ASUS unleashes USB 2.0 Blu-ray drive -- government denies knowledge

ASUS has taken a pretty basic USB Blu-ray drive and given it a fine veneer of high-gloss looks. The SBC-04B1S-U isn't fancy stuff -- 4.8x maximum Blu-ray disc reading, 8x DVD burning, a USB 2.0 connection, and Windows (but not OS X) compatibility. The bright blue 'X' on the side also flashes and has a dedicated app just to control its brightness. None of this will help, of course, when the strobing 'X' attracts the attention of the entire underground world of paranormal conspiracy theorists to your bedroom as if you threw up the alien Bat-Signal -- but, you know, whatever. There's no word yet on pricing or availability for this attractive, skinny dude.

[Via SlashGear]

[chambo622 @ Jun 29th 2009 3:44PM]

coolest external optical drive ever. but who cares? can blu-ray even play smoothly over USB?

[GingerFox @ Jun 29th 2009 3:49PM]

No they thought they'd sell you a drive that wont work with the interface its connected to *rolls eyes*

[a ham sandwich @ Jun 29th 2009 3:50PM]

well, seeing as Wikipedia says "BD-Video movies have a maximum data transfer rate of 54 Mbit/s" and the theoretical max for USB 2.0 is 480 Mb/s, i'd say yes. anybody care to confirm this?

[T D @ Jun 29th 2009 3:53PM]

I would still think at absolute max bitrate, BD movies might not play well since 480mbps is the burst rate, not sustained. The actual transfer rate might be much less, though I doubt it'd go below 54mbits in most situations...

They should have still included a firewire port.

[j3ff86 @ Jun 29th 2009 3:54PM]

I can confirm it. I've played blu-rays smoothly on my 2 year old LG drive over a cheap sata -> usb adapter many times.

[chanmanplanet @ Jun 29th 2009 4:11PM]

what is that? wolverine approved? hehe cooling looking nevertheless ..

[Excelsium @ Jun 29th 2009 7:29PM]

looks like a certain game console o.o

[daliminator2000 @ Jun 30th 2009 12:44AM]

Looks like a skinny, glossy black version of the old Seagate FreeAgent external HDDs.

[xValentine @ Jun 30th 2009 2:45AM]

They should have add atleast an ESATA port :(

[Cody @ Jun 29th 2009 3:44PM]

Knowlege?

[FNG @ Jun 29th 2009 3:55PM]

knowlege, it's what you have when you don't have knowledge.

[Clyde Berry @ Jun 29th 2009 4:21PM]

Just like the government... Denying a foreigner. Or at least I assume they're a foreigner with a name like Knowlege. Is that Italian?

[ash chapman @ Jun 29th 2009 3:47PM]

It was a good attempt but nothing could make this news exciting. Good effort, though.

No, seriously.

[kojo87 @ Jun 29th 2009 9:46PM]

its gadget news on a gadget blog. what exactly did you want from this?

[y3k.nik @ Jun 29th 2009 3:48PM]

It cant write to BD either? That is a little useless. My PS3 serves me fine for now.

[yes @ Jun 29th 2009 4:15PM]

...said Mario.

[BlurMagic @ Jun 29th 2009 4:55PM]

No Burning = No Buy

I don't care how good it looks.

[dsteve303 @ Jun 29th 2009 3:48PM]

OMG! Looks so sweet! I want one!

[OneLove @ Jun 29th 2009 4:20PM]

you just had to be the "OMG! Looks so sweet! I want one!" guy

[qwack @ Jun 29th 2009 4:33PM]

Followed by..

THATS WHAT SHE SAID!

[StreamingEagle @ Jun 29th 2009 4:01PM]

This is an external Blu-ray ROM drive / DVD Burner combo. It's not a Blu-ray player. On a PC, the "player" is the software, like Cyberlink PowerDVD Ultra.

Yes... USB 2.0 can easily handle Blu-ray bitrates.

Tom
Cyberlink

[j3ff86 @ Jun 29th 2009 4:24PM]

Hey do you think you guys could throw in a copy of PowerDVD this time that has more than 2 channels of audio unlocked?

[BlurMagic @ Jun 29th 2009 4:59PM]

Does anyone else find it really pointless to post something under a username, and then sign off with your real name?



- Godzilla

[kal326 @ Jun 29th 2009 5:33PM]

@j3ff86

What drive do you buy? My clearance Sony 2x BR drive came with PowerDVD that supports 5.1 and I think I paid a little under $80 for it.

[Jon Acheson @ Jun 29th 2009 6:02PM]

Unfortunately the software for playing Blu-rays on a PC is still the same old dysfunctional shite.

[Wolfticket @ Jun 29th 2009 9:16PM]

Hey, Tom Cyberlink.

Any chance of you releasing some software that isn't massively bloated, has a decent UI and isn't hugely overpriced for a retail version?

[chansthename @ Jun 30th 2009 3:47AM]

Hey can we please not floccinaucinihiliphilificate the cyberlink guy, what you think of powerdvd is not relevant ATM. He made a good point and that should stand as is.

[SchmuckyTheCat @ Jun 29th 2009 4:57PM]

Call me when there is a slot load Blu-ray drive under $100. until then, meh.

[dsteve303 @ Jun 29th 2009 4:05PM]

dnt make fun of my beutiful mchine

[ED @ Jun 29th 2009 7:16PM]

Insted I'll mke fun of your mssing vowls.

[StreamingEagle @ Jun 29th 2009 4:10PM]

Easy there guys ... it looks like it will come with Blu-ray player software, like every retail Blu-ray disc drive. The ASUS website mentions TrueTheater HD (TTHD), which is Cyberlink's DVD upsampling technology, found only in PowerDVD (the Blu-ray player software).

Tom

[massive_98 @ Jun 29th 2009 4:17PM]

I just want Asus to release the P30A. I cannot stand waiting for it.

[iFargle @ Jun 29th 2009 4:26PM]

If they sell it for around $150 I'd consider it, but probably not for anything higher.

[digitallysick @ Jun 29th 2009 4:30PM]

And why won't it work in linux?

[Pusta @ Jun 29th 2009 4:52PM]

Because they cannot DRM the sh!t out of your OS?

[Stephen @ Jun 29th 2009 4:51PM]

Looks nice... if it has a decent price i'd look into it, but at the same time, i have Blu-Ray in my PC already... so yeah... probably won't be getting it. (I do need a burner though, me and my genius didn't read all of the spec page for my Blu-Ray drive) :(

[G @ Jun 29th 2009 5:18PM]

why would i want to buy an EXTERNAL bluray drive?

[mko @ Jun 29th 2009 5:47PM]

On a notebook perhaps.

[kal326 @ Jun 29th 2009 5:38PM]

"..and Windows (but not OS X) compatibility."
Don't hate on the drive, hate the Apple. Its not the drives fault that Apple hasn't changed its stance on BR, put the bag of hurt where it belongs.

[ethana2 @ Jun 29th 2009 5:48PM]

Apple's choice was to not include blu-ray drives in their hardware.
I blame the manufacturer of the drive.

[kal326 @ Jun 29th 2009 7:04PM]

That doesn't change the fact that Apple isn't exactly Blu-Ray friendly. Why would they incur the expense of including an OS X compatible Blu-Ray player software for the small percentage of customers that would have a Mac and the hardware necessary to properly view a Blu-Ray movie on it. That would be offering a plug-in hybrid version of a car in the Middle East, it just doesn't make good business sense.

[ethana2 @ Jun 29th 2009 5:49PM]

"and Windows (but not OS X) compatibility. "

It'll be interesting to see if Ubuntu supports this drive while OS X does not. If this drive uses somewhat standard software interfaces like other USB optical drives, I'm going to bet it will.

[windblownmonkey @ Jun 29th 2009 5:50PM]

Now if only they would make a matching netbook that could actually push some 1080p...or even 720p. Then this would be all the sexier.

[jinsei888 @ Jun 29th 2009 5:52PM]

looks decent, minus the graphic

[iNathan @ Jun 29th 2009 6:15PM]

Eighteen months ago the first evidence of intelligent life off the Earth was discovered. It was buried 40 feet below the lunar surface near the crater Tycho. Except for a single very powerful radio emission aimed at Jupiter the four-million year old black monolith has remained completely inert. Its origin and purpose are still a total mystery.

[Eli @ Jun 29th 2009 6:43PM]

Eee Drive, now shipping!

[solodragon @ Jun 29th 2009 7:09PM]

"None of this will help, of course, when the strobing 'X' attracts the attention of the entire underground world of paranormal conspiracy theorists to your bedroom as if you threw up the alien Bat-Signal..."

Pure. Comedy. Gold.

[Al Bundy @ Jun 29th 2009 11:42PM]

Blueray at 4.8x? why the hurry? no software publisher has yet put anything on blueray. why? Sony, of course. money doesnt grow on trees, and publishers know that its way way way cheaper to publish on several DVDs. Would you like to know when BD is going to go mainstream? when another format dominates and destroys it. the proof is in their previous formats.

[uShak @ Jun 30th 2009 1:37AM]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9361497&st=asus&lp=7&type=product&cp=1&id=1218091194134

For those of you who want the same thing but without the bluray reading part.

[pika2000 @ Jun 30th 2009 2:40AM]

Does it have a built-in BitTorrent client to download HD movies before they're out in blu-ray? :P