overpriced blu-ray burners

[etep513]

Hi, I was checking the websites of a few laptop manufacturers. Right now blu-ray burners for laptops are still extremely expensive ($400 USD). Does anyone know when prices will come down to a reasonable level (like maybe $200)?

[arush5268d]

Well, that isn't really all that crazy of a price considerin that standalone Blu-ray players range in price from around $400 USD to $700 USD. I'm sure that a standalone Blu-ray burner would be pretty damn expensive once they come out in the U.S.

[etep513]

Originally Posted by arush5268d

Well, that isn't really all that crazy of a price considerin that standalone Blu-ray players range in price from around $400 USD to $700 USD. I'm sure that a standalone Blu-ray burner would be pretty damn expensive once they come out in the U.S.

That's still a ridiculous price. If you buy a ps3, you can play blu-ray movies and games. With a laptop burner, you are paying the same amount, but you can't play games with it (unless they are pc games). Plus, blu-ray is only slightly better than normal video output. Charging 6X more for something that is slightly better is out of the question.

[arush5268d]

Then don't get one.

Traditionally, burners for disk media cost quite a bit more during the early years of technology. This is especially true for laptop drives as they are compact. If the price is too high for you then don't get one.

By the way, a PS3 won't burn disks....

[etep513]

Originally Posted by arush5268d

Then don't get one.

Traditionally, burners for disk media cost quite a bit more during the early years of technology. This is especially true for laptop drives as they are compact. If the price is too high for you then don't get one.

By the way, a PS3 won't burn disks....

So would it be a year before prices came back to Earth?

[arush5268d]

The prices are already coming down pretty quickly.

[etep513]

Originally Posted by arush5268d

The prices are already coming down pretty quickly.

Yah, let's hope they come down quickly, since I'll be getting a college laptop in a month.

[The Guardian]

The cheapest desktop burner drive I've seen has been just under $300 Canadian...

[darkedgex]

Originally Posted by etep513

Yah, let's hope they come down quickly, since I'll be getting a college laptop in a month.

It doesn't sound like you want a Blu-ray burner but a Blu-ray reader (probably with DVD/CD burning too, but not BD burning). Those should be cheaper, though I've never priced laptop BD drives. BD drives for PCs (those full height 5.25" drives common to most desktop PCs) typically go for $200-400 for just reading (with DVD/CD burning), with the BD burners usually going for $300-600+. I'd suspect laptop drives would add a premium (given their smaller form factor).

[etep513]

Originally Posted by The Guardian

The cheapest desktop burner drive I've seen has been just under $300 Canadian...

Yah, but we were talking about the prices of slim laptop burners. I'm sure that the desktop versions are cheaper since they don't have such tight constraints.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by etep513

Yah, but we were talking about the prices of slim laptop burners. I'm sure that the desktop versions are cheaper since they don't have such tight constraints.

Correct. Each notebook vendor basically can charge whatever they want for the drive (and most charge a pretty hefty premium) due to the low availability of drives to the retail channel. If you were to buy the drive separately, though, the combo drives run $349 (Sony/NEC Optiarc or Panasonic) while the BD burners run around $499 (Panasonic) for notebooks. They are only currently readily available in 12.5mm height, which is standard for most notebooks, but ultralight notebooks, Toshiba, Apple, ASUS, and some other manufacturers use ultrathin drives. Those prices also don't include the software you need to actually play discs, as they are primarily designed for sale to OEMs who will package their own software.

As far as the OP, if you want a burner in the $200 range, you're going to be waiting quite awhile. Combo drives will likely hit that pricepoint by spring next year... burners will be AT LEAST another year.

[etep513]

Originally Posted by darkedgex

It doesn't sound like you want a Blu-ray burner but a Blu-ray reader (probably with DVD/CD burning too, but not BD burning). Those should be cheaper, though I've never priced laptop BD drives. BD drives for PCs (those full height 5.25" drives common to most desktop PCs) typically go for $200-400 for just reading (with DVD/CD burning), with the BD burners usually going for $300-600+. I'd suspect laptop drives would add a premium (given their smaller form factor).

I know that the readers are cheaper (by about $200). However, some vendors don't let you pick between a blu-ray reader and a blu-ray burner (I know that dell doesn't). I'll check hp to see what they have.

[mcfacker]

Originally Posted by etep513

Hi, I was checking the websites of a few laptop manufacturers. Right now blu-ray burners for laptops are still extremely expensive ($400 USD). Does anyone know when prices will come down to a reasonable level (like maybe $200)?

There was a time when CD writers were sold for close to $3000 each, used to own 1 cost just over a grand.
Dvd's started over a grand a piece as well, but came down really fast.

Mark my words, Blu-ray writers will cost less than US$100 by Feb next year i.e.

[OokieSpookie]

What?
That impatient to pirate movies and games?
The prices will be down soon enough, but they are by no means overpriced.

[etep513]

Originally Posted by OokieSpookie

What?
That impatient to pirate movies and games?
The prices will be down soon enough, but they are by no means overpriced.

Blu-ray is definitely overpriced since you are only getting a slight improvement in video quality, but you have to pay 15X more for it. Normal dvd movies are almost just as good.

[arush5268d]

Originally Posted by etep513

Blu-ray is definitely overpriced since you are only getting a slight improvement in video quality, but you have to pay 15X more for it. Normal dvd movies are almost just as good.

You, sir, fail.

[GORT]

Originally Posted by etep513

Blu-ray is definitely overpriced since you are only getting a slight improvement in video quality, but you have to pay 15X more for it. Normal dvd movies are almost just as good.

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[dadkins]

Originally Posted by etep513

Blu-ray is definitely overpriced since you are only getting a slight improvement in video quality, but you have to pay 15X more for it. Normal dvd movies are almost just as good.

6 times the resolution?
5 times the storage capacity?
Same size disc?

Yeah, you're right! Only a slight improvement...

BTW, can you guess how much I spent on my first DVD player?
$100.00?
$200.00?
$400.00?
$500.00?
$586.95?

Take a wild guess!

[prerich]

Originally Posted by etep513

Blu-ray is definitely overpriced since you are only getting a slight improvement in video quality, but you have to pay 15X more for it. Normal dvd movies are almost just as good.

Sir - DVD's are no where near the quality of BD (or HD-DVD for that matter). If you have the proper HDTV set - you will notice the difference immediately! I can't stand to watch NTSC on my set - and I don't watch it for most channels ( HD is taking over ) Do I believe that we are getting to a point of diminishing returns - yes - I believe if you have a 42 inch or smaller set - you are already there, soon the same message will apply to larger viewing screens - but BD offers a vast improvement over DVD on a HDTV set!

[Jimbo976]

I'm looking at a Dell XPS M1530. The only Blu-ray option is a burner which is $550 Cdn above the standard DVD burner. I would prefer to get a BD-ROM only but there is no option on that model. $550 is a bit steep when I really only want to play my Blu-ray movies on other HDTV's than my main one. I would like to burn some videos from my HDV camcorder but not for that much more money.

Any opinions on external Blu-ray ROM's or burners? If I wait and get an external later I could use it in my desktop as well I guess. Any possible downsides (other than the extra space for an external) that people can think of?

I know other Dell models offer a ROM but not along with an HDMI port and a decent video card.