Slim Slot Blu-Ray Optical Drive - where?

[baius]

Hi Hexus people.
I've searched quite thoroughly and don't think this question's been asked yet.

I'm looking for a Slimline Slot-Loading Blu-Ray Optical Drive.

Why?

• I have a SilverStone SG05B SFF/ITX case. This accepts Slimline/Notebook optical drives.
• I'm keen on getting a blu-ray drive - read only is fine, although I'd prefer it if I could write DVD/CD.
• Slot-load is just cool. End of story.

Does anybody have any ideas?

I've seen the Sony BC-5600s around, but it's rather difficult to come by; plus it's expensive. Any alternatives?

Thanks people.

[McPhee]

I looked a few months back, wanted one for my SG05. Not many models about, that Sony was basically it as I remember it. The rest are tray loading drives and even they seem to be £120+

Turns out though I barely use an optical drive at all, never mind Blu-Ray (got a dedicated player for that). If you're interested in a slimline tray-loading drive I can do you a good price on it (like less than half the price of that Sony sort of good ).

[baius]

I can do you a good price on it...

I'd like to hear more. I'd be grateful if you could PM me. Thanks.

[baius]

Turns out though I barely use an optical drive at all...

I wouldn't use it much either, but I'd use it "more than never", as it were. I have Planet Earth Blu-Ray discs at home that I am (almost) dying to try! Yes, it would be nice to be able to put a few Blu Disks on from time-to-time.

More than anything, I'm curious to find out what DTS HD MA and Dobly TrueHD sound like. I have lossless sample files downloaded from Demo World, but CyberLink Power DVD Ultra 10 downscales the sound considerably.

I think this has something to do with my Intel H55 motherboard not being able to establish a Protected Audio Path, or whatever, over HDMI 1.3. So a physical drive might be needed for the aforesaid to work.

A saving grace is that my mobo allows basic Dolby and DTS (Core) to go to my receiver - Transformers 1/2 DVDs with DTS @1.5mbps sound pretty damn good.

A blu-ray drive still might not be the solution - it may be my motherboard. I'm (eagerly) waiting to see if a Radeon HD5750 I just ordered will bitstream TrueHD/DTS-HD properly - with or without a (slot-loading, slimline) BR drive...

(Oops said too much.)

[Terbinator]

For DTs/DD HD i think it can only be done with one of those HDMI 1.3 soundcards that cost circa £100!

[baius]

For DTs/DD HD i think it can only be done with one of those HDMI 1.3 soundcards that cost circa £100!

This used to be the case - but (hopefully) not any more.

[McPhee]

I'd like to hear more. I'd be grateful if you could PM me. Thanks.

I would, but...

baius has chosen not to receive private messages or may not be allowed to receive private messages. Therefore you may not send your message to him/her.

[baius]

I will get that amended. My apologies. (Obv' you're not an admin, though. )

[baius]

Private PM should now be enabled - let spamming commence. (Apart from you of course, McPhee.)

[Skinleech]

Your ATI card will allow bistreaming without issue. I can't vounch for how good PDVD 10 is as I don't use it, but Arcsoft's TMT3 will bitstream with the ATI just fine. Also, if you use a directshow player such as Media Player Classic Home Cinema, you can use a new version of ffdshow that will allow bitstreaming from any file or disk source. TMT3 only works for disks/disk images.

[baius]

Skinleech (what a name!), I've thanked you for an exceedingly useful and encouraging post.

TMT3: I have tried TMT3 as well (long story - as always), and it seems to do some things that CLPD10 doesn't and CLPD10 some things that TMT3 doesn't. Ah!

FFDshow: I've tried Shark 007's new codec pack (with 64bit extensions), but I'm not sure if it has a new enough FFDshow to enable HDMI 1.3 bitstreaming. I downloaded the latest FFDshow-tryout beta, so I may uninstall the codec pack and try just the "tryout".

H55: It concerns me that the issue I'm having isn't software related, however. Hopefully the Radeon 5750 that's coming (waited in all day today ) will resolve what I perceive to be the inadequacies of the H55 motherboard's HDMI output.

(I'll also be able to play Crysis again... )

[Skinleech]

No problems.

I don't use codec packs, just the straight ffdshow installer - any of the recent builds from xvidvideo.ru will sort you out - just remember to set HDMI out and all the HD audio codecs to bitstream from the setup page.

Also, install the ATI HDMI audio drivers, don't use the Realteak ones as they're not compatible with TMT3 (if you end up using that). Make sure you get a recent Catalyst release too, anything from 10.14 should be fine, versions before that had bistreaming issues.

What sort of issues are you having with TMT? I fiond it to be far more flexible than PDVD with far less annoying features.

Good luck with the card...