Mac & external Blu Ray basics

DVD Authoring

Mac & external Blu Ray basics

Posted by Jeff Meyer on May 19, 2011 at 7:32 pm

Hello all,
Looking to add Blu Ray to my current setup. Right now I have a MacPro (12 core) with free USB and Firewire ports. I looking to add a Macbook Pro and an external Blu Ray drive that can be used at both workstations.

I’m thinking this LaCie drive is what I want, would it be a good option for a MacPro and a Macbook Pro?
https://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10539

Now for the big question: what software will I need for this drive? I need to be able to do Finder level copies of files on a data disc, burn Blu Ray data discs, and author Blu Ray video content?

I am using the Final Cut Studio suite right now to edit videos. I am looking to get CS5.5 Production Premium for Photoshop and After Effects. I’m wondering if that will be all I need.

Will OS X handle the reading/writing data discs and Encore handle the writing of video discs?

I’m new to the Blu Ray game (and relatively new to Macs) so I’m very thankful for any help!

Brent Dunn replied 14 years, 11 months ago 4 Members · 4 Replies
4 Replies

Larry Applegate
May 20, 2011 at 4:57 am

Hi Jeff,

Your link is to an internal drive, from the picture, and useless WIndows software except for the player if you run Bootcamp.

I would go with Other World Computing’s 4-way external with the Pioneer BDR-206. I have one with the earlier BDR-203, works flawlessly.

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MRF8BDSD12X/

or bundled with Toast 11 Pro:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MRF8BDSD12XT/

You can burn and do simple authoring with Toast. You can also do backups with OS X, no additional software required, though Toast is better for that. Also very limited authoring with Final Cut & Compressor.

With CS5.5 Production Premium you can author with Encore, which is potentially a much better solution than Toast, particularly for DVD-style authoring. For higher-level Blu-ray authoring, you can use a combination of Encore and our forthcoming software, BluStreak Tracer.

Regards,

Larry Applegate
https://blustreak.dvdafteredit.com/
Michael Slowe
May 20, 2011 at 10:10 am

Jeff, I have a similar computer set up to you, MacPro 2 x 2.66GHz Quad-Core, 8GB RAM running OS 10.6.7.
I bought the Lacie BD Burner which connects to the Mac via USB 2 and, working with Toast (10 or 11) can produce and copy Blu-Ray discs as easy as you like and the quality looks great. I edit XDCAM HD material (ingested with Sony XDCAM Transfer) in Media 100 and didn’t have to install any additional software. I’m a great fan of Toast and can never understand why people find it necessary to use other software such as compressor.

Michael Slowe
Jeff Meyer
May 20, 2011 at 5:15 pm

Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much!
Brent Dunn
May 25, 2011 at 5:32 pm

Here’s another one for a few buc’s cheaper. I am also in the market and this seemed to fit the bill.

https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=432616&CatId=3636

Brent Dunn
Owner / Director / Editor
DunnRight Films
DunnRight Video.com
Video Marketing Toolbox.net

Sony EX-1,
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Mac Pro Tower, Quad Core,
with Final Cut Studio

HP i7 Quad laptop
Adobe CS-5 Production Suite

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums