External Bd Burner

LiteOn Branded 4X SATA BD-ROM Black Retail packaging with limited software.

Amazon Sales Rank: #63030 in Consumer Electronics Brand: Lite-On Model: DH-4O1S-08 Platform: Windows 2000 Number of items: 1 Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 1.76 pounds Product #: DH4O1S08 Manufacturer: PLDS Manufacturer Item #: DH-4O1-08 UPC: 844149003405

Most helpful customer reviews 14 of 15 people found the following review helpful. Poor firmware and software; incompatible with some movies; some problems and solutions By Mark Colan [See updates below] Summary: At time of writing, it is cheaper to install this drive in a reasonably powerful HTPC than to buy a blu-ray disc player, assuming you have the HTPC already. As with any new technology, there are problems; these will be worked out as the technology matures. You should upgrade the firmware (CP56 recommended). The bundled software, PowerDVD, has limitations and problems which you can work around. NOTE: This drive is a READER only. It does not write any kind of disc. This is stated clearly in the product description and I am not complaining: it is much cheaper than a writer, and fine for my HTPC. THE DRIVE The drive itself works fine so far (one month). As a very standard optical drive, it is as easy to install as any DVD drive. SATA is required for this model, of course, but the advantages of SATA is one reason I bought this drive. In operation, the drive is reasonably quiet. Blu-ray content requires a reasonably powerful computer. My do-it-yourself HTPC is based on an Intel E6600, an Asus/Nvidia EN9600 video card, and Windows Vista SP1. These are adequate for quality playback on most discs, but I see a stutter occasionally (no more than once every 3 seconds) on Batman Begins, but not others. Blu-ray requires a video card and display or TV that supports HDCP. I was pleased to find that my 3-year-old Sharp Aquos LCD TV does support HDCP; I assume most or all modern LCD TVs and monitors do now. My drive came with firmware version CP54 installed. I had two serious problems that were corrected by upgrading to CP56 (visit lite-on's support page): 1. Windows Media Center complained that the region number was incorrect, so I was unable to play a conventional Region 1 (USA) DVD, even after setting Region 1 in the control panel. 2. Using PowerDVD 7.3, I was able to play blu-ray movies for awhile, but then one day, every time I tried, I got an Information box that told me that certain key parts of the program needed to be updated (sorry, I don't have the exact message). It gave me the opportunity to update, to which I said yes, and after a brief pause, it said it was successful. Pressing the Play button again put me through the same sequence; I was no longer able to play movies I had already played on the same equipment. Since both problems were corrected by upgrading the firmware, I recommend that all users upgrade to CP56 or newer by visiting lite-on's support page. THE BUNDLED SOFTWARE PowerDVD 7.3 BD, two channel edition, is included. It is capable of playing some blu-ray discs (Blade Runner, Stargate), and not others (Batman Begins). Some people complain that the two-channel edition does not provide surround sound. For sure it does not provide Dolby Digital 5.1, but I do hear surround effects on my system, at least for Blade Runner blu-ray edition. There are two possible explanations: it could be that the movie includes a two-channel soundtrack with Dolby Pro-Logic (an early surround technology that is inferior to Dolby Digital 5.1); it could be that my updated Accurus digital processor is simulating surround sound in the same way it expands stereo music into full surround. I don't know which, but the surround I heard on the two-channel edition sounds appropriately surrounded, and comments from others on a different forum report the same thing (suggesting that the Pro-Logic theory is correct). When I start Batman Begins (blu-ray edition), I get the piracy warning and the Warner logo, followed by an icon suggesting a disc read, then a black screen. For most movies, the black screen lasts a second or two, then the movie begins. For this movie, it stays black, and the application appears to be hung (can only terminate with Windows Task Manager). I worked around this problem by installing the trial (30-day) version of PowerDVD 8