First a report from Reymac, one of our forum members:
Here after is my experience with Leopard and BD media:
Hardware:
- Sony BWU-100A BD drive in an external FireWire enclosure, firmware 1.0e
- Macbook Pro 17" @ 2.16Ghz, 1GB RAM -ATI Mobility Radeon X1600
Software:
As you already reported it, Apple DVD player launch when the disc is inserted but then crashed.
Vista...
Windows Vista Integral Edition installed on the MacBook Pro, using different drivers than those provided with Leopard DVD.
1) Vista recognizes the external Sony BD drive (normal)
2) I download Cyberlink Advisor from http://www.cyberlink.com
Once installed Cyberlink Advisor scan the hardware configuration for its ability to play BD media: all check points are passed, except for a BD media player!
Amazing, as it would imply that MacBook 17" from the previous generation (Napa refresh) is already HDCP compatible!
So, I decide to install the Cyberlink BD player package bundled with the BWU-100A. I only install Power DVD, then I insert a BD movie: Arthur and the Minimoys. Vista rapidly warns me about a serious compatibility issue. I click on "continue", then Power DVD shows up, but could not play the BD media. However, Power DVD offers me to download and install an update. Once it is done, Power DVD is now in version 7.3 and... the movie starts playing! It works! I test several of my BD movies, only one is not working as reported to be coded for region B.
So what should be concluded?
The MacBook Pro 17" clocked at 2.16GHz is already BD hardware compatible. So if BD movies fail to be played properly with Apple DVD player, this is purely a problem with the software part. Let's hope Apple will quickly update it.If the MacBook 17" turns to be HDCP-ready, chances are high that all MacBook from the same revision as well as the current models are HDCP-ready on the hardware level. So, all those models should be able to play BD media as long as Apple released the proper version of its DVD player, and that one can plug external BD drive. iMacs being also built on the same Intel Mobile platform than the MacBook Pro, they should also be HDCP-ready.
Another member reports to have performed the same operation with a HD-DVD drive, and it worked!
[translation by Linathael]
