Looking for Blue Ray player for use with my computer.

I like to watch some of my DVDs on the computer. A number of my DVDs are Blu-Ray which I currently can't play on it. I am therefore thinking of either changing my internal CD/DVD drive to a Blu-Ray equivalent, or alternatively adding an external one.
Has anyone got such a device and if so can they make any recommendations?

Hi Alec,

Well I guess you are asking the right person!

Would this be suitable? A well known make and writes as well.... http://www.scan.co.uk/products/pioneer-bdc-207dbk-8x-blu-ray-reader-16x-dvdr-8x-dvd-r-dl-8x-plusrw-6x-rw-oem-plus-3d-ready-oem?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CMGm7K3968ICFUoUwwodCAMAdg

Cheers

Andy

If you want to go for an External Drive then there is this Sony one about £15 cheaper; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-Optiarc-USB-2-0-External-HD-3D-Blu-Ray-Combo-RW-Player-Burner-Writer-Drive-/171537337410?pt=UK_Computing_Drives_Storage_CD_DVD_Drives_ET&hash=item27f06c0c42

Cheers

Andy

P.S - If I don't come back to you tomorrow it's because I am out on an Installation.

Hi Andy,
It might have been a typo, "A well known make and writes as well...." but neither of the drives you provided links for, write to Blu-Ray disks

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
I meant write to DVD/CD - But also from memory if you buy a Blu-Ray Burner such as this; http://www.scan.co.uk/products/lg-16x-blu-ray-writer-16x-dvdr-8x-plusrw-6x-rw-12x-ram-oem-plus-software
Then you need some Blu-Ray Blanks and here is a link to some; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/251758176755?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0



Cheers

Andy

Many thanks for the suggestions, which I shall peruse. I am not interested in writing to Blu-Ray discs; only to be able to play them though the computer.

Are DVD/Blue-ray drives in PCs multi-region or are they region specific like most domestic players?

Based on my experience with ASUS I was wondering about this:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-BC-12D2HT-Blu-ray-Combo-Drive/dp/B00F0SQL6O/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1419893361&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=asus+dvd#productDetails

Supplementary question! Will I need any specific software to be able to play Blu Ray discs? I currently use VLC Media Player to watch my DVDs.

Er . . . not sure about the Region question!!!!!!!!!!!

I have just googled it, and most (including mine) are region specific, but programs such as "Aimersoft DVD Ripper" will allow you to rip any region DVD to your HD to watch on your PC (don't think it works with blu-ray though)

Its much easier to recode the player to Region 0.........................http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks............worked for me,and there are Blue ray machines on the list but remember I'm not an expert.

Thanks for the link Roger.

That site is for DVD players (not PC DVD roms) I did a search for my DVD HD player/recorder and it took me to the site I found earlier, I can set my DVD player to run multi region but you have to have a universal remote (with the magic button) to activate the code, I will probably get one as a spare remote will come in handy if the old remotes conk out. (the replacement remote for my sony telly is almost as expensive as getting a new telly   )

There are hacks for PC DVD roms but I couldn't find one for my DVD drive.

Whilst slightly off piste so to speak the region specifications are as follows:-

Standard DVDs
Region 1: U.S., U.S. Territories, Canada, and Bermuda
Region 2: Japan, Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East, including Egypt
Region 3: Southeast Asia, East Asia, including Hong Kong
Region 4: Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean
Region 5: Eastern Europe, Baltic States, Russia, Central and South Asia, Indian subcontinent, Africa, North Korea, and Mongolia
Region 6: China

Blu-ray Discs
Region A/1: North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia
Region B/2: Europe, Greenland, French territories, Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand
Region C/3: India, Nepal, Mainland China, Russia, Central and South Asia

rufuskins wrote:Based on my experience with ASUS I was wondering about this:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-BC-12D2HT-Blu-ray-Combo-Drive/dp/B00F0SQL6O/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1419893361&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=asus+dvd#productDetails

Supplementary question! Will I need any specific software to be able to play Blu Ray discs? I currently use VLC Media Player to watch my DVDs.

Er . . . not sure about the Region question!!!!!!!!!!!

That Drive will be fine Alec!
On another note regarding the software it comes with it's own or you can use VLC Media Player or Windows Media Player to play movies.
hope this helps!
Cheers
Andy

Thanks for the advice, and I'll see about ordering one in next week or so.

Update on my new Blu Ray Drive - ASUS BC-12D2HT. It's now installed in the computer along with the change from 4GB RAM to 8GB RAM. It plays normal DVDs but I can't get it to play my Blu Ray discs , which seems a little ironic or something.
I have scoured the net and based on information there I have pasted into the system the recommended files necessary to allow VLC, which is my current DVD player, to read and play Blu Ray discs. However it won't play them, and gives the following error messgae:-

Any suggestions would be most gratefully welcome.
The disc that came with the drive has installed software to allow Blu Ray discs to be copied, etc.

Mmmm . . I'm a little less confused but somewhat disappointed. It would appear that no suitable processing key is available for some or all of my Blu Ray discs. I also understand that Windows Media Player may not be able to access these discs as MS haven't paid the royalties or something like that, and the few MS responses seem to suggest that you go to third parties which obviously seems a little odd bearing in mind their attitude to the same. Now it may well be that I haven't fully understood what's going on here, but it may well be that without the above keys my Blu Ray discs will remain unreadable by my new player!
If anyone can explain how the whole system works I would be interested to hear?

Hi Alec.

I'm not an expert on these matters, but have you tried a 3rd party media (Blu-ray compatible) player? these may include the missing files required to play Blu-ray disks.

Or have you contacted the manufacturer/supplier to see what they say about the problem?

Just a thought, but have you manually searched the install disk for the files?

The only files on the included disk relate to setting up the capability of creating Blu Ray discs, etc.

Well it turns out that the drive can burn Blu Ray discs but can't play them, without first installing Blu Ray player software - I should have read and checked more thoroughly when going through with the purchase!
Anyway I have downloaded and installed Leawo Blu Ray Player, and lo and behold I can watch Blu Ray discs - well almost because they flag up the need to update the driver software. I went to the ASUS site and was unable to find any - - once again my head aches !! Independence Day did play though so . . . .

Latest update on the blu ray saga! Independence Day only played for some 44 minutes before picture quality went to hell in a handcart!    
I am now convinced that I have bought the proverbial "pig in a poke"!    
I am seriously considering cutting my losses and reverting back to the old DVD drive, and selling this for "peanuts"! It would have been cheaper to buy ordinary replacement DVDs for my Blu Ray discs!