08/15/2008, 3:40pm, EDT
Friday, August 15thMicrosoft first with native Blu-ray support
Microsoft on Friday tipped its hand and revealed itself as the first major operating system developer to incorporate more complete Blu-ray support into its platform. A test version of Microsoft's Feature Pack for Storage will give Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003 and Server 2008 the option of burning Blu-ray discs directly from the operating system, averting the need for a third-party app record to the larger storage format.
Upgrading with the Storage patch will also add the ability to lock down removable storage with a certificate or password to prevent the theft of secure material and will also add new forms of Smart Card support for government workers and others that depend on the standard to access networks and data.
The update is still in the beta stage and isn't yet known to have a set completion date, though the scale of the release suggests a comparatively near-term launch.
Microsoft's approach gives it an inroad into more secure workplaces and should also speed the rate of adoption for Blu-ray hardware, whose costs have often remained elevated due partly from a need to bundle third-party software. Linux, Mac OS X, and other operating systems lack both burning and playback support without third-party tools. [via ZDNet]
Filed under: industry, software, upgrades/storage
Other story tags: Microsoft, Linux, blu-ray, Vista
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Find it Odd?
Does anyone else find it odd that Apple, one of the original backers in the BluRay Camp was beat out but the main huckster for HD-DVD? Maybe it has something to do with Apple having more important projects, or the lack of call for BR media at this point.
Then again, maybe Apple wants to keep pushing it's digital files only->large capacity HDs model for video and data content (see Time Machine). Your thoughts?
Re: Find it Odd?
Not really. I think Apple probably sees Blu-ray as a bit of a turkey right now - frankly I think Microsoft does too, but it doesn't hurt MS to add support for Blu-ray burning (it wouldn't hurt Apple either, of course) within the OS.
I'm just not sure how big a deal this really is though. It's basically adding the ability to natively copy data to blu-ray discs from the OS without using a third party app. Probably useful for people who specifically need to be burning data to blu-ray discs.
But if I were someone who has already invested in a blu-ray drive and was paying the price for blu-ray discs, I probably already own a third party app for burning blu-ray discs anyway.
So yeah, can't complain about someone adding support within the OS, but it seems inconsequential for the time being.
Recordable data blu-ray discs really need to come down in price a lot more for them to become more widely adopted as a replacement for recordable DVD's.
who wants to give me HD
who wants to burn to stuff. it is slow expensive and unreliable compared to hard drive backups burning to backup I am so over..
Vista is NOT first!
I believe I've read reports on the internet that Apple already has Blu-Ray data reading/writing support in MacOS X 10.5. There are several internal and external devices you can buy and burn BD data disks without having to buy anything else.
Now, it can't natively burn or video Blu-Ray disks, but that's because of the insane demands of the MPAA (playing at least).
It's got me wondering
If Mac OSX already has BR Support, and now windoze does too, how long before we see a version of Handbrake that can read these disks (for the disks you own, of course)?
Blu Ray Support
I guess there are two kinds of Blu-Ray Support.. Burning a Data Disk and Viewing a Blu Ray DVD/ Burning a Blu-Ray DVD. The Latter dosen't seem to be happening anytime soon and it should be given a higher priority.
completely wrong
MacOSX has supported Blu-Ray burning within the OS since the release of OS 10.5.2. While Leopard doesn't support playback, it's clear that StoragePack doesn't either. so all this means is M$ is playing catchup. My bet is that Leopard will have supported blu-ray burning from within the OS for over a year before Microsoft actually releases this patch. Notice the original ZDNet didn't make that claim. Where are the MacNN fact checkers?
I suspect
That Microsoft is announcing this because the reduction in profits because of changes to the Mac platform involve bringing Blueray into most Macs.
I could be wrong, but I already thought it to be a reasonable possibility before this announcement... and now it seems likely.
Re: completely wrong
But at least MS's would support their older operating systems, as opposed to Apple's "We refuse to support anyone who refuses to use our latest stuff!" model.
slot-oading
I think SJ made it clear that once BR drives are released with slot-loading, reading/wringt to DVDs, reading/writing to CDs, reading/writing to BR. then it'll become feasible to implement with Macs.