We all know that Blu-Ray has the best picture quality available for television, but did you know it is available for your existing PC for as low as $56 online? If your computer meets some basic requirements you can be watching Blu-Ray in a matter of minutes. This Friday night I will show you how to quickly add a Blu-Ray drive to your desktop computer.
Typical Blu-Ray System Requirements
- Blu-ray Disc drive
- Dual or quad core processor recommended
- 512 MB RAM (minimum), 1 GB or more recommended
- 256 MB Video graphics or higher
- Operating System – Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (or higher)
More information can be found at
http://www.cyberlink.com/stat/bd-support/enu/system-requirement.jsp
Which One Do I Buy?
Blue-Ray drives for desktop computers are identical to DVD drives having the same form factor and cable connections. You can order these drives from most online retailers such as Newegg, TigerDirect, Frys, Microcenter etc. I think there are six major manufacturers out there now. Choose the drive based on your price point and brand preference.
Before you purchase a new drive make sure you have an extra 5.25” bay in your case. If you do not have an extra bay then you will have to remove your existing DVD drive. This may not be an option if your system is still under warranty. In addition, the less expensive Blu-Ray drives are ROM, meaning they only read the disks and do NOT burn DVDs.
Other Considerations
If your computer is more than three years old you may want to look inside and make sure you have the proper connections. You need to make sure you have an available SATA port on your motherboard. Older PCs had IDE DVD drives (not SATA) so if you are replacing a drive, verify that you can change it out and have the proper cables before you start.
Choose a Blu-Ray drive that comes with playback software. Your PC probably does not have the correct software to play the Blu-Ray once it is connected and installed. Some OEM Blu-Ray players do NOT ship with software. Try and find a drive that has the software.
You can also buy Blu-Ray playing software online but it costs anywhere from $50 to $100!
Ok, enough of the specs. Lets set this pig on fire!
Equipment Needed
- PC with available SATA port
- Blu-Ray drive
- SATA cable
- Blu-Ray software (should come with drive)
- One Beer (optional as always)
Installation Video
This is a quick video on the installation of a Blu-Ray player. Although every computer model is different, the basic concepts are the same. If in doubt, check with the manufacturers website for service instructions and warranty information.
Here are a few quick links
If you have a video camera why not do a video of your own?
Once you have upgraded to Blu-Ray I doubt you will ever go back to DVD!
See you next Friday night,
Timothy Daleo
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