to buy an external drive. Plus I want it in laptops for viewing movies on the road.

There is an option for this, though it's not for the squeamish. Panasonic makes internal slimline slot-loading Blu-Ray combo and burning drives. $199 for the combo, $369 for the burner. iFixit.com has tear downs of the new iMacs already, so if you don't mind cracking it open (and possibly voiding your warranty) you can have an internal Blu-Ray player or burner in your iMac. I'm guessing it works just as well for Macbook Pros.

Here's the rub: Apple software doesn't support Blu-Ray playback as far as I know, so the easiest solution would be a boot camp installation of Windows. Playback may be possible in a virtual machine (Parallels or Fusion), but considering how much running one already taxes the system I'd go with the dual-boot method. Maybe someone knows of a better solution?

Panasonic Combo Drive: http://tinyurl.com/yz6mzl2
Panasonic Burner Drive: http://tinyurl.com/yly86sn