What computer upgrades do I need to play Blu-Ray discs?

[DVD Phreak]

hbenthow,

Just because you can play 720p and 1080p videos on your current PC doesn't mean it would be faster enough to play Blu-rays, which have through-the-roof bit rates of over 30 megabits per second or more. Those 1080p videos on youtube or other video sites have maybe 2-5 mbps only. Your PC needs the horsepower to deliver 30 mbps of data, and that's why I think most likely you'll need to get a new PC from scratch. Let me know if you want me to give you a sample video clip of 30 mbps bit rate to try on your current PC so you will know for sure.

You'll need:
(1) An HDCP-compliant graphics card - $50 or more.
(2) An HDCP-compliant monitor - $150 or more.
(3) Software that plays Blu-rays, such as PowerDVD 12 Ultra (13 just came out, $100).
(3) A Blu-ray drive, $50
(5) A faster enough CPU and enough RAM. A barebone PC (<--- click) with Intel core i5, 4GB RAM, motherboard, case, and power supply would cost about $500.

So you are looking at a $850 investment.

PowerDVD's system requirements (<--- click) are:
- Intel Core i5 or above
- 2GB RAM or more
- Intel HD Graphics, ATI Radeon HD 5000, NVIDIA GeForce 9500GT or above