play blu-ray?

Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
242
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I have a mid 2010 Macbook Pro and want to know if it can play a blu-ray disc.
ps- yes I already searched for an answer and couldn't find it.
thanks
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
10,756
Reaction score
1,198
Points
113
Location
Rhode Island
Your Mac's Specs
M1 Mac Studio, 11" iPad Pro 3rd Gen, iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch Series 7, AirPods Pro
You need to get the correct hardware and software. It can not just play the Blu-ray.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
5,071
Reaction score
435
Points
83
Location
North Carolina
Your Mac's Specs
Air M2 ('22) OS 14.3; M3 iMac ('23) OS 14.3; iPad Pro; iPhone 14
I have a mid 2010 Macbook Pro and want to know if it can play a blu-ray disc.
ps- yes I already searched for an answer and couldn't find it.
thanks

You need to get the correct hardware and software. It can not just play the Blu-ray.

@ JMac - agree w/ Bob; your older laptop has a built-in optical but should only be compatible w/ handling CDs or DVDs - you will need an external Blu-ray player/burner w/ appropriate software to handle that technology. You might want to do a chat or phone call to the OWC Tech Support to determine the needs for your laptop and the OS X version needed to use a blu-ray optical device. In searching the link given, OWC offers a number of BD external drives, one packaged w/ Roxio's Toast - see the pics below for some information. Hopefully, others w/ more personal experience will 'chime in' - good luck! Dave :)
.
Screen Shot 2016-07-09 at 1.07.35 PM.png Screen Shot 2016-07-09 at 1.11.17 PM.png
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Roxio Toast will not allow you to play the standard commercial "encrypted" blu-rays. You'll need something like MacGo for that. If you're not staying up to date with OS X, will suggest you verify the B-R player software works with your version of OS X before purchasing the optical drive. There are also some addons out there that claim to add B-R playing to VLC I have not tried yet. Have to do some internet searching.

edit:
I did test out Macgo when it came out and played all the B-Rs I threw at it.
Did not keep it as a pay option since I don't play them on my Mac.
I only use the B-R portion of the drive with Vudu's convert to digital when I'm too lazy to go to the back of the house and use my Windows machine.
The OWC drives are likely plenty good (they do have great customer service), but in the low cost external drives, I have preferred Pioneer drives.
 
Last edited:

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top