New Mac Mini to have Blu-ray?

[Hellhammer]

Anyone doing insanely important backups will have tape cartridges, but for less important ones, I can see external Blu-ray drives burning those 400GB and 500GB disks (I think... I'm not sure... that the 400/500 disks are compatible with existing Blu-ray players... anyone know?) in smaller professional venues, though.

Yea, they are compatible with existing ones, at least with most of those (just read article that said PS3 can use those 400gb disks).

You can put blu-ray to Mac Pro if you really need it. Or just buy a PS3, it's one of the best BR players nowadays (Same kind of BR player would cost 800$).

 

[bruinsrme]

I wouldn't expect blu-ray for a while. Think of how many people still have CRT TVs. 1080p is completely useless for the few of us who still have 480i sets. Think of how long it took DVD to really get a stranglehold on the market. Until you see a larger section of blu-ray movies at the store, I'd just file it with SACDs. Viable format, not very useful... yet.

So Apple shouldn't move forward until those with CRTs by a new flat panel of sort.
Bluray not a viable format? really....

 

[MasterNile]

So Apple shouldn't move forward until those with CRTs by a new flat panel of sort.
Bluray not a viable format? really....

It's not about what Apple should/shouldn't do, it's about what Apple will/won't do. He never said that Apple shouldn't put Blu Ray drives in because he doesn't have a HD TV and neither did I, all I said was essentially that I was indifferent to the idea since I don't own an HD TV. Do I think they should put Blu Ray into Macs, yes because I understand I'm not the only person in the world, but do I think they will, no because it seems to cut into their iTunes sales in theory and we should know by now that anything Apple thinks will cut into other sales doesn't happen. For example no mid size/mid priced expandable desktop due to potentially lost sales of Mac Pro and iMac.

 

[Apocrathia]

It's not about what Apple should/shouldn't do, it's about what Apple will/won't do. He never said that Apple shouldn't put Blu Ray drives in because he doesn't have a HD TV and neither did I, all I said was essentially that I was indifferent to the idea since I don't own an HD TV. Do I think they should put Blu Ray into Macs, yes because I understand I'm not the only person in the world, but do I think they will, no because it seems to cut into their iTunes sales in theory and we should know by now that anything Apple thinks will cut into other sales doesn't happen. For example no mid size/mid priced expandable desktop due to potentially lost sales of Mac Pro and iMac.

also, we represent a large group of people. how many people out there haven't gotten hdtvs yet? i'm looking at getting one around august if i can. hell, i just got my first tv with svideo last year. (i hate owning a ps3 but not having an hdtv) there are two real uses for bluray, data and media. data is the most viable for most of us. but think of how long it took software to move to dvd vs how long it to the movie industry to move to dvd. the software industry was far behind. so you have to think of once the consumer media market reaches bluray, then the consumer software market will reach bluray, and apple might decide to integrate it into their computers somewhere in there.

this, however, is the concept of BTO or even stock bluray drives. really, all we need is bluray support. apple doesn't even have to sell the drives, they can be installed by the user if the user deems the technology so necessary. at least support for externals would be nice.

apple is quick to support new crap, just slow to integrate it. so bluray support could probably come around the end of the year. integration couldnt be until next year.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Yea, they are compatible with existing ones, at least with most of those (just read article that said PS3 can use those 400gb disks).

That's an important point, right there.

Prelude: I hate Sony. I hate Blu-ray... because it's backed by Sony. You need to know this so that what I say next is understood:

Think of the games.

And not just console games, either. Eventually, we'll see computer games on Blu-ray disks. Yes, I know that any decent game lets you install entirely to the HDD, but with 400GB of storage to play around with, THINK of the size of the game in terms of scope, story, and graphics capabilities!

 

[old-wiz]

Besides the hardware issues, OSx has to provide support for the decoding. The blu-ray rules require that you do the decoding in ring 0, which is the secure ring for the kernel and is non-interruptable. A bug there could bring down your system. Rogue code there has access to everything, not a great idea. Also it has to be updated frequently as new blu-ray movies come out and they require a new addition to the decoding process; it takes time!

 

[Hellhammer]

That's an important point, right there.

Prelude: I hate Sony. I hate Blu-ray... because it's backed by Sony. You need to know this so that what I say next is understood:

Think of the games.

And not just console games, either. Eventually, we'll see computer games on Blu-ray disks. Yes, I know that any decent game lets you install entirely to the HDD, but with 400GB of storage to play around with, THINK of the size of the game in terms of scope, story, and graphics capabilities!

That will be awsome. Metal Gear Solid 4 took 48GB from Blu-ray disk and it's ****ing fantastic.

 

[bruinsrme]

It's not about what Apple should/shouldn't do, it's about what Apple will/won't do. He never said that Apple shouldn't put Blu Ray drives in because he doesn't have a HD TV and neither did I, all I said was essentially that I was indifferent to the idea since I don't own an HD TV. Do I think they should put Blu Ray into Macs, yes because I understand I'm not the only person in the world, but do I think they will, no because it seems to cut into their iTunes sales in theory and we should know by now that anything Apple thinks will cut into other sales doesn't happen. For example no mid size/mid priced expandable desktop due to potentially lost sales of Mac Pro and iMac.

Good stuff thanks. Too bad tho, the blu ray in my dell is very nice, looks great and having hdmi (one cable) is very convenient.


I googled some things about blu ray sales for the 08/09 holdiay sales.
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&r...ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=news_group&resnum=4&ct=title

Some interesting things.

I was extremely interested in getting a MBP 5 months ago. When looking at the hardware I was left scratching my head. Beautiful machine but the lack of blu ray and hdmi which were very high on my list of must haves, pushed me me to look elsewhere.

I have at lest 100 hours of watching moives on my blu ray player on my dell. Sure most of the things I watch I can watch on dvd but when you pump the resolution whew its an experieince.

Its too bad Apple is lagging because their machines are graphic monsters.

Whether you have a CRT now and purchase dvds at least consider buying widescreen because you next tv will be a 16:9 set and all those movies will look horrible stretched.

The industry wants to dump DVD ASAP to focus on bluray. this will ultimately drive down prices to what DVD new release prices are today.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I would be too smart a move for Apple to offer and expanded Mini as a Blu-Ray enabled media center with Apple TV-like software (updated Front Row?) and so I'm reasonably certain they won't do it any time soon. They'd rather push their iTunes store HD movie rentals...oh wait. They won't even do that. Those movies are for Apple TV only. I guess Apple can't make a solid decision in either direction. Apple TV itself is practically rotting since last year, getting very few new features or expanded direction except through hacking and even that has suffered massive setback with the loss of Hulu.

 

[fisha]

All this arguement over whether Blu-ray will make its mark I dont get. I personally think its established enough these days. There is more and more players now, and films are available too. I remember DVD films being the same price as current BR discs, so dont see the issue. The prices will eventually fall.

I think it would be a smart move to make a blu-ray build option for the mini. OK, not everybody has an HDTV, but the mini does make for a good HTPC, and there are plenty of people out there that do have HDTV and look for that all in one unit. The likes of Dell are offering BR capable builds on consumer laptops and lower units like the Studio Hybrid ... so there is a market for that sort of consumer setup.

If Apple were wanting to attract switchers, then the mini is in that consumer genre. Without the BR option, then possibly to a lot of folk ( who quite frankly may not be the best informed ) the mini would be written off immediately as its not able to do the latest and greatest technology. If they did offer it, then it may get a bit more thought and consideration.

I've held off buying a mac for 3 years now. I want to buy one, I want to try it, but there just isn't the enticement in terms of the offerings. I'm one of those wanting an xMac, but i'd settle for a decent spec mini ... but apple seems to ignore me and a lot like me.

i7 PC here I come i think

 

[harry454]

I doubt it will have bluray, they are too itunes centeric

 

[TrapOx]

The Mini and iMac to have BR first? Not a chance in hell. It will be a $300 option in the MacPro long before we see it in any other model.