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General discussion

Wait for HD DVD / Blu-Ray Macbook?

Oct 29, 2006 10:45PM PST

With Apple's nature to turn out new computer hardware models every 6 months, I was wondering if I should wait for the models with HD-DVD or Blu-Ray drives.

I know apple sits on the board for Blu-Ray, but I heard intel backs HD-DVD. Since Apple is in bed with Intel now-a-days, I figured the next gen drive they choose was still in the air.

I really want the new macbook pro's but I would shoot myself if I bought one today and the new blu-ray macbooks come out 6 months from now. those things ain't cheap.

Discussion is locked

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No matter when you buy
Oct 30, 2006 2:16AM PST

There will always be something faster and with higher specs, just around the corner.
Apple has always been very tight lipped about what will be in each machine, and when.
So, you wait 6 months and Apple does build with HD DVD or Blu-Ray players/burners and you buy one, chances are that in 6 months they will
build one with a faster optical device at a lower price.
I really would not have considered the lack of a particular optical drive as a reason for suicide.

As for being in bed with Intel, just because the buy their processors from them does not mean that Intel is calling the shots. After all, the Winbox builders have been using Intel for years and Intel didn't call the shots for them.

P

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Who knows what tomorrow brings?
Nov 17, 2006 12:08PM PST

If you're in the market for a new computer, I wouldn't delay it waiting for a Mac with an integrated HD-DVD or Blu Ray drive. Afterall, there isn't much on either format at this point in time, and there's no way to know which format will win out. It wasn't that long ago that people debated if DVD+R or DVD-R would win out, and long before that it was VHS vs Betamax.

Even though Apple is quick to adopt new technology into their computers (how many other laptops have bluetooth integration as standard, and Apple's early adoption of Wireless) I'm not counting on an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player in the next revision of Mac's. Given how Bluetooth and Firewire 800 haven't caught on like Apple had expected (remember when the iPod came with a Firewire connection instead of a USB one?), I think they will be a little more cautious about adding something as expensive as a new high def DVD player/recorder.

Bottom line, if you get a computer now, down the line you could always add an external HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player/recorder.

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Blue-Ray and... Beta-Max?
Oct 30, 2006 3:22PM PST

This could work out to be a battle of the video formats like VHS and Beta-Max was 30 years ago. Today, Blue-Ray wont play on HD-DVD and vise-versa. Sony is pushing it for the proprietary edge so they can corner the market on movie discs (coincidentally they happen to own a movie studio Wink) along with the home playback equipment. Since I don't see a flood of blue-ray discs on the store shelves (despite the constant movie commercials from sony studios... "also available on Blue-Ray!") I am not too worried just yet.

Consumers have been pounded in recent years with a plethora of "new and improved" equipment. I can think of 5 audio formats alone over the past 6 years. Anyone still using your Sony digital Minidisc? How about Mini-DAT? Just look at how many camcorder styles have been out during the same period? Each new format needing new playback equipment... at a pricey chunk of change. Just realize, if the burner is out in 6 months you will pay a premium price as an early adopter, with 6 months later than your purchase seeing a 75% drop in price. Let us not forget the high repair rate for new technology when it hits the market for the first time either.

Frankly... you can already burn CD's and DVD's with the present equipment. If it isn't future proof enough for you then recognize there will be external drives available as soon as the battle over formats is decided... that is, if Blue-Ray wins.

grim

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CD or DVD
Nov 11, 2006 10:39PM PST

As obsolete things go, i am pretty close to that myself. That said, i am curious. If i were to fork over the currently $1200+ bucks for a newer more up-to-date iMac. (i am currently running with an "old iMac 700MHz PPC G3 and OS X 10.3.9). Does the newer DVD player also play and burn the older CD ROM discs which i have used to back-up my admittedly obsolete favorites low these many eons ?

G H

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DVD Players
Nov 12, 2006 12:52AM PST

Most DVD players are capable of reading CD's as well as DVD's.
Although the speeds have increased, the format that the CD or DVD is written in, has not.

Most DVD Burners are also capable of burning a CD, albeit at a slower speed than a dedicated CD burner. I have a LaCie CD burner that will burn at, it is claimed, 52X while my Pioneer DVD burner will only burn CD's at 40X

Certainly all the optical drives currently shipping with Mac's will read all the standard CD's and DVD's currently in use.

The new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray use a totally different format than that which is currently used for DVD's, in fact they both use totally different formats to create an High Definition DVD. I believe that those devices cannot write a regular CD or DVD.

Also bear in mind that a DVD player will NOT burn any optical disk, it can only read them.

P

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Are there any 3rd party HD DVD players you can install?
Oct 9, 2007 2:05PM PDT
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There's a topic on 9to5mac about a company
Oct 10, 2007 9:19AM PDT
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I'm a bit amused they offer an HD BR burner...
Oct 11, 2007 12:40AM PDT

... for a G4 iBook.

Happy

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Well it can work if the iBook is up to it.
Oct 11, 2007 8:05AM PDT

What's the point of HD or Blu-Ray though? I'm not going to spend $1K for one of them for an upgrade or a custom PC. Regular DVD's work fine for me because most things with a screen and an optical drive can play them.

This video war isn't going to end with some triumphant disc company. I think that both Blu-Ray and HD will both subside and DVD's will still remain the best choice for most people until more downloads go online or USB sticks become the new data thing.

One thing's for certain: Macs can display good quality videos no matter what discs go in the drive Happy.
Grim, if you're up to it, go for the upgrade and see if it's worth it lol. Probably not... Wink. 'Sigh'... hearing about HD and Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray and HD is tiring. Who cares? LOL.

-BFM

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Yes, one would need plenty of time
Oct 11, 2007 8:49AM PDT

to render an HD disk using a G4 iBook.

I just made a Dual Layer disk with my Dual 1.25GHz G4 and that took F O R E V E R!

Only 8Gb so I can imaging what a HD disk, especially Blu Ray would take

P

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Easy solution
Oct 10, 2007 11:13AM PDT

Why not simply purchase an external HD or Blu-Ray burner and buy Roxio Toast which will allow you to burn to an external high-def burner? This way your computer isn't bogged down with technology limitations. If you need a second burner, or a different model, just buy another external.