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How long will it take for macs with blu-ray USB 3 and/or FW3200 to be released?

M

Muffin87

macrumors member
Original poster
May 7, 2007
43
0
I know that these particular topics might have already been treated separately in different threads, but there's something I cannot understand Apple's putting off - some - of the last technologies in high-end computers.

I've already looked up on several blogs and forums, but I cannot find a proper answer.

When is Apple expected to release its first computers featuring a blu-ray burner, and possibly USB 3.0 and/or FW 1600/3200?

It maybe somewhat precocious to adopt USB 3.0 or FW 1600/3200 in this very moment, but blu-ray burners are anyway quite spread among high-end laptops.

Thanks if advance for replying,
 
Apple has shown no real interest in adopting Blu-ray, and to the contrary, they have shunned it

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
First, nobody that actually knows will answer.

Blu-ray: Apple has publicly slammed Blu-ray before. They sell HD movies on iTunes. They have deals with movie studios to provide "Digital Copies" via iTunes for movies released on Blu-ray. Very doubtful. Blu-ray would have to obviously completely displace DVDs before this happens. Sadly, this probably also means that they won't do Blu-ray recordable because people would complain about the lack of Blu-ray movie playback.

FireWire 1600/3200: Theoretically, Apple should be on this. But the standard has been around as long as FireWire 800, and they haven't done it yet. And, they've been slowly moving away from FireWire other than for their high-end professional systems. Admittedly, these are the systems that could benefit most from it. The downside is that FireWire >800's major target is external storage; and eSATA is faster for that. (Of course, they don't do eSATA, either.)

USB 3.0: While the standard is finalized, it's only offered by third-party add-on chipsets, not by Intel integrated chipsets, right now. While Apple does occasionally include 'ahead of the curve' technology, there is no major compelling reason for USB 3.0 right now. So it seems more likely that Apple would wait for it to be integrated into the chipsets they're already buying.


The missing one on your list, that would *REALLY* be good is eSATA. It's already around, already a well-established standard, and doesn't have the problems Blu-ray does. The only reason I can think Apple is not including it is that they don't want to kill off FireWire quite yet. (Yes, I know FireWire has much more than just disks available, but it is FW's primary use.)
 
USB 3 looks promising, but it still has stupid limitations, like needing 2 USB ports to power a portable USB drive, ugh.

I might like BR for storage, but for watching movies, Ive got a 50" TV for that.

eSATA is speedy, it might be OK to ad an eSATA port, but its limiting as well. 1 port = 1 drive and NO bus power. Not the most useful for some things.

For "backup" USB 2 is more than enough -- daily incremental backups should be fairly small for most normal users -- but even updating 2 gigs or new data should only take a minute or 2.
 
I would say that in 2-3 revisions we will get USB 3. I don't think we will get Blueray because it would hurt Apple's iTunes HD sales. Apple would have phased firewire out by now if it wasn't for the public outrage when we pulled it from the aluminum MacBooks, so I don't think we will get FireWire 1600/3200. And don't forget about lightpeak :)
 
i think the mac pro will be the only mac to ever have usb3.0. the rest of the mac lineup will have lightpeak as they push it out as the new standard... who knows if it will take off, but i think it will win over usb3. as far as bluray it will never be added to macs unless you swap the drive yourself. apple does not want you watching bluray on their products they want you using the itunes store... i disagree with it but its apple...
 
It's dumb that Apple doesn't have a proper media centre that can record HDTV and play Blurays. Surely they are working on it......

Windows 7 Media Centre + PowerDVD works but $ucks at the same time.
 
appleguy123 said:
I would say that in 2-3 revisions we will get USB 3. I don't think we will get Blueray because it would hurt Apple's iTunes HD sales. Apple would have phased firewire out by now if it wasn't for the public outrage when we pulled it from the aluminum MacBooks, so I don't think we will get FireWire 1600/3200. And don't forget about lightpeak :)
Click to expand...

If that's Apple's reasoning for no bluray then it is a poor excuse. Apple TV is not that successful in the first place, and even if you own one if I'm correct their HD is limited to 720p. I'd rather buy a bluray to play in 1080p on my TV, and then also use the same disc on my computer.
 
blouis79 said:
It's dumb that Apple doesn't have a proper media centre that can record HDTV and play Blurays. Surely they are working on it......
Click to expand...
From a consumer point of view that makes sense but Apple apparently wants you to get your movies and TV shows only from the iTunes store. Once Apple got in the media distribution business their focus shifted.


Lethal
 
usb 3.0, not very far away
blu-ray... very unlikely to ever come to them, apple hate blu-ray and publicly speak down on it
signature_BasicSmile.jpg
 
"blu-ray... very unlikely to ever come to them, apple hate blu-ray and publicly speak down on it"

According the the MacRumors news page, Steve Jobs just held a "town hall" meeting and the gist of his comments regarding BluRay:
"Blu-Ray software is a mess, and Apple will wait until sales really start to take off before implementing it."

What this indicates to me is that Apple _will_ embrace BluRay - but only when Mr. Jobs sees some $$$ in it.

We are seeing more "vectors" by which folks are getting BluRay working with Mac (even if they have to view BD movies using BootCamp on the Mac).

BluRay _will_ come to the Mac.
It's just a matter of time.
 
LethalWolfe said:
From a consumer point of view that makes sense but Apple apparently wants you to get your movies and TV shows only from the iTunes store. Once Apple got in the media distribution business their focus shifted.


Lethal
Click to expand...

Good point Lethal. Unfortunately Blu Ray experience has on the whole been generally frustrating. I bought the Panasonic BD35 about 15months ago and it won't play any titles released in the last 2-3 months. Even though I've done updates the Panny firmware doesn't seem to be current. What a headache.
 
Blu-Ray: Practically never, even Steve Jobs said it's not worth it.
USB 3.0: Soon, maybe end of 2010, start of 2011.
FW3200: Maybe on the Mac Pro end of 2010.
 
sarge said:
Good point Lethal. Unfortunately Blu Ray experience has on the whole been generally frustrating. I bought the Panasonic BD35 about 15months ago and it won't play any titles released in the last 2-3 months. Even though I've done updates the Panny firmware doesn't seem to be current. What a headache.
Click to expand...

And lots of companies that make blu-ray players don't support them well. The studios keep changing the encryption stuff to block piracy, but the player cos can't keep up with the changes, or simply don't want to bother supporting anything but their latest players. I think this is one of the biggest issues with blu-ray. You buy a player and you have to constantly keep updating it and hoping the latest update doesn't brick the player. It's the primary reason I refuse to buy blu-ray.
 
furqan8421 said:
If that's Apple's reasoning for no bluray then it is a poor excuse. Apple TV is not that successful in the first place, and even if you own one if I'm correct their HD is limited to 720p. I'd rather buy a bluray to play in 1080p on my TV, and then also use the same disc on my computer.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. Apple lacks with the apple tv and its capabilities compared to the home theater entertainment standards. Whoever buys Apple TV is wasting money.
 
Muffin87 said:
I know that these particular topics might have already been treated separately in different threads, but there's something I cannot understand Apple's putting off - some - of the last technologies in high-end computers.

I've already looked up on several blogs and forums, but I cannot find a proper answer.

When is Apple expected to release its first computers featuring a blu-ray burner, and possibly USB 3.0 and/or FW 1600/3200?

It maybe somewhat precocious to adopt USB 3.0 or FW 1600/3200 in this very moment, but blu-ray burners are anyway quite spread among high-end laptops.

Thanks if advance for replying,
Click to expand...


According to my self, Apple will include the listed options in two weeks!

Get ready!

Habitus :apple:
 
I dont think we will see anything faster than FW800. LightPeak will take FWs' place, and USB3 probably next year, but who knows. If there is a big upgrade/update, we may see it in the fall...
 
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