Blu-ray on a G5?

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Blu-ray on a G5?

I have recently bought a 24" LCD monitor for my G5 (early 2005, dual 2.5GHz, PCI-X, 8GB RAM). The display is used but in excellent condition. Now that I have more screen "real estate" on which to view movies, I have been thinking about purchasing a Blu-ray drive. Does anybody have any clues as to what hardware "bottlenecks" might exist when attaching such newer technology to an older computer? The monitor is a HP LP2465 (1920 x 1200) with DVI input. It is about 3 to 4 years old. My current graphics card is an AGP ATI Radeon 9600 XT, which came with the G5. Would this handle what I would assume to be a higher rate of data being sent to the monitor? Would the monitor be able to keep up? Are there any hardware compliance requirements I need to be aware of?

I haven't decided yet whether to settle for an external drive attached through either USB or FireWire 800 (as well as the built-in port, I have installed a FW800 PCI card), or to replace the internal DVD-burner with the proposed Blu-ray drive. If I go internal, I would need to install a SATA PCI card (I have one available) as all the Blu-ray drives I have looked at on the internet and eBay seem to only have SATA connectors (not IDE).

If anyone has done what I am hoping to do, I would be pleased to hear your experiences and suggestions, even if it's something as simple as which brands/models to recommend or avoid, compatibility concerns, practical matters, etc. I don't want to rush in blindly. All useful information is welcomed.

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.4.11), G5, DP 2.5 GHz

Posted on Sep 7, 2011 2:21 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Sep 7, 2011 3:08 AM in response to Community User

HD content won't work well in the G5

A Bluray is best left for storage, while viewing Bluray discs is best on a supporting PC or home entertainment Bluray drive.

A thorough explanation (regarding my dismissal of BR) is here:

http://lowendmac.com/ed/bashur/09db/mac-blu-ray-prospects.html

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Answer 2

Sep 7, 2011 3:31 AM in response to japamac

Thanks for that info, including that contained in the lowendmac link. Just as well I asked before spending any money! I had feelings that even a fast G5 and its associated video hardware might not be able to cope with the higher throughput which Blu-ray requires. BR is not necessary for me, but it might have been a nice enhancement.

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Answer 3

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Sep 7, 2011 4:44 AM in response to Community User

I'm glad that you asked as well.

Even with a powerful CPU and GPU, without HDCP compliant graphics card options for the G5, even if one has a HDCP compliant monitor, the whole endeavor is a lost cause.

The first is the most important: HDCP output compatibility. HDCP is a copy protection system designed to protect the digital pathway between your graphics card and your monitor. Both your graphics card and your monitor must support HDCP if you are using a DVI or HDMI connection, in order for a full resolution picture to show up (generally, a HDMI connection includes HDCP support)

The above quote is from an information rich article here:

http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/PC_Blu-ray_HD_DVD_Ready_page2.html

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Answer 4

Sep 7, 2011 4:53 AM in response to japamac

Thanks again. That article is very convincing. I found a PDF user's guide for the HP LP2465 monitor - there was no mention of HDCP anywhere. I think I'll save my money for something else.

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