Blu-Ray Mac.... When?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Well... I'm trying to build a new HT-PC/MAC and wanted to make sure it can play Blue-Ray DVD at 1080p. There has been a lot of talk about HDCP compliance and the computer Hi-Def movie playback will be now more complicated than ever. The hardware level of HDCP compliance can not be achieved at the moment for computer since none of the hardware vendors design their hardware around this. I was hoping to see when would new revision of MacMini or any of the Mac desktop lines will soon be compatible to play Blue-Ray DVD in High Definition.



Did any one hear anything about timelines of when Blue-Ray equipped mac is scheduled for release?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    No time soon. Maybe 18 months but that's a guesstimate.



    ATI just fessed up that their cards have quasi HDCP support but that support doesn't extend further than the card which means that HDCP HTPC Macs are a ways away. Evidently we're going to need HDCP compliance from the Optical Drive thru to the Monitor.



    That equals time and $$$$$$$
  • Reply 2 of 13
    marzetta7marzetta7 Posts: 1,323member
    Late 2006, I think. Possibly early 2007. It certainly would be sweet to see it in the next revised PowerMac offering. Just another reason to go out and buy it. I can totally see Apple doing this as they are prone to equip their hardware with new technologies sooner as to distinguish themselves from other competitiors.



    What would even be cooler would be a Blu-ray/DVR offering in the form of the Mac Mini for our living rooms. Although, this is probably less likely. But heh, I can hold out hope as Apple has suprised before and will do it again I'm sure.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    xoolxool Posts: 2,460member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by marzetta7

    Late 2006, I think. Possibly early 2007. It certainly would be sweet to see it in the next revised PowerMac offering. Just another reason to go out and buy it. I can totally see Apple doing this as they are prone to equip their hardware with new technologies sooner as to distinguish themselves from other competitiors.



    What would even be cooler would be a Blu-ray/DVR offering in the form of the Mac Mini for our living rooms. Although, this is probably less likely. But heh, I can hold out hope as Apple has suprised before and will do it again I'm sure.




    I agree. When Mac Pro debuts with new screens and HDMI/HDCP support that is when we'll see Blu-Ray drives. If all of these items don't come together at the same time don't expect full 1080p movie output from "DVD Player", assuming its name remains unchanged.
  • Reply 4 of 13
    just make sure you put a video card in it that can handle 1080p video. you should use an ati one that decodes h.264
  • Reply 5 of 13
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/17/a...-ready-tracks/



    Asking for support this year is going to be difficult. I'm hoping we have a workable solution by next year. Though it's all for naught if you don't want to





    1. Buy a HD player

    2. Buy a new Graphics card

    3. Buy a new HDCP enabled monitor



    You have a chance if everything is updated in brand new hardware but Apple seems to be going conservative in their initial Intel launch.



    I wouldn't be surprised to see it take 2 more years before we have a viable HTPC solution using standard computers.
  • Reply 6 of 13
    i wonder just what is the enjoyment of being to say "yeah i'm the one who photoshopped that faked "spy shot" of the video ipod"
  • Reply 7 of 13
    bitemymacbitemymac Posts: 1,147member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    No time soon. Maybe 18 months but that's a guesstimate.



    ATI just fessed up that their cards have quasi HDCP support but that support doesn't extend further than the card which means that HDCP HTPC Macs are a ways away. Evidently we're going to need HDCP compliance from the Optical Drive thru to the Monitor.



    That equals time and $$$$$$$




    Hm... I didn't know HDCP compliance was required on the optical drive level. But even if it is, it's not a big problem because all Blue-Ray drives may already have HDCP in mind. I thought once the hdcp encoded video signal gets generated by the video card, and hdcp decoding was done by the display monitor, then everything was ready to go. If ATI is doing something about this already and if it gets implemented in the OS level, maybe we're not that far away from having HDCP compliant mac. It seems that nvidia GPU's are already designed around HDCP compliance, it's just that the video card manufactures never implemented the feature.

    I'm crossing my fingers and hoping to see something done by apple first during summer time. I can always hope.....
  • Reply 8 of 13
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    I think we'll also need OS changes to satisfy the AACS mafia, which I wouldn't expect before 10.5. So I think you'll need four major parts to play next-generation discs:



    10.5 with "protected environment" closed-source kernel.

    Blu-ray or HD-DVD drive.

    HDCP graphics card.

    HDCP monitor.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    guarthoguartho Posts: 1,208member
    What a pain in the ass. I can't wait till someone cleverer than myself hacks this latest user-abusive copy protection scheme.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    wwworkwwwork Posts: 140member
    aren't Blu-Ray drives going for $1000? Call me when they're $100. Above that it's not worth it.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wmf

    I think we'll also need OS changes to satisfy the AACS mafia, which I wouldn't expect before 10.5. So I think you'll need four major parts to play next-generation discs:



    10.5 with "protected environment" closed-source kernel.

    Blu-ray or HD-DVD drive.

    HDCP graphics card.

    HDCP monitor.




    Yea that **OR*** the latest VLC / MPLAYER with the cracks included to circumvent the new protection...



    Dave
  • Reply 12 of 13
    bitemymacbitemymac Posts: 1,147member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wwwork

    aren't Blu-Ray drives going for $1000? Call me when they're $100. Above that it's not worth it.



    I thought those were Blu-Ray DVD players which also was high end/top of the line models. I wouldn't think the driver/loader itself would cost that much even for the first ones on the market. I would expect the Blu-Ray RW drives to hit around $300 +/-$100 in the begining and level around $100 to $200 after first 6 months.



    Anyway, When apple announced Blu-Ray support, I thought something would roll out in the first half of 2006. However, from what everyone seems to be noting, We may see PS3 before a Blu-Ray mac.
  • Reply 13 of 13
    I thought the copy-protection in BluRay/HD-DVD was pretty much uncrackable? (I realise the same was said about DVD) and that the OS level decryption required (+HDCP) would make it useless to do so.

    I'm not going to buy into the whole HD era I've decided. I refuse to let the Movie studios force me to rebuy all my favourite films and dictate how and when (and where) I watch them... they can kiss my @s*
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