Watching Blu-Rays under Parallels 5.0 or VMWare Fusion 3?

Hello, just bought 2 new iMacs 21.5 inch/ATI Radeon HD 4670
and now I would like to know if it's possible to watch Blu-Rays
using e.g. WinDVD 2010 under Windows 7/Parallels 5.0 or VMWare Fusion 3?
I would like to avoid Boot Camp.
Anyone already tried this...? Thanks!!

antony said:

Hello, just bought 2 new iMacs 21.5 inch/ATI Radeon HD 4670
and now I would like to know if it's possible to watch Blu-Rays
using e.g. WinDVD 2010 under Windows 7/Parallels 5.0 or VMWare Fusion 3?
I would like to avoid Boot Camp.
Anyone already tried this...? Thanks!!

Click to expand...

Is there a Blu-Ray player? The online reviews I looked at said there was no Blu-Ray player on the iMac 21.5 (as of 10/20/09)

Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 3.06Hz Intel Core 2 Duo, ATI Radeon HD 4670, Fall 2009) Desktop reviews - CNET Reviews

I would imagine if it had a blu-ray player, you could insert the disk and away you go - no need for Windows. I don't have one, so I could be wrong.

Like ticedoff mentioned, first you need Blu-Ray hardware. The iMac does not come with a Blu-Ray drive, thus you will need to purchase an external drive. Unfortunately, the option to play Blu-Ray discs is not currently supported in OS X nor is there any playback software available, at least I haven't been able to dig up anything. You can read Blu-Ray discs and even write to them if you have a Blu-Ray burner, but as of now you can't play videos. You will have to install Windows via Boot Camp and watch the videos that way.

To be honest, with the amount of money you have to spend on an external drive and a Windows license (if you don't already own one), you're better off just buying a dedicated player and hooking it up to your TV.

External Blu-Ray players are no longer expensive at all.
I know Windows is necessary - but is Boot Camp also required?
I would prefer to do it using Parallles or Fusion (without leaving OS X).
I don't have TV and don't need it.

Unfortunately, even if you have the hardware and the playback software, it still won't work under Fusion or Parallels. It has to do with the drivers needed and those only load for Boot Camp but not for Parallels or Fusion.

The only way to physically watch it on your Mac would be to rip the Blu-Ray disc and then play the ripped files. However, that's a whole different can of worms that skirts on the edge of the law so we won't discuss it.

OK thanks, Boot Camp then...

BTW: Apple store staff member told me Apple are slowly releasing drivers for external Blu-Ray drives!!!