No Blu-ray support

[gtstricky]

I am sure this has been discussed but searching gave me too many hits off topic.

Why is there still no blueray support within Mac OS? There must be a lagit tech or business reason they have not added it.

 

[r0k]

I am sure this has been discussed but searching gave me too many hits off topic.

Why is there still no blueray support within Mac OS? There must be a lagit tech or business reason they have not added it.

I think that if you plug in a blu-ray player, OSX will see it as "just another disk". I haven't tried it but I know there is software for ripping blu rays on OSX. Makemkv is one such program. I only own one bluray disk. I don't feel the need to throw 30 gigabytes of data at a 1 gigabyte problem. I buy DVDs and rip them using Handbrake. I put the originals down in the basement behind the vinyl and 78 records where they belong with all their mandatory previews and arcane menus. If the time comes I find I can only obtain bluray disks, I'll reluctantly look into getting an external bluray drive for my Mac.

 

[gtstricky]

But if I want to watch a blueray on my mac there is no native way to do it right? Unlike a DVD that I can put in and start watching.

 

[stchman]

I am sure this has been discussed but searching gave me too many hits off topic.

Why is there still no blueray support within Mac OS? There must be a lagit tech or business reason they have not added it.

Because former Apple CEO Steve Jobs called BluRay a "bag of hurt". When Jobs believed that a technology was not worthy of his products, the Apple faithful will take as gospel. Look at Flash, Apple folks shun it even though most of them don't even know why they are.

Some at Apple believe that optical media will soon die. I guess "soon" is a relative term.

Also another reason is that Apple would have to pay for licensing, and it may impact their iTunes sales.

 

[saturnotaku]

But if I want to watch a blueray on my mac there is no native way to do it right? Unlike a DVD that I can put in and start watching.

You would need two things to make that happen: 1) a Blu-ray (and that's the proper spelling of it by the way) drive and 2) software to play the discs.

So short answer: no.

 

[madsci954]

Some at Apple believe that optical media will soon die. I guess "soon" is a relative term.

Considering that the new iMacs and rMBPs ship without optical drives, I would say Apple wants it to happen very "soon."

 

[satcomer]

I am sure this has been discussed but searching gave me too many hits off topic.

Why is there still no blueray support within Mac OS? There must be a lagit tech or business reason they have not added it.

Just like Windows you have to BUY BluRay support for your Mac like Blu-Ray Player for Mac.

 

[old-wiz]

Blu-Ray used a really nasty encryption that required updates to the OS to work natively. IIRC they wanted some of the decode to run in ring 0, which means an error there could bring down the entire system. Plus there are regular updates to the Blu-Ray code to process newer disks. One reason the modern blu-ray players have internet connections is so they can download firmware updates to play the newest disks. This is especially true for the latest and most popular disks.

 

[ortholing]

Just like Windows you have to BUY BluRay support for your Mac like Blu-Ray Player for Mac.

Yes, I can confirm that I never had problems playing commercial (or self made) Blu-ray DVD's on my Mac with Blu-Ray Player for Mac.
I use Blu-Ray Ripper for copying the Blu-Ray DVD videos (Transport stream) to my satellite receiver (Linux based Dreambox 8000 HD PVR) http://www.*********.com

 

[stchman]

Considering that the new iMacs and rMBPs ship without optical drives, I would say Apple wants it to happen very "soon."

Just because Apple wants them to go away does not mean they will. If Apple really wanted them to go away, why do they sell external DVD burners?

Will optical media go away, yes, eventually, but I see DVDs and Blu-Ray discs being around for at least 10 more years.

 

[tshrimp]

I am sure this has been discussed but searching gave me too many hits off topic.

Why is there still no blueray support within Mac OS? There must be a lagit tech or business reason they have not added it.

Because Apple says you don't need it, and they are always right.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Because it would cut into their billion dollar a year iTunes sales.

 

[Krazy Bill]

Why is there still no blueray support within Mac OS?

Optical media is dead.. will soon die... needs to die.

It's really that simple.

 

[Julien]

Optical media is dead.. will soon die... needs to die.

It's really that simple.

I could live without physical BD's and move to streaming only. However up to 48mbps and lossless audio is offered on BD. No streaming service offers this quality.

Also we are about to move to UHDTV (3840x2160) with possible 10 bit color, 4:4:4 color space and more lossless audio channels (example: Dolby Atmos/DTS MDA). This will require a LOT more data. Without near 1 gbps data speeds (we can't all move to KC) and NO data caps streaming won't be possible.

 

[Krazy Bill]

Also we are about to move to UHDTV (3840x2160) with possible 10 bit color, 4:4:4 color space and more lossless audio channels

Then get the right tool(s) for the job. I don't understand why you guys insist your macs be the "end-all" solution to every kind of consumption known to man.

I for one do not want to pay extra for some beefed up Mac loaded with crap I'll never use. (Like I am now with my useless built-in optical drive).

 

[printz]

Judging from how crappy all my desktop (and laptop) disc drives are, almost always failing and managing to lock up the entire system, I'll be glad when this technology becomes less popular.

 

[crjackson2134]

Just like Windows you have to BUY BluRay support for your Mac like Blu-Ray Player for Mac.

I have no issues with my internal MCE (AKA: LG) Blu-ray drive, and I watch movies here all the time. I also rip BDs and back up to BDR or DVD depending on the movie. It works fine for me YMMV.

BTW, there is a free Blu-ray movie player for Mac. I saw the download page a few days ago. I might search for it and post a link latter on.

 

[numbersyx]

I could live without physical BD's and move to streaming only. However up to 48mbps and lossless audio is offered on BD. No streaming service offers this quality.

Also we are about to move to UHDTV (3840x2160) with possible 10 bit color, 4:4:4 color space and more lossless audio channels (example: Dolby Atmos/DTS MDA). This will require a LOT more data. Without near 1 gbps data speeds (we can't all move to KC) and NO data caps streaming won't be possible.

Absolutely - this is the big flaw in the digital only argument. Downloading a 1080p movie from Apple is huge already and it still isn't as good as a Blu-Ray copy....

 

[Celtic Warrior]

Absolutely - this is the big flaw in the digital only argument. Downloading a 1080p movie from Apple is huge already and it still isn't as good as a Blu-Ray copy....

That's right. Also iTunes still doesn't support 3D Movies unlike bluray. 1080p still cool but that would be much better with 3D support.

 

[Candlelight]

I for one do not want to pay extra for some beefed up Mac loaded with crap I'll never use. (Like I am now with my useless built-in optical drive).

I would've preferred the option to play, rip and burn Blu-Ray but I have an external burner through work so it's fine.

I removed my optical drive and put a second hard drive in; now I have 2TB of storage space for my laptop.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Considering that the new iMacs and rMBPs ship without optical drives, I would say Apple wants it to happen very "soon."

The Market != Apple

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Optical media is dead.. will soon die... needs to die.

It's really that simple.

OK, then please open your own:
Optical media is dead.. will soon die... needs to die-forum!

Thank you very much!

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That's right. Also iTunes still doesn't support 3D Movies unlike bluray. 1080p still cool but that would be much better with 3D support.

Some high quality XXX-sites support 3D@1080p.

;-)