# Why is there no Blu-Ray DVD reader for a PC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-blu-ray-dvd-reader-for-a-pc/413931 "2007-08-01T04:04:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CanTak3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@CanTak3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanTak3)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-blu-ray-dvd-reader-for-a-pc/413931/1 "2007-08-01T04:04:40Z")
Yes, I know that \*burners \* exist. Let’s assume that since the burners start at about $450, then a reader would be significantly less. I only need the reader portion and don’t want to spend that much for a drive. Does anyone know of a reader on the horizon from any company? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-blu-ray-dvd-reader-for-a-pc/413931/2 "2007-08-01T05:26:38Z")
[QUOTE=CanTak3] Yes, I know that \*burners \* exist. Let’s assume that since the burners start at about $450, then a reader would be significantly less. I only need the reader portion and don’t want to spend that much for a drive. Does anyone know of a reader on the horizon from any company? [/QUOTE] Maybe you could buy a _player_ and watch the disc on your tv? Don’t mean to sound sarcastic (ok, I did, but no offense meant), but I don’t think there is much of a market YET for playing but not burning. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-blu-ray-dvd-reader-for-a-pc/413931/3 "2007-08-01T05:37:26Z")
Here’s a press release on one such drive: > [@](#): > > New Pioneer Blu-Ray Disc Computer Drive Delivers High Definition Film Playback to PC Fans > Long Beach, CA May 2, 2007 > > Demonstrating its continued commitment to high definition optical disc technology, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announces the BDC-2202, a robust Blu-ray Disc computer drive, which will be available to consumers beginning next month for a suggested price of $299. When installed in a properly configured PC, the Pioneer Blu-ray Disc combination drive allows users to playback new high definition Blu-ray Disc film titles as well as read and write digital content to DVD and CD, fulfilling their storage and entertainment needs. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-blu-ray-dvd-reader-for-a-pc/413931/4 "2007-08-01T06:50:01Z")
The deal with those things is that they’re literally _filled_ with DRM, to the point that it’ll scan your PC to see if it’s got the right hardware to ensure you “can’t” (i.e. it’s difficult until someone comes out with a hack [which they have]) play DRM’d content on your machine. And it’ll (or more correctly, the software that comes with it) scan _every_ component of your system, and if just one of them isn’t right it won’t let you play protected content. Because otherwise you’d be burning up the intarwebs with 50+ Gig files of movies that you ripped to your harddrive. :rolleyes: Supposedly, Macs are going to start shipping with Blu-Ray drives in the near future, but given how much Jobs seems to dislike DRM, I can’t see that happening, but I’ve been wrong before. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-blu-ray-dvd-reader-for-a-pc/413931/5 "2007-08-01T06:58:00Z")
[QUOTE=CanTak3] Yes, I know that \*burners \* exist. Let’s assume that since the burners start at about $450, then a reader would be significantly less. I only need the reader portion and don’t want to spend that much for a drive. Does anyone know of a reader on the horizon from any company? [/QUOTE] [http://www.asipartner.com/products/catalog\_spec.asp?Sub\_ID=16&SKU=53456](http://www.asipartner.com/products/catalog_spec.asp?Sub_ID=16&SKU=53456) $889 via a wholesale only vendor oh…nm player only…