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First Blu-ray drive for Mac unveiled
updated 02:25 pm EDT, Wed August 2, 2006
First Mac Blu-ray drive
Logitec has unveiled its LBD-A2FU2/LBD-A2U2 drives, the first Blu-ray disk drives to support Mac OS X. The new drives can play, read, and record single-layer (25GB) or double-layer (50GB) Blu-ray disks; read, play, record, and re-write DVD+R/-R/+RW at 8X, DVD-RW at 6X, DVD+R/-R DL at 4X, and DVD-RAM at 5X speeds; and can play as well as burn CD-Rs at 24X or CD-RWs at 16X. The devices feature an 8MB buffer that allows burning without interruption, with the LBD-A2FU2 offering both USB 2.0 as well as FireWire connectivity. The LBD-A2U2, conversely, only offers USB 2.0 connectivity. The A2U2 and A2FU2 are priced at $1,100 and $1,200, respectively. [corrected]
so how long..
08/02, 02:34pm reply
does anyone know how long it will take to bun a blu-ray disk? are we talking 20 minutes or 45 hours?
freakboy2
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Oct 2002
$1100?!? Keep it.
08/02, 02:55pm reply
When they get their heads on straight with these crazy prices, I think I'll ask questions. for those prices they can keep them.
exca1ibur
Mac Elite
Joined: Oct 2000
umm...
08/02, 03:06pm reply
You're speaking to folks who blow $3700 on a Tower alone and another $3200 for a 30" screen.. $1100 isn't much for a freaking drive honestly. I have users with dual monitors, 23" HD and a 30" on a G5... please.
ibugv4
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2003
correction
08/02, 03:09pm reply
$2500 for the monitor, still $3700 for the tower after it's upgraded to their needs...
ibugv4
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2003
media?
08/02, 03:15pm reply
Let's see, SL DVD blanks are 25 cents, DL DVD blanks are 2 bucks, eight times higher. I read prices for blank BD discs from 25 to 35 bucks. Each.
MUCH LATER!
paulc
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Logitec?
08/02, 03:17pm reply
I am sure Logitec is well known in parts of Asia, but that's pretty shady name (brand confusion with Logitech).
Filburt
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2001
New technology costs
08/02, 05:10pm reply
I don't know why the price is a surprise to anyone here.
New technology is expensive. It always has been. The first CD burners - that is 1x CD burners were $2000. Blank CDs were $20 each.
Wait a while - let the early adopters make it popular, and then reap the rewards of economies of scale.
hayesk
Professional Poster
Joined: Sep 1999
Waiting for a winner
08/02, 06:39pm reply
Blu-Ray and HD DVD are going to duke it out to become the "default" drive, just like Betamax and VHS did in the 80s and CD+R and CD-R did in the 90s. I'm waiting for a winner before I plunk down cash on a drive... I think that anyone who doesn't has more money than brains.
Ashari
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2003
RE: New technology costs
08/02, 07:08pm reply
Exactly. The first victims, I mean adoptors, are used to being raped. So, waiting 3 years isn't a problem especially since media is scarce anyhow.
exca1ibur
Mac Elite
Joined: Oct 2000
re: waiting for a winner
10/31, 03:28pm reply
ashari, there is no CD+R that I've heard of, I think you might be confusing it with DVD+R. That one ended up in a tie, such that it doubles the variety of media found in the blank media aisle.
JeffDM
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2006