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Microsoft supports Blu-ray mastering in Windows; is Xbox next?

By Jacqueline Emigh, BetaNews

August 19, 2008, 3:23 PM

Finally giving up the last vestiges of its exclusive support for the HD DVD format, Microsoft has quietly launched a beta test of Windows-based mastering software for Blu-Ray discs.

Microsoft's new Image Mastering API update for Blu-Ray media is now available for download from the Microsoft Connect Web site as part of Windows Feature Pack for Storage, a software package in pre-release for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server platforms.

The Blu-ray update offers the ability to do master-style optical burning on Blu-Ray media on Windows without the use of third-party software, according to information posted on the site.

The downloadable feature pack also contains pre-release editions of two other programs: a Smart Card Driver, with support for new form factors such as ICCD/CCID; and Active Storage Platform, for restricting access to portable devices such as USB Flash cards through certificate or password authentication.

But there's no clear indication yet, either on the site or elsewhere, as to whether the release of the Mastering API for Windows platforms might also signal a shift toward the Blu-ray bandwagon for Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console, which uses its own embedded OS.

Microsoft spokespersons who deal with these sorts of issues were temporarily unavailable today to answer that question. The company does note on its Connect site, though, that some of the technologies in the feature pack "require new hardware that may not be available."

According to information on the developers' site, Microsoft is releasing the beta "in order to get coverage on any legacy scenarios and install/uninstall scenarios."


Update ribbon (small)

4:05 pm EST August 19, 2008 - Minutes after the publication of this story today, Microsoft issued a statement to BetaNews continuing the company's policy of denying any plans to support Blu-Ray in the Xbox 360 game console. The company is still refuting any such intentions, despite the recent release of beta software from Microsoft supporting Blu-Ray disc mastering on Windows platforms.

"As we have stated, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-Ray drive for Xbox 360," a Microsoft spokesperson told BetaNews this afternoon. "Games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available."

When BetaNews asked about Microsoft's plans for Xbox earlier in the day, the appropriate spokespersons were unavailable for comment.

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By Banshie

edited Sep 5, 2008 - 12:51 PM

my Bluray+HD-DVD burner combo still burns CD, as a platform cd, wasnt even beaten by a even wider accepted DVD platform, dvd cant beat CD. So I doubt BR will beat DVD let alone CD. niche niche niche, and you got 5 years of it says experts. HD-DVD was as good as BR and pretty cheap. what brilliant world we live in.

Score: 0

By Danno

posted Aug 21, 2008 - 11:25 AM

bwahahah they released an update.. man I love MS! although a money hungry giant I hate SOny and theyre crappy products more than i hate ms for their greed.
Right on!

Score: 0

By preinterpost

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 5:29 PM

"Microsoft has *quietly* launched a beta test of Windows-based mastering software for Blu-Ray discs."

Funny it was all over the tech news. Yesterday.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 9:32 AM

I noticed that as well...

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited Aug 19, 2008 - 4:32 PM

Who cares what MS thought or didn't think?

It makes excellent business sense to capitalize on whatever technology becomes dominant in the marketplace.

What remains is that BluRay is at best a niche player which remains overpriced and underutilized in the IT world (let alone the entertainment world!

While BR held hopes with large capacities relative to its date of announcement when one disk could effectively hold an entire drive, it is little more than a large DVD now with a capacity roughly equivalent to what DVDs offered a few years ago - and no major enterprise backup solution (of which I am aware) utilizes it.

Whatever they do, BR will remain a niche product. But it would make sense for them to support it - or at least the choice for one to use it.

Score: 0

By poundsmack

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 5:34 PM

BR will not be a nitche product for much longer, 2 years tops. Andyone else old enough to remember how long it took DVD to outpace CD's as a storage medium for computers? I mean heck most games up until last year came out on multiple CD's instead of a single DVD disk and dvd's have been out for over 10 years!

all i am saying is give it time and i garontee BR will dominate completely. though its still a ways off, change is slow, but we all know that.

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 7:18 PM

"I mean heck most games up until last year came out on multiple CD's instead of a single DVD disk and dvd's have been out for over 10 years!"

Talk about horribly inaccurate...

ps2 used regular dvds since at least 2001 with Final Fantasy X, there were very few cds for ps2- the way you could tell if it was a cd was if it had a blue bottom...

I dunno, at this time most people will never see the benefit in BR as not everyone needs a tv over 27"

I think it will continue to be a niche product but we will see...

Score: 0

By Metshrine

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 7:45 AM

The ps2's use of dvd's is also what helped spur its acceptance into modern day cinema.

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 2:49 PM

No, its cause dvd wasnt this expensive 2 years after release.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 6:37 PM

At almost 8 times the basic entry price versus an upscaling DVD player and with media costs much greater than that it isn't even gaining much traction in the consumer market, let alone in the IT world!

But keep hoping.

Score: 0

By Cairobeta

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 8:35 PM

That's only because of the price. Right now the big advantage that BD has over any other competitor format (flash drives/SSD/hard drive/online backup) is that it's pretty much guaranteed to read DVD. When the price drops enough they will become a standard feature in new computers because of the compatibility with DVDs. Same concept happened with the CD-ROM drive. No one buys these anymore because a DVD-ROM/RW drive handles CDs with practically no additional costs.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 3:50 AM

Sorry guys, but tape and HD storage still creams BR in terms of capacity and cost.

BR is all but stillborn in IT. And in the consumer world, as evidenced by the "when" "when" "when" "when" "when" cited above by so many, it is and will remain a niche product for some time to come.

Sorry, but it is too little too late in an ever progressing enterprise computing market. And its limited storage capacities and high cost relative to tape and HD storage for enterprise IT relegate it to a footnote in IT history.

Wishful thinking is nice, but actual higher performing, cost effective deliverables trump fantasies.

Score: 0

By Owilliams

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 8:25 PM

The difference between CD and vinyl/tape was a much larger improvement than the difference between standard DVD and Blu-ray.
This is going to make it very tough for Blu-ray to replace DVD anytime soon as the format of choice.

Score: 0

By terminalx

edited Aug 19, 2008 - 8:29 PM

Also VHS from DVD was huge as no more worrying about the tape breaking or getting stuck, you could actually skip whole scenes fast forwarding was a lot faster and quality was improved.

Blu-ray has a better picture going for it and better sound so maybe 5% of the public will care...

Now if you could store entire seasons on one disk this might appeal to more people but blu-ray is trying to give you a better picture not improve storage...

Score: 0

By Owilliams

edited Aug 20, 2008 - 4:52 AM

Correct-o-mundo.
Every time I walk past the Blu-ray area at the store I notice the prices and just shrug... then keep walking.
It's surprising actually, because I have always considered myself a lover of new tech and an early adopter, yet I just can't justify Blu-ray prices over DVD.
And it has nothing to do with not having the disposable income to afford it, I do.

Score: 0

By dvferret

edited Aug 19, 2008 - 4:12 PM

"Finally giving up the last vestiges of its exclusive support for the HD DVD format, Microsoft has quietly launched a beta test of Windows-based mastering software for Blu-Ray discs."

Oh come on. Always have to mention that.

Anyways, yeah, I highly doubt that this means they would add bluray support to the xbox 360.

Edit: "'As we have stated, we have no plans to introduce a Blu-Ray drive for Xbox 360," a Microsoft spokesperson told BetaNews this afternoon. "Games are what drive consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available.'"

O yeah, how did I just know they would deny it again like they have EVERY OTHER TIME! :)

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Aug 19, 2008 - 8:30 PM

It wouldn't make sense to add blu-ray to the current xbox360 as they would alienate all the people who bought it, possibly for the xbox720 in 2010 or 2011.

Score: 0

By Banquo

edited Aug 20, 2008 - 5:55 AM

That's a long time away, and I doubt very much it will be called a 720. Isn't that some stupid derogatory name one of the Sony shills here came up for the revised XBox 360?

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 2:46 PM

No, thats just what most people are referring the next xbox as.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 5:41 AM

An optional peripheral would "alienate all the people who bought it"????

At most, some simply wouldn't buy it the player. So what...

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 12:33 PM

I wasn't looking at it as optional, the rumors were it would replace the current dvd drive altogether.

It would be stupid to buy just an add-on for blu-ray movies kind of how it was stupid to have an hd-dvd add on (which I own but paid $50 bucks new for it, so not a total loss) If the blu-ray add-on was $50 I could see it as justified but seeing how the current models are much higher then that unlikely...

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted Aug 20, 2008 - 2:28 PM

I agree in the sense that incorporating it as a mandatory feature would simply unnecessarily raise the price as the functionality is not required.

That would be the negative issue - not some emotional reaction to BR..

Score: 0

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