Low cost internal 6X BLU-RAY readers and 8X BLU-RAY read/write drives are instock

[HDTV1080P]

I see BLU-RAY readers and writers are improving in both speed and price. The Lite On IHES106 6X BLU-RAY reader OEM version can be purchased for around $105, or a Lite On 6X IHES206 retail box version is in stock from various places for $115. The Buffalo Technology BR-816FBS internal 8X BLU-RAY read and write drive can be purchased for around $305.

[HDTV1080P]

Hopefully we will see 8X read only BLU-RAY drives soon for those of us that are not interested in recording computer data and family HD videos yet.

[dadkins]

Great news! Thanks!

Remember also, you can burn HD video to DVDs, it just takes a few of them to hold it all.

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

I see BLU-RAY readers and writers are improving in both speed and price. The Lite On IHES106 6X BLU-RAY reader OEM version can be purchased for around $105, or a Lite On 6X IHES206 retail box version is in stock from various places for $115. The Buffalo Technology BR-816FBS internal 8X BLU-RAY read and write drive can be purchased for around $305.

Do you know if any of those can write BD-Backups for playback?

[dadkins]

BD Backups? That's a no-no subject here.

[bajor27]

Definitely decent prices for readers. I want a writer though, but not til there $100-150.

Not sure if this counts as a no-no subject, but personally, I'm really just looking forward to simply transferring TV on DVD into Blu (and staying in SD). The space I'll be able to save in doing that will be well worht the investment.

Not to mention I'll finally be able to put things like Saved by the Bell in a decent episode order :P

[Ian@CDRLabs]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Hopefully we will see 8X read only BLU-RAY drives soon for those of us that are not interested in recording computer data and family HD videos yet.

Lite-On is working on the iHES208 which should be available within the coming months. They also have a 10x BD Combo drive planned for late 2009.

Personally, I'm waiting for LG's 8x BD drives to ship in the US. The Panasonic based drives, like the BR-816FBS, are great and all.. but LG's 6x BD drives really impressed me.

[haste]

I got the LG GBWH20L from CC for $199 a few weeks ago. It's back up to $279 now though...it will only be a matter of time before they are at the 149-200 mark.

[dadkins]

Originally Posted by bajor27

Definitely decent prices for readers. I want a writer though, but not til there $100-150.

Not sure if this counts as a no-no subject, but personally, I'm really just looking forward to simply transferring TV on DVD into Blu (and staying in SD). The space I'll be able to save in doing that will be well worht the investment.

Not to mention I'll finally be able to put things like Saved by the Bell in a decent episode order :P

No, that's fine(Sony even sells machines(VAIOs) that are designed to copy Showtime/HBO/Cinemax and burn to BD).
BD Backups gets some people upset - Mods included.

As for the prices, ya might still have a bit of a wait for $100 burners.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Blu-ray Fanatic

Do you know if any of those can write BD-Backups for playback?

You can make 50GB computer data backups of computer data onto BLU-RAY discs. If one has an ATSC tuner or QAM tuner in their PC it is perfectly legal to make 1080I recordings onto the DVR computer hard drive of the PC from a indoor/outdoor antenna or cable TV system. Then you can transfer the DVR recordings to recordable BLU-RAY discs to play in a standard BLU-RAY player or BD-ROM computer drive for your own use. Also making 1080I backups from TV programs like HBO or Showtime would be allowed if the program 5C copy protection is set to copy always instead of copy once.
Now if you are talking about pre-recorded BLU-RAY backups the renewable encryption codes of BD+ prevents anyone from making backup copies. BLU-RAY BD+ renewable encryption so far is 100% secure and protects the Hollywood studios revenues. I am against piracy. It would be in the best interest of the Hollywood studios to sometime in the future stop releasing movies in the unsecure 480I DVD format since some consumers make DVD dual layer copies for 85 cents or less and give copies to their friends and relatives.
The Hollywood Studios could see their revenue increase if in a few years they stop releasing movies in the unsecure 480I DVD format and just release movies in a secure BD+ encrypted 1080P BLU-RAY disc.

[eyekyu]

they up to 6x now?
mine reads and write @ 2x lol
mine has held up great

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by eyekyu

they up to 6x now?
mine reads and write @ 2x lol
mine has held up great

Yes 6X speed for only $105 dollars. 8X read and write is available for $305. So they are now at 8X speed if you need a writer. 8X read only drives should be coming soon.
Maybe when I reach late 2009 I might upgrade my 5X Pioneer BLU-RAY drive.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Ian@CDRLabs

Lite-On is working on the iHES208 which should be available within the coming months. They also have a 10x BD Combo drive planned for late 2009.

Personally, I'm waiting for LG's 8x BD drives to ship in the US. The Panasonic based drives, like the BR-816FBS, are great and all.. but LG's 6x BD drives really impressed me.

Looks like 12X and 10X BLU-RAY writers might appear in late 2009 if they are not delayed until 2010.

http://www.cdrlabs.com/News/lite-on-...s-in-2009.html

[redboxcar]

I was thinking of getting the 8x Sony reader (BDU-X10S) or the 6x LG reader... any thoughts? Is it really slow? Can I use it to play my blu-ray movies perfectly fine? Thanks.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by redboxcar

I was thinking of getting the 8x Sony reader (BDU-X10S) or the 6x LG reader... any thoughts? Is it really slow? Can I use it to play my blu-ray movies perfectly fine? Thanks.

A 1X BLU-RAY drive will play BLU-RAY movies just fine at normal speed. Faster BLU-RAY drives like 5X, 6X, and above will allow one to fast scan forward or backwards in the movie at a greater speed. Also in the future when BLU-RAY ROM computer software or games are released loading software will be faster if one owns a faster BD-ROM drive.
Some people own several computers with read only BLU-RAY drives and then they purchase a BLU-RAY writer to backup 50GB of data. Installing 50GB of data onto a hard drive of other computers will be much faster with a 6X or 8X BLU-RAY drive compared to a 2X BLU-RAY drive.

[brett_day]

newegg.com has a sony internal blu drive for $79.99, i almost picked one up for my new computer build, well i still might pick one up, it is a great deal!

It is OEM though so it will not come with the sata cable or mounting screws but those can be bought for like $5! Here's the link!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827118013

[redboxcar]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

A 1X BLU-RAY drive will play BLU-RAY movies just fine at normal speed. Faster BLU-RAY drives like 5X, 6X, and above will allow one to fast scan forward or backwards in the movie at a greater speed. Also in the future when BLU-RAY ROM computer software or games are released loading software will be faster if one owns a faster BD-ROM drive.
Some people own several computers with read only BLU-RAY drives and then they purchase a BLU-RAY writer to backup 50GB of data. Installing 50GB of data onto a hard drive of other computers will be much faster with a 6X or 8X BLU-RAY drive compared to a 2X BLU-RAY drive.

Ahh, thanks for the insight. At this point I have no intentions of writing any data to BDs so I may just go for the LG one that I can get for a hundred bucks. I don't mind switching it out down the road for a better one but for now, this will suffice.

Thanks!

[jmkoch]

Is there any affordable external BD player/burner that works with a MAC? Will it function plug-n-play with no more help than the standard driver software CD or DVD that comes with the device?

I'd like to enable a relative, who is a MAC fiend, to play and burn BDs or at least AVCHD-DVDs on his MAC, but am ignorant of the options available to the tribe of Jobs. I only know that Apple itself has been in no hurry to sell MACs with built-in BD player-burners or MAC-BD software.

Is there such thing as an internal or external BD player drive that will function with a 3.0 ghz mono CPU and the sort of graphics assembly that would be on a 2005 vintage P4 Dell? I know that burning and advanced processing takes a multi-core and dedicated graphics card, but is there a "lite" player that will enable a 4.5 year-old PC play discs or which might contain its own internal dose of hard or firmware "viagra" needed to project HD video onto a 19" XVGA screen? Obviously, a larger screen is preferable. The question is merely if there is a way to enable someone who is attached to a particular PC to play BD discs at all.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

I see BLU-RAY readers and writers are improving in both speed and price. The Lite On IHES106 6X BLU-RAY reader OEM version can be purchased for around $105, or a Lite On 6X IHES206 retail box version is in stock from various places for $115. The Buffalo Technology BR-816FBS internal 8X BLU-RAY read and write drive can be purchased for around $305.

The LG can be found at Newegg for 89.00

[ajy0903]

I'm waiting for LG ones.
Since I'm Korean and LG is Korean Company that spread to some worlds, I'm proud of it, lol.