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Possible to install aftermarker Blu Ray player into Mac Mini?

A

Allusion

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 28, 2008
26
0
Hello everyone.

Forgive me if this topic has been asked before, but the thought came up again today. I have a 09 Mac Mini that I absolutely love (bought it the day after it came out, finally really tested it out as an HTPC yesterday and it performed flawlessly). However, at one point during the night, the thought came up...wouldn't it be cool to just be able to use it for ALL my media, not just video files I have?

I know I could get an external blu-ray reader/writer and plug it in via USB, but I was thinking it may be possible to stick an aftermarker slot loading blu-ray drive into the mini. Would this be possible? I was thinking a drive like the one found in this auction,

http://cgi.ebay.com/SATA-Blu-Ray-Pl...205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294%
3A50#ebayphotohosting

Problem is I don't remember what the drive looked like too clearly from the inside. The seller had some great pictures of the ports on the back (it's a basic SATA connection), but I can't find a clear picture of the ports on the Mini. I'd prefer not to pop it apart to take a quick look.

Long and short, would a project like this be possible?
 
Tallest Skil said:
You can't play the movies in OS X, but it isn't impossible to install.
Click to expand...

Do you mean that the OS will not recognize a blu-ray movie at all? If so that'd be a huge bummer. If it would recognize the DVD, I'm sure there's programs that would play it back that exist, but if OS X won't view it...well that just throws that idea out the window
 
Allusion said:
Do you mean that the OS will not recognize a blu-ray movie at all? If so that'd be a huge bummer. If it would recognize the DVD, I'm sure there's programs that would play it back that exist, but if OS X won't view it...well that just throws that idea out the window
Click to expand...

you can play them via bootcamp
 
All blu-ray can do in OSX is read and burn data discs. Viewing movies is not possible except when booting into windows.
 
I still just can't get over how great this thing functioned for home theater use. I used Plex, loaded up an HD rip of a movie, and it ran flawlessly. I was so impressed I just wanted to start thinking of more ways to ultilize this thing. Kinda sad/funny, this was the first Mac experience I had where I was like "wow...yeah I coulda did this on Windows, but this took almost no effort and ran perfectly"
 
Allusion said:
That is a possibility as well. I could use BootCamp just for Blu-Ray playback purposes. Kind of a shame though if the OS won't recognize a blu-ray disc.
Click to expand...

wellp... OS X will recognize the blu ray disk, it's just you can only use it for data (or at least, that's my understanding)
 
michael.lauden said:
wellp... OS X will recognize the blu ray disk, it's just you can only use it for data (or at least, that's my understanding)
Click to expand...

that is correct sir!!

Toast will burn data to Blue Ray on mac, but at this time as has been discussed so many other times mac does not have blue ray play back in osx,

I have a PS3 for my blueray playback, and maybe one day down the road osx will open it up

i have thought about putting a blue ray drive in my macpro to use anydvd hd on bootcamp to rip my few blue rays that i've collected, but i haven't gotten around to it

i have no idea how long the ripping/encoding process would take on a mini though
 
to Allusion

Allusion said:
I still just can't get over how great this thing functioned for home theater use. I used Plex, loaded up an HD rip of a movie, and it ran flawlessly. I was so impressed I just wanted to start thinking of more ways to ultilize this thing. Kinda sad/funny, this was the first Mac experience I had where I was like "wow...yeah I coulda did this on Windows, but this took almost no effort and ran perfectly"
Click to expand...

Hi, does this mean you were successfully able to install the blu ray player on your mini, and it works through bootcamp? thanks
 
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