Why Apple will never support Blu-Ray

[drjsway]

I watch Blu Rays on my home theater. But if I'm traveling, I can't exactly take a 42" LCD and Blu Ray player on the plane with me, it would be nice to bring a few Blu Rays along and watch them on my laptop, even if it's 2 channel audio and not on an HD screen. I shouldn't have to buy the same movie twice.

It would be nice but do you really want to carry around a Blu-ray player 100% of the time that you only use 5% of the time? This is why I support removing the optical drive in all laptops. How many people use it every day? Are people aware of the amount of real estate it takes up inside your laptop?

The only thing 720p does for iTunes movies is make the compression artifacts more clearer. iTunes "HD" is garbage.

Compression technology is getting better and so is bandwidth. The only way digital downloads will get better is if people start embracing it and that means letting go of old technologies like optical media. iTunes movies is still not profitable for Apple and they won't put any more resources in it until it is.

And a Blu Ray has a bit rate of somewhere between 30 and 50mbps variable, depending on what's going on in the scene. The fact that Blu Ray requires 6-10 times the bandwidth of iTunes should tell you how much better Blu Ray is.

The only reason Blu-ray's bit-rate is so high is because they have the extra space on the disc. It doesn't need to be that high.

Look at the HD-DVD of King Kong, which looks and sounds just as good as any blu-ray. Over 3 hours long with a lot of action and less than 30GB. That was a few years ago and compression technology is only getting better, not worse.

 

[drjsway]

Uh huh, sure I'm the one that doesn't understand video and audio technology. Not the guy that continues to insist there are no advantages to blu ray over heavily compressed 720p iTunes HD with lossy audio in stereo.

You keep putting words in my mouth. When did I ever say that?

Considering I've written and directed multimillion dollar movies, I'd say I know more than you.

 

[bluefox9er]

i do for one

i use my desktop for like 80% of all my movie watching and I have a 40" hd tv in the other room

LoL!!! really??

 

[wikoogle]

My last post here but it absolutely astounds me how so many here refuse to acknowledge the point that people don't want to buy and pay for the same freaking movie twice.

Tons of us have HDTV setups with 5.1 or 7.1 sound, blu ray players and blu ray movies to boot (that whole setup only ran me a little over a $1000 thanks to slickdeals.net).

We don't want to have rebuy those exact same movies that we already own, on iTunes in inferior quality (heavily compressed, 720p, stereo sound only and lossy audio), just to be able to watch those movies when we're out of the house or traveling.

And when we're buying a movie, we want to buy it the blu ray version to watch on our HDTV, with 1080p, 7.1 lossless audio and bonus features, rather than a heavily compressed iTunes version, and we want to be able to play those movies on our laptops as well, esp while traveling.

What's so hard to understand about that?

 

[Vinniefish]

The thread-starter just does not seem to realize that many people want something that he does not want. Maybe 720p movies are fine for him but for many of us we would enjoy the flexibility of Blu-Ray over iTunes downloads. What about those people that enjoy the ancillary benefits of Blu-Ray like the extras and HD audio. Plus he then makes the mention that he knows more then us since he has directed multimillion dollar movies, although I can't imagine why such a successful person would be perusing Macrumors. Plus he erroneously stated that MiniDisplayPort didn't support HDCP.

 

[flat five]

My last post here but it absolutely astounds me how so many here refuse to acknowledge the point that people don't want to buy and pay for the same freaking movie twice.

Tons of us have HDTV setups with 5.1 or 7.1 sound, blu ray players and blu ray movies to boot.

And we don't want to have rebuy those exact same movies that we already own, on iTunes in inferior quality (heavily compressed, 720p, stereo sound only and lossy audio), just to be able to watch those movies when we're out of the house or traveling.

really, how many times in a year are you going to rewatch a movie from your home collection while you're out of town?

i mean really. once maybe twice? (insert honest answer)

the vast majority of people? zero!

it's a bs argument.

 

[zipa]

Look, I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Given the choices between the current unibody + superdrive, unibody + Blu-ray and unibody with no optical drive with an optional external Blu-ray drive, you'd have to be totally insane to think that the current superdrive would be the best option.

 

[flat five]

Look, I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Given the choices between the current unibody + superdrive, unibody + Blu-ray and unibody with no optical drive with an optional external Blu-ray drive, you'd have to be totally insane to think that the current superdrive would be the best option.

i support option 3
100%

 

[zipa]

Considering I've written and directed multimillion dollar movies, I'd say I know more than you.

Considering that you have no clue about HDCP, I'd highly recommend that you resign from the movie business.

 

[neteng101]

When there's a demand there should be a solution - why doesn't someone just make a Blu-Ray drop-in replacement for the Superdrive in unibody MBPs?

Unless BD drives are that cumbersome that they can't be slimmed down???

 

[flat five]

When there's a demand there should be a solution - why doesn't someone just make a Blu-Ray drop-in replacement for the Superdrive in unibody MBPs?

Unless BD drives are that cumbersome that they can't be slimmed down???

well, there's also the hurdle of no bluray player in osx

 

[Denarius]

You keep putting words in my mouth. When did I ever say that?

Considering I've written and directed multimillion dollar movies, I'd say I know more than you.

Any we've heard of?

 

[drjsway]

The thread-starter just does not seem to realize that many people want something that he does not want. Maybe 720p movies are fine for him but for many of us we would enjoy the flexibility of Blu-Ray over iTunes downloads. What about those people that enjoy the ancillary benefits of Blu-Ray like the extras and HD audio.

I realize that just fine but know that you are in the minority and it makes no sense for Apple to cater to such a small demographic. If it made sense financially, Apple already would've implemented it.

There is just so much FUD going around. Apple wants to force people to use iTunes? Apple is still a hardware company that makes almost all of its money on hardware. Almost all their revenue comes from three things: iPhones, iPods, and Macs. iTunes revenue from movies/TV shows are non-existant.

Plus he then makes the mention that he knows more then us since he has directed multimillion dollar movies, although I can't imagine why such a successful person would be perusing Macrumors. Plus he erroneously stated that MiniDisplayPort didn't support HDCP.

Many in Hollywood much more successful than I am are MacRumors members. Are you suggesting that you and all the rest of the posters here are unsuccessful?

Considering that you have no clue about HDCP, I'd highly recommend that you resign from the movie business.

That's uncalled for. I should resign from the movie business because I don't keep up on the copy protection compatibility of DisplayPort, which is not even a consumer home video standard, it's a PC standard. You think Scorsese has any clue what HDCP even is?

 

[drjsway]

Any we've heard of?

Maybe. I'd like to keep my anonymity on this forum but I'll pm you the titles.

 

[dukebound85]

You keep putting words in my mouth. When did I ever say that?

Considering I've written and directed multimillion dollar movies, I'd say I know more than you.

LOL. I love the throwing out the credentials on an internet forum

I happen to be Steve Jobs

Bow to me, mere mortals

 

[Cam42]

even use them as coasters (my GI-Joe blu ray)

Exactly how I felt.
Anyway, Blu-Ray support is something that doesn't matter to me, on a laptop screen it's too much, and going through the hassle to connect the laptop to my HDTV is not worth it at all. (Maybe because I already have a stand alone blu-ray player.

Now, on the iMac and Mac pro.....

 

[Tyrion]

I realize that just fine but know that you are in the minority and it makes no sense for Apple to cater to such a small demographic. If it made sense financially, Apple already would've implemented it.

There is just so much FUD going around. Apple wants to force people to use iTunes? Apple is still a hardware company that makes almost all of its money on hardware. Almost all their revenue comes from three things: iPhones, iPods, and Macs. iTunes revenue from movies/TV shows are non-existant.

I agree with you about iTunes; that's just a stupid conspiracy theory - as I mentioned before, Blu-Ray would in no way compete with iTunes.
However, do you really believe that people who want to watch movies on their laptops are a "minority", a "small demographic"? How do you explain the Superdrive? In fact, most normal people I talk to are pretty big fans of optical drives and would probably be delighted if they could get Blu-Ray in their MBPs; the nerds that post here are the only people I've ever seen pushing for an end to all optical drives in laptops (not that I don't understand where they're coming from).

 

[Cam42]

Also, when available, I purchase the 3 disc version of movies, 1 Blu-ray, 1 DVD, and one DVD with license to rip to your computer.
Watch the movie anywhere.

 

[Maczz]

Blu-ray is old technology just like Flash. Why waste time, money and resources on supporting it. As steve jobs said "We don't spend a lot of energy on old technology."

 

[drjsway]

However, do you really believe that people who want to watch movies on their laptops are a "minority", a "small demographic"? How do you explain the Superdrive? In fact, most normal people I talk to are pretty big fans of optical drives and would probably be delighted if they could get Blu-Ray in their MBPs; the nerds that post here are the only people I've ever seen pushing for an end to all optical drives in laptops (not that I don't understand where they're coming from).

I think the people have a blu-ray collection already, who would like blu-ray on their laptops so they don't have to buy a second copy are in the minority. That is the argument many are using.

The reason only "nerds" are pushing for an end to optical drives is because they are aware of the potential of digital distribution. But digital distribution will not take off and will not improve in quality unless there is demand. There will not be demand until people are able to let go of their optical drives.

A lot of people also have the erroneous belief that it takes 40Mb/s to get blu-ray quality. Even blu-ray itself is heavily compressed (an uncompressed 1080p film is around 3TB). As I mentioned, compression technology is improving at an alarming rate.

Check out this link:

they played an uncompressed showreel of 4k footage on a Sony 4k projector, which clocked in at 1.3GB per second, and then showed that exact same footage under the "RED RAY" codec at a mere 10Mb/s (megabits, not bytes; about half the bitrate of SD DV), at a compression rate of 700:1. Attendees claimed they could see zero visible compression

4K has more than 4 times the information of 1080p so using the "RED RAY" codec, a 1080p film would be 2.5Mb/s.

I've had a MBA for two years now and when it really comes down to it, a MBA is just a MB without the SuperDrive. I never realized before how much space the SuperDrive adds to a laptop. If people realized how much they would save, more people would call for the end of optical drives.

 

[Tyrion]

Blu-ray is old technology just like Flash. Why waste time, money and resources on supporting it. As steve jobs said "We don't spend a lot of energy on old technology."

You are the cutest kind of poster so tell me, what is Apple currently offering that outshines this supposedly old technology? Are they beaming 1080p-content onto your MBP? because that would be awesome and you had better tell us about it!

But it's more likely that you just have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Vinniefish]

I agree with you about iTunes; that's just a stupid conspiracy theory - as I mentioned before, Blu-Ray would in no way compete with iTunes.
However, do you really believe that people who want to watch movies on their laptops are a "minority", a "small demographic"? How do you explain the Superdrive? In fact, most normal people I talk to are pretty big fans of optical drives and would probably be delighted if they could get Blu-Ray in their MBPs; the nerds that post here are the only people I've ever seen pushing for an end to all optical drives in laptops (not that I don't understand where they're coming from).

It does seem that the more technically proficient users are the only ones clamoring for the removal of the optical drive. I do not think that people that want Blu-Ray on macs are in the minority, I would venture to guess that it is the exact opposite, it has to be a selling point in the less technical crowd. For instance, someone comparing specs between macs and PCs would probably be shocked to see that a cheaper PC with better specs on paper included a Blu-Ray drive whilst the MBP did not. I don't see anything wrong with giving the consumer more flexibility. I currently watch my blu-ray rips encoded as MKV files but would prefer to be able to natively watch Blu-Ray within OS X instead of having to reencode.

 

[Tyrion]

I think the people have a blu-ray collection already, who would like blu-ray on their laptops so they don't have to buy a second copy are in the minority. That is the argument many are using.

The reason only "nerds" are pushing for an end to optical drives is because they are aware of the potential of digital distribution. But digital distribution will not take off and will not improve in quality unless there is demand. There will not be demand until people are able to let go of their optical drives.

A lot of people also have the erroneous belief that it takes 40Mb/s to get blu-ray quality. Even blu-ray itself is heavily compressed (an uncompressed 1080p film is around 3TB). As I mentioned, compression technology is improving at an alarming rate.

Check out this link:



4K has more than 4 times the information of 1080p so using the "RED RAY" codec, a 1080p film would be 2.5Mb/s.

I've had a MBA for two years now and when it really comes down to it, a MBA is just a MB without the SuperDrive. I never realized before how much space the SuperDrive adds to a laptop. If people realized how much they would save, more people would call for the end of optical drives.

You know, i'm with you on all of this; I don't like optical drives either. I will be the first one to "let go" once digital distribution offers the same level of quality (1080p) and is actually available in my country. Then we can talk. But until then apple should give us blu-Ray, inelegant and clunky though it may be.

 

[drjsway]

You know, i'm with you on all of this; I don't like optical drives either. I will be the first one to "let go" once digital distribution offers the same level of quality (1080p) and is actually available in my country. Then we can talk. But until then apple should give us blu-Ray, inelegant and clunky though it may be.

The problem is digital distribution will never take off unless people let go of their optical drives. People are very stubborn when it comes to change.

Using the oft quoted Ford line "If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse."

This is why the PC industry has been so stagnant. PC makers just give people what they want without any thought to progressing technology as a whole.

This is also what makes Apple so popular or unpopular, depending on what side you're on. They are very quick to take away technology they feel isn't the way of the future. Floppy drive, Flash, etc. People hate them for it but in the long run, it forces technology to advance.

EDIT: Just to expand on this, a lot of people call Apple greedy but they take HUGE financial risks for things they believe in. IIRC, Apple had been losing money on their iTunes music store until very recently. The idea that anyone would pay for music online when it was widely available for free was absurd and the cost to set up the infrastructure of their store was huge. Because of their gamble, they single-handedly saved the music industry. Can they do the same for movies? If there is demand. But they cannot afford to offer high bit rate 1080p video until there is enough demand.

 

[Maczz]

You are the cutest kind of poster so tell me, what is Apple currently offering that outshines this supposedly old technology? Are they beaming 1080p-content onto your MBP? because that would be awesome and you had better tell us about it!

But it's more likely that you just have no idea what you're talking about.

It call iTunes downloads. They are better technology than Blu-ray.