The first Sony Blu-ray BWU-100A will not play commercial movies. Copy protection issues and slow software development were a factor.
Sony announced their BWU-100A Blu-Ray drive in Sydney Australia yesterday. The drive will only play high-definition content from a digitial camcorder and not commercial Blu-Ray movies.
Sony's product manager for data storage , Vincent Bautista, said that the two big reasons are: Digital Content Protection (HDCP), and the Blu-Ray playback software that can decrypt HDCP isn't released (in sellable form) yet.
This HDCP issue is due to the fact that a computer that can house this drive must have the ability to decrypt using HDCP-compliant graphic cards that offer a DVI or HDMI connection. There are currently no PC's for sale with these graphic thips yet to support this feature.
Currently, the Sony's VAIO VGN-AR18GP notebook can play back Blu-Ray discs using an OEM version of WinDVD that comes bundled with it. However, that's about all.
Huh? So, basically Sony released a backup management recorder because its "too early" to implement one that has other uses? Woah.
Now, those interested can look for the BWU-100A to sell from Sony in Australia for $1,399. It has a write speed of 2x.
This was the Australian market. Hopefully, this Australian presentation is just for those downunder, and when it comes to the USA perhaps it will have all the features that one comes to expect from a media drive with a lower price tag...
Sony announced their BWU-100A Blu-Ray drive in Sydney Australia yesterday. The drive will only play high-definition content from a digitial camcorder and not commercial Blu-Ray movies.
Sony's product manager for data storage , Vincent Bautista, said that the two big reasons are: Digital Content Protection (HDCP), and the Blu-Ray playback software that can decrypt HDCP isn't released (in sellable form) yet.
This HDCP issue is due to the fact that a computer that can house this drive must have the ability to decrypt using HDCP-compliant graphic cards that offer a DVI or HDMI connection. There are currently no PC's for sale with these graphic thips yet to support this feature.
Currently, the Sony's VAIO VGN-AR18GP notebook can play back Blu-Ray discs using an OEM version of WinDVD that comes bundled with it. However, that's about all.
Huh? So, basically Sony released a backup management recorder because its "too early" to implement one that has other uses? Woah.
Now, those interested can look for the BWU-100A to sell from Sony in Australia for $1,399. It has a write speed of 2x.
This was the Australian market. Hopefully, this Australian presentation is just for those downunder, and when it comes to the USA perhaps it will have all the features that one comes to expect from a media drive with a lower price tag...
