Using a Blu-ray Drive

[EDarkness]

I'm looking to pick up a new Blu-ray drive in the next couple of weeks, and I was curious if any drive would work, or if only specific ones work? I'm looking at getting a BDXL drive that they have here in Japan, and I'm not sure if something like that would work on my Mac Mini. Anyone have any suggestions if something like...

http://www.amazon.co.jp/パイオニア-BDXL対...ZA/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1353311292&sr=8-19

...won't work?

 

[blanka]

If you want to view BR movies, the ball lies with the OS. Windows will show it, OSX wont.

 

[Cave Man]

If you want to view BR movies, the ball lies with the OS. Windows will show it, OSX wont.

There are ways around that, but it is rather clunky.

 

[motrek]

If you want to view BR movies, the ball lies with the OS. Windows will show it, OSX wont.

I believe recent versions of VLC will play Blu Rays on OS X but I haven't tried it myself since I don't have a drive.

 

[EDarkness]

If you want to view BR movies, the ball lies with the OS. Windows will show it, OSX wont.

If I don't want to view them (I have a PS3 for that), then would it be possible to use BDs for backing up data or to import Blu-ray movies? I heard that Handbrake will do it, but I don't want to invest money into something that won't work.

 

[Cave Man]

If I don't want to view them (I have a PS3 for that), then would it be possible to use BDs for backing up data or to import Blu-ray movies? I heard that Handbrake will do it, but I don't want to invest money into something that won't work.

No, Handbrake does not. You must open the Blu-ray disk using MakeMKV (which is free - for now). Once decrypted, you can rip the titles to your hard drive as MKV files (which play in VLC, Plex, XBMC and a few other apps) or you can play from the disk in VLC using a rather clunky approach (see my sig).

 

[EDarkness]

No, Handbrake does not. You must open the Blu-ray disk using MakeMKV (which is free - for now). Once decrypted, you can rip the titles to your hard drive as MKV files (which play in VLC, Plex, XBMC and a few other apps) or you can play from the disk in VLC using a rather clunky approach (see my sig).

Cool. That's good to know.

How about using the DVD functions? Such as watching DVD movies or burning disc. Does that function the same or will the fact that the drive is a Blu-ray drive mean that DVD Player won't recognize it?

 

[Nermal]

I have a Blu-ray drive in my system and DVD Player works fine for playing DVDs, as does VLC. For watching Blu-ray I use this, although it doesn't seem to like Fox movies.

 

[max90034]

I use this player and it works fine

http://www.macblurayplayer.com/

 

[Mac... nificent]

I use this player and it works fine

http://www.macblurayplayer.com/

That's what I'm using also. It will probably be on sale this christmas. Plays the movies fine but the menus suck. If I had to do it again I'd just get a stand alone Blu-ray drive and bypass the computer.

 

[Nermal]

Plays the movies fine but the menus suck.

It's funny that you should say that; I love how it bypasses the on-disc menus and lets you get straight into the movie.

 

[Mac... nificent]

I think they look cheesy, like something a 15 year old would make in their basement