The only external Blue Ray writer that I have seen is manufactured by LG. The interface is USB. All Internal writers appear to have SATA interface.
Are there any disadvantages using an external writer with an USB interface ?
John
Yes, external USB drives are unlikely to work on a laptop. I got a LG for mine, and it basically doesn't work. It seems that its down to the graphics card not being entirely what it says it is. I've not found a way round this.
I use a LG Blu-ray writer (with native SATA interface) in one of these external cases - that case contains a SATA-to-FireWire and USB 2.0 bridge. I've used both FW and USB 2.0 interfaces successfully with a Mac Pro (desktop) for writing Blu-ray video and data discs. Not sure if it could playback Blu-ray Video discs though. (You certainly can't with Mac OSX!)
I've been using the external LG Blu-ray writer with my 2007 MacBook Pro bootcamping Windows XP and it seems to write just fine.... am only using it for archiving to Blu-ray, not making Blu-ray Video discs. Not tried playing anything back on it. And I've also had it attached to a very old Clevo 900 writing DVDs. Again, works fine. So the USB interface shouldn't be a problem. For writing anyhow.
It should be fine via USB2.0 for making BluRay discs.
Reading and playing discs may depend on your graphics card driver. Your own discs may be OK provided the components are fast enough but retail discs need a fully compliant set of drivers in the entire playback chain - reader/graphics chipset/display.
Some computers have a good enough graphics chipset BUT the manufacturer e.g. HP or Dell may not have bothered releasing DRM compliant drivers - Companies like Nvidia don't offer full support for "Mobile" chipsets.
Basically users find themselves well and truly up the creak with a non-compliant paddle!
The good news is that very few people are really that interested in paying extra for BluRay because upscaled SD DVDs are plenty good enough ;)
Gavin
Taking up Gavin's comment, my computer is HP PC but I have installed an MSI NX7300GT card ( Nvidia GForce). I'm not looking for laptop support.
Its the storage of HD video material that I am looking at in particular and whether the Blue Ray discs would playback using my Panasonic Blue Ray player. The only other alternative that I can see is to buy more 1Tbyte external Hard Drives( more boxes to drive my wife mad !!).
John
...Its the storage of HD video material that I am looking at in particular and whether the Blue Ray discs would playback using my Panasonic Blue Ray player....
I'm sure correctly authored Blu-ray Video Discs would play on your Panasonic Blu-ray player, but I wouldn't use that as an archive format for HD material (in the same way you wouldn't use a DVD to archive SD video material).
You'd use Blu-ray as a data disc (25GB single layer, 50GB dual layer) to archive HD material in the codec of your choice. Then, of course, it it is unlikely to be playable on your Panasonic.
Point noted Martin. Thank you.
John