Looking at Blu-Ray Drives

[Brett]

Hi All,

I'm new here, and I am excited to find a Mini HTPC specialized forum!

I have been running a Mini(Fall '09), to my old school big screen(via Mini-DVI to VGA to converter to Composite ), and I have loved how I could backup and encode my DVDs for playback with Plex.

Well the 500lb beast finally bit the dust and I have moved on to the HD world!!(so excited, and I am already going mini-DP/Toslink to HDMI)

I hooked up a Samsung Blu-Ray player and everything looks great for Blu-Ray playback, but I really want to drop it in favor of going with the mini. I have seen a lot of great discussions on software on this forum already, but I am still trying to figure out the hardware.

Does anyone have any experience with either or combined:
BYTECC ME-545SSU2FW (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817145064)
Pioneer BDR-205 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129051)

I have seen mixed responses on the Pioneer drive. Also, if anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them, I am not set on the drive or enclosure.

Here are my requirements:
* Mac compatible
* Speed for ripping
* FW800(additional for speed, above enclosure is actually not, so still looking)
* Blu-Ray Burning(definitely nice to have)
* Around $250 or less
* Replacing the slot load drive would be nice, but only if I can meet the other requirements

Thanks everyone for your help, and all the help I have found so far!
- Brett

[Brett]

Also, I have become very intrigued with:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MRF8USD5BD/

Especially since they are definitely claiming mac support(plus no tax for me )

[Smithcraft]

Currently, as far as I know, there is no playback software for Bluray discs in OS X. You can use MakeMKV to copy the selected features from a Bluray.

As for a drive, for right now I would not get a Bluray burner. Sony has announced a new Bluray format with a staggering storage capacity, which will most likely obsolete any current burners. So just get a bare BD drive, and a SATA to Firewire case. You should be able to get something like that for under $100. To note, your linked drive does not burn BD, only DVD and CD. OWCs BD burner is $100 more than the one you linked to.

Anyway, you will need to send the mkv that you made with MakeMKV to Handbrake to bring them down to a level that the mini can handle without choking on the bitrate.

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[billb]

I've had my eye on THAT for a while.
If it was in an enclosure that looked like
a mini I would have already bought it.
I guess I'll have to wait till the price goes
down because its so ugly.
_________________
2011 Mac mini 2.7 GHz i7 with
16GB RAM, Samsung 512GB SSD
MacBook AIR 11 Inch
Mac mini, Model 1.1, 2.33 GHz C2D Proc
20" iMac G4 PPC

[Brett]

[Smithcraft]

Off hand I don't know of any SATA to FW800 optical drive cases. You would perhaps want to consider either the case I linked above, or something like this Caloptic/DAToptic dual drive case.

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[Brett]

[Smithcraft]

Well, there you go!

SC
_________________
Grumpy old man of computing.

[Desktop] G4 mini - 1.5Ghz 1GB 80GB HDD - Newer miniStack v2 500GB - 10.5.8

[Media System] Intel i5 mini - 2.33Ghz 8GB 500GB HDD - 4 x Hitachi 2TB HDD in a qBOX-SF - 10.7.5 (Thanks Phil!)

Make sure it has pins!

[billb]

Here's a ByTecc that looks like it covers just about everything.
_________________
2011 Mac mini 2.7 GHz i7 with
16GB RAM, Samsung 512GB SSD
MacBook AIR 11 Inch
Mac mini, Model 1.1, 2.33 GHz C2D Proc
20" iMac G4 PPC

[Brett]

Okay, I am rethinking the whole burning option as I am not sure i would even use it...

Has anyone tried out the slimline external drives?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135207R

And will I be running into speed issues using USB?

Since i am close to capacity on my external hard drive setup, I think I am trying to convince myself that if I were to spend around $100 instead of $300 for Blu-Ray support, I could buy myself a Drobo.

[Brett]

Incase anyone is following along, I just ordered the Asus SBC-06D1S-U
it is currently 10% off and also has a $20 mail in rebate through newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135207

If it works, I like the idea of it all being USB powered so I can easily take it on the go when traveling.

- Brett