Blu-ray drive or standalone. Which is preferred?

[Johnny Vinyl]

I no longer have a HT setup, and I won't be getting one in the near future...but I really miss watching my Blu-rays! So I'd like to figure out the least expensive option for watching BD's with my PC.

This is what I have:

Dell Inspiron
Intel Core2 Quad Q8200 @ 2.33 GHz
8 GB RAM
Asus Xonar Essence STX soundcard
Acer F20 Monitor (DVI only)
Behringer Truth B1030A Active Monitors.

I can get an internal BD drive for the same price as a standalone, so that's not an issue. I'm guessing an internal drive would be cheapest, but I'd prefer a standalone to be honest. This, of course, would require a separate video card with HDMI, which is an added expense.

I need your guidance and maybe some opinion on the pros and cons of either.

Thanks so much in advance!

[hometheatergeek]

The internal BD players available are sometimes better transports then what is available in standalones. Will you be using the BD player just on your 20" monitor or will you also need it on your TV?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

The internal BD players available are sometimes better transports then what is available in standalones. Will you be using the BD player just on your 20" monitor or will you also need it on your TV?

Only the PC monitor.

[Johnny Vinyl]

The only reason I'd want a standalone is if it had SACD capability, but if it didn't I'd be flexible either way.

[BLindsay]

while a blu-ray drive for the pc is generally cheaper, when you look at the software + the cost of the drive, thats usually more than a standalone player. although its a lot better than it used to be, i on occasion get a disc that is uncooperative with the pc solution, i have yet to get a disc that wont play in either of my sony blu-ray players.


Suffice it to say that even with a blu-ray drive in my computer, i still end up using a standalone. Thats just me though....

[pentatonic]

If you go separate, the main problem is hookup. Your monitor only has 1 DVI so you would need to unplug your PC and plug in your BD player, unless you purchase a capture card.

As for your PC, the specs are more than enough but we don't know what's your video card. It would be the easiest way to do so if your video card is up to the task. But as BLindsay as mentioned there is the price of the software to consider.

[chinu_hark]

I wanted to start a new thread but couldn't(new member). So here it goes:
I have read a thousand threads about HTPC vs bluray player but none of them seem to consider a PC with a high end GPU. I find it hard to believe that a little Bluray player can be better than a core i7 with GTX560 or above. I already had a PC with a GTX460 and got the entry level BDP S380 instead of a bluray drive. This may be in my head but I think that MKVs (high quality ones ~10GB or above) and other high quality material seem equal to or sometimes even better than (in terms of pure WOW factor) than actual blurays on the S380. This makes me think that maybe I made a mistake and how awesome blurays would look on my PC.
So just for discussion sake and for whenever in the future I upgrade what are your thoughts? Which has better PQ? Low end BDP vs High end BDP vs High end HTPC?

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by BLindsay

while a blu-ray drive for the pc is generally cheaper, when you look at the software + the cost of the drive, thats usually more than a standalone player. although its a lot better than it used to be, i on occasion get a disc that is uncooperative with the pc solution, i have yet to get a disc that wont play in either of my sony blu-ray players.


Suffice it to say that even with a blu-ray drive in my computer, i still end up using a standalone. Thats just me though....

The points you make are very valid. However, I would have to add a separate graphics card if I went the standalone way, right? So price-wise both options would probably be equal in terms of expenditure?

(I'm using the built-in Intel graphics at the moment)

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

If you go separate, the main problem is hookup. Your monitor only has 1 DVI so you would need to unplug your PC and plug in your BD player, unless you purchase a capture card.

As for your PC, the specs are more than enough but we don't know what's your video card. It would be the easiest way to do so if your video card is up to the task. But as BLindsay as mentioned there is the price of the software to consider.

The video is onboard for now, and if I were to go standalone I know I'd have to get a dedicated card. Could I do that for under $100?

Also, could I then connect a standalone to the card with HDMI and then a HDMI from the card to the monitor (DVI/HDMI cable). Any recommendations on a graphics card that would accomplish this?

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by Johnny Vinyl

The points you make are very valid. However, I would have to add a separate graphics card if I went the standalone way, right? So price-wise both options would probably be equal in terms of expenditure?

(I'm using the built-in Intel graphics at the moment)

Hi John. The problem with a standalone on your PC is hookup. A videocard will not receive a signal to then watch on your PC. I know of capture cards that do but have no clue if they are HDCP compliant (and they are expensive anyways). A direct hookup to your monitor is needed. A switch might work. Then you would need to hookup your audio to your Xonar ins.

A PC drive would be simplest, though you would still need software to do Blu.
What onboard video chipset do you have? It probably is not enough for Blu but it also might.

[HyperRealist]

Originally Posted by chinu_hark

Which has better PQ? Low end BDP vs High end BDP vs High end HTPC?

They are all the same.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

Hi John. The problem with a standalone on your PC is hookup. A videocard will not receive a signal to then watch on your PC. I know of capture cards that do but have no clue if they are HDCP compliant (and they are expensive anyways). A direct hookup to your monitor is needed. A switch might work. Then you would need to hookup your audio to your Xonar ins.

A PC drive would be simplest, though you would still need software to do Blu.
What onboard video chipset do you have? It probably is not enough for Blu but it also might.

Good call...my monitor is NOT HDCP compliant. Looks like an internal drive is my best option then, unless I switch out the monitor (unlikely to happen).

This is the chipset: Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family

[hometheatergeek]

If you buy the right internal player some of them will come with the software to enable BD playback. You would not want to buy a OEM player...while cheaper they do not come with any software. For a video card you could pick up a model that came out last year or the year before like a AMD Radeon 5700 series card that has DVI and HDMI that is HDCP compliant. I don't think the monitor matters with HDCP.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

If you buy the right internal player some of them will come with the software to enable BD playback. You would not want to buy a OEM player...while cheaper they do not come with any software. For a video card you could pick up a model that came out last year or the year before like a AMD Radeon 5700 series card that has DVI and HDMI that is HDCP compliant. I don't think the monitor matters with HDCP.

Really? Interesting.

So if I were to go with a non -OEM internal....what software is generally recommended and how much is it?

[HyperRealist]

If your monitor is not HDCP compliant an internal drive will not work unless you buy AnyDVD HD.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

If your monitor is not HDCP compliant an internal drive will not work unless you buy AnyDVD HD.

[HyperRealist]

I'm serious. If your monitor is not HDCP compliant you can't even watch Blu-rays without AnyDVD HD. You will get a black screen with audio.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by HyperRealist

I'm serious. If your monitor is not HDCP compliant you can't even watch Blu-rays without AnyDVD HD. You will get a black screen with audio.

I'm covered in that regard then.

[hometheatergeek]

Originally Posted by Johnny Vinyl

I'm covered in that regard then.

Well then get an older video card and a OEM player and I found this open source software for playing back SACD.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by hometheatergeek

Well then get an older video card and a OEM player and I found this open source software for playing back SACD.

Sweet!