I feel cheated out! where's Blue Ray? or HD movie downloads, trailers SUCK

[Michael CM1]

The baggage with Blu-ray Discs is far worse than DVDs. Each BD has its own decryption code and HDCP info. DVDs do not have these. Blu-ray is a pain in the @$$ for computer users at the moment.

Yet somehow the morons at Microsoft can add functionality into their OS. Also, THE ITUNES STORE IS LOADED WITH DRM. Yes, we all hate DRM. It sucks, but studios obviously aren't going to give in on this one without some miracle.

I just want Apple to put Blu-ray drives on their computers so the darn hackers behind Mac the Ripper and HandBrake can crack HDCP already.

As for the people who don't understand the concept of a portable 15-inch media center, well, oy. There's also the concept of I have about 20 movies that I own only on Blu-ray and not on DVD. Maybe I want to take a couple with me. Gee, what an out-of-right-field idea.

As for the people who yammer about not wanting to pay for it: don't. If you don't want a 17-inch display, order the 15-inch MacBook. If you don't want 4GB of RAM, get 2. If you don't want a Blu-ray drive, don't order it. Do you people REALLY think it would become standard? We're talking about a BTO option that would cost about $300. Hardly.

 

[Tallest Skil]

We're talking about a BTO option that would cost about $300. Hardly.

It's Apple. $700. To recoup the costs of licensing HDCP should they ever lose their minds and support Blu-ray.

All optical media aside from protein-coated disks* is dead. Bandwidth is good enough in most of where it needs to be to do what it needs to do to supplant optical media. It'll only get better.

*I leave them in because... 50 to 200TB per DISK. Not even Japan has bandwidth to compete with that.

 

[Michael CM1]

It's Apple. $700. To recoup the costs of licensing HDCP should they ever lose their minds and support Blu-ray.

All optical media aside from protein-coated disks* is dead. Bandwidth is good enough in most of where it needs to be to do what it needs to do to supplant optical media. It'll only get better.

*I leave them in because... 50 to 200TB per DISK. Not even Japan has bandwidth to compete with that.

I'm really confused on what you're saying. On one hand, you seem to think Blu-ray is bad. But on the other hand, you're saying discs that hold that uber amount of data (DL Blu-ray holds 50, they're testing other BD formats that go above that) are good.

Like BD or not (I don't really understand the hatred outside of HDCP), you're talking about a technology that can store 25GB on a single $9ish disc. Those prices have tanked in the past year (I remember the Sony brand ones at $25). As the players drop below $200 and more computers come with them, I think they should catch on almost as well as DVD.

The only way I really see Blu-ray really dying out as a format is if the movie/home video studios dork around long enough with their high prices ($30 for new releases???) to let the digital downloads catch up. If a DVD movie costs $20, the BD version should cost you $25. It's a much easier sell than walking into a store and often seeing first-week movies for $16 on DVD and $30 on Blu-ray.

 

[djellison]

Has anyone actually seen a blu-ray movie on a pc to compare?

Yup - I've seen BR movies playing on both a 17" laptop ( looked amazing ) and on my 30" HP monitor that my desktop PC drived ( looked, guess what, amazing )

Was it a pain in the ass? No. Did it work perfectly, first time, no problems? Yes.

I just purchased a £130 BR burner, put it in my desktop machine, and it works, and works beautifully. And don't tell me that downloads are the future. It's faster to get in a car, drive to the store and buy a BR movie than it is to download one via iTunes.

There are no excuses for Apple. None.

Doug

 

[Cave Man]

Yet somehow the morons at Microsoft can add functionality into their OS.

This is one reason why Vista is so bloated. It's also no surprise that every PC built with identical chipsets and processors has a lower geekbench score than Macs built on those chipsets/processors. That's part of the baggage that comes with Blu-ray compatibility.

Also, THE ITUNES STORE IS LOADED WITH DRM. Yes, we all hate DRM. It sucks, but studios obviously aren't going to give in on this one without some miracle.

But with iTS, it's a one-time check. Once you've activated your computer, there's a single code for all of your purchases. Each BD has its own codes and have to be checked every time the disc is played and while it is playing.