questions for bwu-100a owners - Blu-ray Forum

wilsonj · 05-24-2007, 11:38 PM

Howdy,

I have one of these drives coming for my HTPC. But I have a couple questions that I hope someone here can answer.

1. Firstly, what is the difference between the software that comes with the drive, eg powerDVD and the retail power DVD?

2. I have to mount this drive behind a facia. Is there any way that the front of the tray can be removed? Many other standard design DVD/CD players have a clip off front. Otherwise its out with the dremel.

Cheers
Jamie

Don Blish · 05-25-2007, 08:23 PM

I've had the BWU-100a since August. It came with PowerDVD for BD 6.0. It has had one update for HDCP issues which I declined since my editing machine has a tri-head Matrox Parhelia card that will never pass HDCP. Other than that, a month back it updated itself when one of the AACS keys was compromised. I also have version 7.0 on a brand new Dell M1710 notebook.

As far as I can tell from other Cyberlink forum users, the only difference with the purchased version is that it supports HD-DVD too, but isn't happy having both drives at once.

My problem with either setup is why I will always prefer a real player (Sony BDP-S1 in my case) over an HTPC: Cyberlink does not put a rock steady image on either screen, even on HD stills. There is a "heartbeat" of about 1 Hz where artifacts appear and disappear. The same disc on my player and large LCD display is rock steady and crisp.

jermwhl · 05-25-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilsonj

2. I have to mount this drive behind a facia. Is there any way that the front of the tray can be removed? Many other standard design DVD/CD players have a clip off front. Otherwise its out with the dremel.

Cheers
Jamie

I don't think drive designs have changed for ages. I'm sure the front cover can be removed, however most "facia's" accomodate this and work WITH the cover. Are you talking the spring loaded covers on HP computers?

wilsonj · 05-25-2007, 09:44 PM

Hi Don,thanks for the info. Thats the first I have heard of the picture shaking. Have you heard anyone else having this problem?? I won't be able to live with that on my projector..... I wonder if it is a Matrox issue? Have you tried it with a different (eg Nvidia or ATI) Card?

Hi jermwhl, I have a silverstone HTPC case with an alloy facia. It is physically ( I measured) smaller than the tray front so it won't fit through. My other option is to use an external drive box, but that will be a last resort. Kinda defeats the perpose of haveing a nice looking HTPC case..

Don Blish · 05-26-2007, 08:32 PM

When all I had was my BWU-100a on a very high end desktop w/ Matrox Parhelia, I dismissed it as a Matrox issue - and irrelevant for video editing. However I have seen a lesser version of the same thing now on my very high end Dell M1710 notebook - a dual core, 2.4Ghz w/ Nvidia 7950Gtx to a 1200x1920 display. I haven't posted this finding or seen another like it on the Cyberlink forum. Another gotcha is that Vista has broken any 2nd display handling that involves the "overlay surface" [comandeered for Aero].

TooTallTom · 05-31-2007, 03:16 PM

We've worked with many different TrayLoading BD drives over the past year, although we haven't worked with this specific drive, every one we HAVE worked with has had a removable front panel.

wilsonj · 05-31-2007, 11:45 PM

Yes, but so far no one can confirm it this is the case with the 100a. Unfortunately mine still hasn't arrived. But when it does I will post my findings.

I find it hard to believe that no one has tried fitting one of these drives in an alloy HTPC case yet.

wilsonj · 06-18-2007, 04:52 AM

Well, got my drive today. No probs removing the front so it fits in alloy HTPC cases. Its the same as every other drive. Hope that is of some use to someone.

05-24-2007, 11:38 PM	#1
wilsonj Junior Member Member since:May 2007	questions for bwu-100a owners Howdy, I have one of these drives coming for my HTPC. But I have a couple questions that I hope someone here can answer. 1. Firstly, what is the difference between the software that comes with the drive, eg powerDVD and the retail power DVD? 2. I have to mount this drive behind a facia. Is there any way that the front of the tray can be removed? Many other standard design DVD/CD players have a clip off front. Otherwise its out with the dremel. Cheers Jamie

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05-25-2007, 08:23 PM	#2
Don Blish Member Member since:Jun 2006 Location:Los Angeles	I've had the BWU-100a since August. It came with PowerDVD for BD 6.0. It has had one update for HDCP issues which I declined since my editing machine has a tri-head Matrox Parhelia card that will never pass HDCP. Other than that, a month back it updated itself when one of the AACS keys was compromised. I also have version 7.0 on a brand new Dell M1710 notebook. As far as I can tell from other Cyberlink forum users, the only difference with the purchased version is that it supports HD-DVD too, but isn't happy having both drives at once. My problem with either setup is why I will always prefer a real player (Sony BDP-S1 in my case) over an HTPC: Cyberlink does not put a rock steady image on either screen, even on HD stills. There is a "heartbeat" of about 1 Hz where artifacts appear and disappear. The same disc on my player and large LCD display is rock steady and crisp.

05-25-2007, 09:44 PM	#4
wilsonj Junior Member Member since:May 2007	Hi Don,thanks for the info. Thats the first I have heard of the picture shaking. Have you heard anyone else having this problem?? I won't be able to live with that on my projector..... I wonder if it is a Matrox issue? Have you tried it with a different (eg Nvidia or ATI) Card? Hi jermwhl, I have a silverstone HTPC case with an alloy facia. It is physically ( I measured) smaller than the tray front so it won't fit through. My other option is to use an external drive box, but that will be a last resort. Kinda defeats the perpose of haveing a nice looking HTPC case..

05-26-2007, 08:32 PM	#5
Don Blish Member Member since:Jun 2006 Location:Los Angeles	When all I had was my BWU-100a on a very high end desktop w/ Matrox Parhelia, I dismissed it as a Matrox issue - and irrelevant for video editing. However I have seen a lesser version of the same thing now on my very high end Dell M1710 notebook - a dual core, 2.4Ghz w/ Nvidia 7950Gtx to a 1200x1920 display. I haven't posted this finding or seen another like it on the Cyberlink forum. Another gotcha is that Vista has broken any 2nd display handling that involves the "overlay surface" [comandeered for Aero].

05-31-2007, 03:16 PM	#6
TooTallTom Member Member since:Jun 2006 Location:Dallas, Tx	We've worked with many different TrayLoading BD drives over the past year, although we haven't worked with this specific drive, every one we HAVE worked with has had a removable front panel.

05-31-2007, 11:45 PM	#7
wilsonj Junior Member Member since:May 2007	Yes, but so far no one can confirm it this is the case with the 100a. Unfortunately mine still hasn't arrived. But when it does I will post my findings. I find it hard to believe that no one has tried fitting one of these drives in an alloy HTPC case yet.

06-18-2007, 04:52 AM	#8
wilsonj Junior Member Member since:May 2007	Well, got my drive today. No probs removing the front so it fits in alloy HTPC cases. Its the same as every other drive. Hope that is of some use to someone.

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