Slight rant. Bluray drives

[synaesthesia]

Simple one really.

 

DVD drive for a PC. Tenner. For a laptop, double that. It's been like that since the day dot.

Bluray drives. Laptop drive, 12 - 15 quid. PC, internal, OEM - 30 - 50 quid.

 

I fail to understand this

[sted]

supply and demand the desktop is dying

[localzuk]

To be fair, £28 for a blu ray drive doesn't seem excessive to me... (Just ordered one in fact).

 

But like sted says, (although I disagree with 'dying') the PC market is changing, adjusting but not dying. Desktop PCs are more niche, as most consumers go for laptops - even though they are a lot lower spec for more money, due to convenience. Add in that not many people actually buy upgrades for them any more as well and you have your explanation.

 

I do question your laptop drive 12 - 15 quid though - I can't find them anywhere less than £30.

[synaesthesia]

Ebay - all external drives are 12-15 quid. So laptop drive + usb thingy.

 

No it's not at all excessive, it was just the reversal of prices & roles. Signs that I'm getting old!

Edited April 3, 2013 by synaesthesia

[DMcCoy]

Do they *write* blu rays too like the desktop ones?

[Arthur]

DVD drive for a PC. Tenner. For a laptop, double that. It's been like that since the day dot.

Bluray drives. Laptop drive, 12 - 15 quid. PC, internal, OEM - 30 - 50 quid.

The biggest difference is with the Blu-ray writers. It seems you are better off taking the drive out of the USB enclosure if you need an internal drive for a laptop.

 

DVD±RW

Laptop: £15.96

Desktop: £12.99

 

BD-ROM

USB: £15.89

Laptop: £17.99

Desktop: £21.99

 

BD-RE

USB: £39.99

Laptop: £58.19

Desktop: £61.93

[flyinghaggis]

When I think back to how much I spent on the first 2x CD Reader drive I bought in the nineties everything else seems cheap in comparison

 

I've never actually got round to upgrading the DVD drive in my PC to a Blu-Ray model though when I build a new desktop it'll definitely be on the shopping list.

Edited April 3, 2013 by flyinghaggis

[Arthur]

When I think back to how much I spent on the first 2x CD Reader drive I bought everything else seems cheap in comparison

You're right about that. My first CD writer cost £300, required a SCSI connection and you couldn't use the PC for anything else while you were burning the disc or you would end up with a coaster. IIRC each blank disc cost £2.00!

[synaesthesia]

Aye, I remember that Spent £230 (still have the receipt!) on a mitsumi 2x CDR drive (no rewrite). DVDRW's can be had now for a tenner, it's daft!

 

Only reason I've been looking is because I appear to be getting a small collection of BR films and nothing to play them on!

[localzuk]

Well, when the copyright laws get updated soon, we'll be allowed to rip things for our own personal collections. So, having a blu ray drive makes sense if you want a media PC with all your movies on.