External blu-ray player

[vancouv]

My works laptop (so I can't change much on it) can't play blu-ray disks so I'd like to get an external one. I appreciate it might not be blu-ray quality, I just want it to read the disks.

Can I just buy any USB one and plug it in? Or are there any gotchas out there waiting to bite me on the proverbial. My OS is XP Professional.

[hellsbrink]

First, it's going to depend on the specs of the laptop. If it's relatively low-spec then I reckon you'll struggle to play blu-ray.

For example, the Asus SBC-06D1S-U specifies you need AT LEAST a 3.4Ghz CPU, 1Gb or higher RAM and a NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT or ATI X1600 series or above graphics card.

It's all about the CPU and graphics capability of the laptop, and since you don't say what the specs are, or the make/model, one cannot say if it's possible to do the blu-ray stuff.

[vancouv]

It's 2.4Ghz CPU with 4Gb of RAM. Not sure about graphics, but I think it's an inbuilt Intel chipset

[Mike-Bracknell]

Having just been through this, I can advise...

I bought an LG Blu-Ray drive recently, and an external cabinet for it which did USB and eSATA.

Since i'd not got an eSATA cable at the time, I plugged it in using USB. It then performed fine as a CD and DVD player, but NOT as a Blu-Ray player. In fact it would not perform any of the Blu-Ray tasks, and when putting in a BR disc it refused to recognise it at all.

I then went and bought an eSATA cable, and attached it to the same laptop (which had an eSATA port as well anyway). Robert was then your mother's brother, as the drive suddenly was properly identified and worked without a glitch.

Hence I would be aware that you may not necessarily get an external Blu-Ray drive that works properly over USB.

Mike.

[hellsbrink]

It's 2.4Ghz CPU with 4Gb of RAM. Not sure about graphics, but I think it's an inbuilt Intel chipset

That processor won't do blu-ray, according to the different software packages I've looked at, unless it's a dual core.

What is the make/model of the laptop?


Mike

It's possible that a "purpose built" blu-ray external will play through USB due to the controller in the drive itself. There's a few out there saying they do blu-ray and only have a USB interface so I can see no issues with that or the companies would have been shafted by now for claiming the drive was suitable for blu-ray when it wasn't.

[vancouv]

It is a dual core, a Dell Latitude E6400. I would have thought if it's coming in via a USB most of the processing will have been done by the external drive? I guess they'll probably have minimum specs for each device.

[hellsbrink]

As usual, the Dell specs for that laptop are as clear as mud with the different options you can have.

The biggest issue you'll have with blu-ray playback, IF your machine can handle it (and I think it can), is the software for playback and the specs that needs. I would recommend ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre 5 as the software you actually use as it needs a lower spec than other stuff and your processor will handle blu-ray with the Arcsoft player. IF you have the Intel graphics on your laptop then it should be the GMA 4500 MHD which can do full 1080p HD so should be able to handle blu-ray. 4gigs RAM is plenty for playback.

So I would reckon you can get yourself a blu-ray drive and enjoy full HD on your laptop, using the Arcsoft Player (http://www.arcsoft.com/estore/software_title.asp?ProductCode=TMT5P)

Enjoy

[boguing]

I bought a Plextor USB BluRay drive.

As Mike-Bracknell noted, it was fine on cd and dvd duty but refused to do blu ray.

I happened to have a 'double' usb cable (two plugs to the pc or hub, mini usb to the drive. This doubles the current available.

Bingo.

[hellsbrink]

I happened to have a 'double' usb cable (two plugs to the pc or hub, mini usb to the drive. This doubles the current available.

One drive I've looked at (a lacie one) actually comes with what I think is such a cable, a USB "Y" cable. I'm guessing others will too for the full blu-ray capability.

[boguing]

There's a bit more to my story.

The Plextor drive came with a single cable. You'd think that they (a highly rated drive manufacturer, would know that it needs a double wouldn't you?).

The double one came with a Samsung external dvd (normal) drive. Which worked for about an hour. So, sent it back. Replacement arrived, noticed that it slightly re-designed. That couldn't even run its' own drivers disc. So that went back. And a replacement is on its' way. Curiously, they don't seem to need the double lead.

I've been advised that one should only use a blu ray drive for blu ray discs because they wear out quite quickly. (Probably hearsay, but who knows).

Meanwhile, the Plextor has an infuriating problem. It's a top loader and the release for the lid hasn't got the oomph to lift itself.

Sent it back. Replacement arrived. Just the same. Glued a bit of rubber in near the hinge and it's fine. The replacement came with another single cable.

Added to which I'm now on my third MicroSoft Wireless 7,000 keyboard and mouse. First mouse did insane things. Second keyboard was dyslexic.

I really am beginning to doubt trusted manufacturers quality control.

Sorry that turned into a rant. Had to tell someone.

[Booglebox]

Powering devices by USB is a murky, murky field with different hardware vendors outputting different USB currents and also requiring different USB currents for their stuff to work.

Personally, I'd triple check the connection of the disk drive to the laptop, and then get a compatible internal blu-ray drive. Laptop optical drives come in two thicknesses - 9mm high and 12mm high, and usually either ATA or SATA (often ATA up until recently) but the connectors can be different to what you expect.

If you give Dell your service tag they should be able to help you with a compatible drive. Alternatively buy a compatible one, and swap the fascia (should clip / screw on).

[boguing]

It's not that murky.

USB provides two data connections and two power connections.

The data tells the power how much it would like to receive. Which was fine in the old days.

Problem is that the spec. gave a maximum current. So, to get more Amps it needs a fudge. Currently (haha) two plugs covers it.

All true for usb2. Current machine has usb3 ports. I'm using them, but have no idea what they might be able to achieve.

[vancouv]

So the latest on my adventures to play blu-ray on my laptop. Bought a nice Sony external player, which is very sleek. It came with Cyberlink PowerDVD, but when I fired that up it said my graphics didn't support blu-ray - as suspected by hellsbrink.

Upgraded the graphics driver to the latest version, same problem. Dowloaded Arcsoft as recommended by hellsbrink, and it reads the disk and plays the music you get over the menu, but no picture, so it's obviously also having a problem.

I searched in both of these for an option that says 'read blu-ray disk but playback as normal' - but unsurprisingly couldn't find anything. As I said before, I'm not fussed about the HD playback quality.

So, does anyone know of a product, or a method, that will allow me to read the disk via my snazzy new external player, but not worry about the fact that my graphics can't support HD. (For those who haven't read the whole thread, it's a works laptop so a hardware upgrade is not possible).

[Mike-Bracknell]

Can you play DVDs?

as you can use software on a separate capable PC to downgrade the output to DVD quality. Not exactly seamless, but short of buying a separate cheap laptop which will play Blu-Rays then you're a little stuck.

[vancouv]

It plays DVDs fine, but I'm looking to watch Blu-Ray disks that I've rented so don't want the hassle of copying them

[Mike-Bracknell]

Well if your laptop's graphics aren't going to be up to the job of displaying them, I think you're going to be SOL. Sorry.

[boguing]

Mike got me thinking.

How about this?

Download DVDShrink. Rip BluRay and convert to ornery dvd.

[Mike-Bracknell]

Mike got me thinking.

How about this?

Download DVDShrink. Rip BluRay and convert to ornery dvd.

I'm looking to watch Blu-Ray disks that I've rented so don't want the hassle of copying them

Guess not ;) anyway, AnyDVD was the s/w I was thinking of. DVDShrink doesn't natively deal with Blu-Ray IIRC? (although it's the DVD ripper of choice)

[boguing]

Mike, yes, quite right.

I meant blu ray video converter, with which you get 5 rips before having to pay. Not sure how much because I've on used two goes.

My thinking was that that method doesn't involve another computer.

Get home, stick it in to rip, make supper, be nice to wife/girlfriend/kids, open wine, watch film.

Save if any good. Curse if not.

[Mike-Bracknell]

My thinking was that that method doesn't involve another computer.

The problem being that if the laptop can't display the Blu-Ray in the first place, the conversion software might not work either. :{