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AMEX Digital Announces External Blu-ray Drive for Macs

by , 4:10 PM EDT, October 16th, 2008

Steve Jobs has already said that Apple isn't going to go with Blu-ray for now, but those who just have to have it anyway, AMEX Digital has announced its USB external Portable Super Multi-Drive for Intel Macs.

The slot loading Blu-ray drive has the following features:

  • Latest Technology can supports the 12cm and 8cm disc
  • BD-RE/-R (SL) 2X Speed Writing / Reading
  • BD-RE/-R (DL) 1X Speed Writing / 1.6X Speed Reading
  • BD-ROM (SL / DL) 2X Speed Reading
  • Writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 4x speed
  • Writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed
  • Writes DVD-RW discs at up to 6x speed and DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed
  • Reads DVDs at up to 8x speed
  • Writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed
  • Writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed
  • Reads CDs at up to 24x speed

AMEX Portable Super Multi Drive (black)

The external drive is compatible with Macs with Intel Core 2 Duo or faster and Mac OS X. It is available in black or white and is priced at US$289.00.

A search for blank Blu-ray media, 50 GB, showed that the best current prices are about US$27 each.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:jimothy Posts: 612 Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Subject: Purdy

It's a nice looking drive. With this, can you view blu-ray movies on a Mac, or is this just for storage/backup?

Close Name:j.martellaro -   TMO Staff Posts: 97 Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Subject: Movies

I'm thinking that with USB 2 and therefore no HDCP, it might well be data only.
I've asked the vendor.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Blu Ray Drive

Hey, that's great. Now can we use DVD Studio Pro to author a pro quality Blu Ray DVD with this thing? No, we cannot. Other than backup to media with an unknown life span, what's the point?

Close Name:vasic Posts: 279 Joined: 09 Aug 2005
Subject: The point

You'll have to wait a bit longer for FCP Studio (DVDSP) update in order to author Blu-ray content. If you have the money, though, you can do it right now with Adobe's Encore. If you have much less money, you can do it with Toast Titanium 9.

In other words, for ordinary consumers who want to transfer their HD stuff from those new AVCHD (or HDV) camcorders onto Blu-ray discs for grandma to watch on her new HDTV / BD combo, you can use iMovie 08 to transcode and edit, then Toast to author and burn. If the movie is shorter than an hour, ordinary DVD-DL will do. If it's longer, get this drive and Blu-ray blanks and you're good to go.

Close Name:coaten Posts: 3071 Joined: 10 Oct 2001
Subject:

Quote
vasic wrote:
In other words, for ordinary consumers who want to transfer their HD stuff from those new AVCHD (or HDV) camcorders onto Blu-ray discs for grandma to watch on her new HDTV / BD combo, you can use iMovie 08 to transcode and edit, then Toast to author and burn. If the movie is shorter than an hour, ordinary DVD-DL will do. If it's longer, get this drive and Blu-ray blanks and you're good to go.


If only it were that straightforward. Sadly, not all AVCHD cameras are created equal, and some just don't offer a file format compatible with iMovie. Canon HG 10? Yes. Sanyo Xacti? No. Sony? Depends on the model.

At last, JVC is producing a camera that offers a choice of capture codecs. This is getting somewhere. I hope it sets a trend.

Close Name:josesensei Posts: 137 Joined: 01 Apr 2008
Subject: What for?

Wouldn't you rather have a PS3?

Jose

Close Name:UpQuark Posts: 92 Joined: 26 Aug 2001
Subject:

Quote
j.martellaro wrote:
I'm thinking that with USB 2 and therefore no HDCP, it might well be data only.
I've asked the vendor.


Doesn't the HDCP requirement hint a bit to the technology morass that SJ was taking about? I find it odd that you can watch DVD's via USB/firewire, but to support DRM, you need a special connector and/or a patch to your BR player etc. Not sure if the BR technology is all that - yes it is clearer, but on my 1080i set - the up-convert of a DVD is pretty nice to look at. And DVD's are soo much cheaper all the way around. (The player, the disks, the connection cabling/the TV sets it will work with..) http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/hdcp-1.html

I am with SJ on this one - I think I will wait and see.

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