Best slot-in Blu-ray combo to mount in a iMac 27"?

[gianly1985]

A lot of people is ranting about the lack of BR drive in new iMacs.

Actually, it's easy to mount a standard 12.7mm SATA slim slot-in BR combo (read BR, write DVDs) or even a BR burner in a iMac.

So I was wondering....what's the best (best quality/price ratio) slim BR combo drive? Pioneer? Sony? Plextor? What model?

(I'm speaking about COMBOs because I think that BURNERs are too expensive and useless for most people)

[CharlesPDX]

Panasonic Combo Drive $199: http://tinyurl.com/yz6mzl2
Panasonic Burner Drive $369: http://tinyurl.com/yly86sn

Maybe they can be picked up cheaper somewhere else. I haven't looked. But according to iFixit.com, these will work.

[libertyforall]

Same question, but for a 17" MacBook Pro Mid-2009?

TIA!

[rgarjr]

thing is though you would have to boot to Windows to watch BR movies.

[mashinhead]

Dell actually has the nicest ones i've seen

Sorry for the above thought you meant external.

[davegregory]

Second the panasonic. Great product.

[CharlesPDX]

thing is though you would have to boot to Windows to watch BR movies.

Too true. That's the real Big Bag o' Hurt.

[gianly1985]

So Panasonic are good....

What about Sony Optiarc BC-5600S? It's about the same price of the Panasonic combo.....

For playback, on OSX I think that VLC should work fine (only for the video stream, no Menù or special content, but who cares after all)....I think I read about it somewhere....

[justaregularjoe]

You sure about needing to boot into Windows to use a BR drive? I direct your attentions to Final Cut Pro Tech Spec page (http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/specs/) listing a BluRay drive as, well a requirement for burning blu ray discs. Not a shocker, but clearly represents at least support, no?