Microsoft Adds Blu-ray Support to Windows

Microsoft is planning to release "Windows Feature Pack for Storage" which will add support for master style optical burning on Blu-ray discs. The pack has been in non-disclosure laced beta testing for quiet some time, but can now be seen on the Microsoft Connect website. When released, the pack will upgrade Windows XP and Vista, as well as Server 2003 and 2008. Currently there is no planned release date for the Feature Pack.
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X400  » Aug 15, 2008
hmm... it'll help out Blu but then it seems so wrong :/ oh well more Blue Support is always a +

Marine Mike  » Aug 15, 2008
I wonder what 'Master Style Optical Burning' is.

Memnoch71  » Aug 15, 2008
'Master Style Optical Burning' or MSOB. Hmmm, could be interpreted several different ways.

CptGreedle  » Aug 15, 2008
So they are making it open beta now... since all their products seem to be in beta. But seriously, I will not be trying this out until they make a patch to fix the inevitable problems with it. Also, now that MS has made their move, it's APPLE's turn.

Lucy Diamond  » Aug 15, 2008
Man...it is really time for me to upgrade my 10 year old home brew pc. 8/

Sonny  » Aug 15, 2008
I wish I had BD burners in my MacBook/MacBoook Pro......Apple?

surfdude12  » Aug 15, 2008
Why would Sony grant Microsoft a license and let them leave "Blu" out of the software name????

Sith  » Aug 15, 2008
surfdude, Sony really has no reason to start that kind of war with Microsoft....A Video Game console war is acceptable cause your going for the gamer market and competition is widely accepted in that arena.... Sony trying to deny Microsoft a blu ray license could lead Microsoft to deny Sony computers access to Windows, which Sony needs way more than Microsoft needs blu rays...

Cplhicks  » Aug 15, 2008
Took 'em long enough. Bitter much, MS? How's that HDDVD support working out for you?

lostboy85  » Aug 15, 2008
Cool. looks like M$ has beat Apple to the punch. Apple has been really slow on this for a company that is on the Blu-Ray board of directors. Its up to the optical disk team which are known as "burning issues." I guess we'll have to wait till January and see if they get their s*#t together.

Minimejer05  » Aug 15, 2008
Interesting...

dadkins  » Aug 15, 2008
More goodies to add to my XP machine for burning Blu-ray Discs! Cool!

danbrch  » Aug 15, 2008
I hate Microsoft.

ECWaenigma  » Aug 15, 2008
Hear that? That's the sound of Bill Gates tapping out to Blu!

JadedRaverLA  » Aug 16, 2008

Marine Mike: "I wonder what 'Master Style Optical Burning' is." Basically, its just an odd way of saying that it will create and burn a properly formatted and closed UDF/ISO disc for maximum compatibility. The other option for burning is to format the disc as pure UDF and just keep adding data as you feel like it. The problem with that is that the disc can't be read by standalone BD players or computers without the appropriate software.

DaveT  » Aug 17, 2008
Why do I get the feeling DRM is going to explode when this "compatibility pack" is released?

Blu_Dude  » Aug 17, 2008
At least Microsoft finally wakes up from its denial that H-DUD is dead!

Jim L  » Aug 18, 2008
Although it is a good thing for the Blu-ray market to have the maker of the largest PC OS on board (finally), I really want to see Apple make an announcement. Personally I have moved from Windows to Mac so I want this added to the next release of Mac OS X. Then I can plug a USB (or firewire) BD drive into my iMac and I'm good to go.

essinger  » Aug 18, 2008
Is there any possibility that this can help with blu-ray playback? Anyone know?

illegalprelude  » Aug 19, 2008
Jim, currently, with my PowerMac G5, im using a Sony burner with it. Granted, its not native support and im using Toast 8 but none the less, the option is there. But I like you am also wondering why Apple has not released it yet although with speculation of new MBP, maybe they will introduce it across the entire line (of the Pro series)

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