BluRay burner considerations

[draggar]

I've been thinking about getting a BluRay burner recently - discs are inexpensive now (I've seen about $2 each at BestBuy recently). The drives are still about $100-$130 so they're expensive.

The main reason is for backups - like DVDs there are two versions - 25GB and 50GB discs. While it is still a lot of work and $$$ to back up a 1TB drive, it's better than hundreds of DVDs or DL DVDs.

Does anyone have experience with them?

Also, another question - mainly due to laziness I copy a lot of DVDs (that I own a legal copy to) mainly for backup (watch the backup, take the backup on trips, have them in the bedroom) while the original stays in its case protected. (Please do not get into the politics of this - according to US copyright law this is legal).

I've started buying BluRay discs for movies but we only have a BR player in the bedroom and not in the living room - could the same SW that I use to copy the DVDs be used to copy a BR to DVD? I don't mind quality loss, the TV in the living room isn't HD etc. (it's old - hence why no BR player on it) and I can cut out other languages (dubbed) etc..).

 

[JuniperPark]

I've had one for 2 years. I was buying a Network Storage Device, found the LG-NAS for $400, and it had 2 1TB hard drives and 1 Blu-ray burner built in!

Definately worth it - it's just like DVD but with a 23GB capacity. Like the DVD, the "double sided" aspect may never become popular and is not cost effective. I now see blanks (25GB) at about $1/ea in the 25 and 50 quantity spools, on sale at Fry's.

On playing movies, it seems to be just like DVDs, you select at burn time whether you are burning "data" or "movie".