Where can I find a slim form factor Blu-Ray drive? The only one I've come accross is the Silverstone TOB02, but every website that carries it says they are out of stock or it is unavailable. Are there any alternatives to this drive?

I am building a system in an Antec ISK-300 and need a slim Blu-Ray drive as this build we be used as an HTPC.

After a little more searching, I found the Sony Optiarc BC-5500S-01 which will work. It is a little pricey at 150 dollars though...

That price isn't too bad, really. But consider that you can buy a stand-alone blu-ray player for the same price. Each has its pros/cons. I don't regret buying my LG blu/HD/DVD combo, but I regret the countless hours spent struggling with PowerDVD! It's the worst.

Newegg has Arcsoft TMT 3 on sale for $60:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 70034200SF

I don't own it, but I am current using the 15-day trial download. So far it's FAR better than PowerDVD. YMMV.

Thats true, I never really thought about how actually playing a blu-ray disc in windows would be while sitting on my couch.

I picked up a Lenovo Mini Wireless Keyboard N5901, which has a KB and mouse, so that should make navigating a little easier. But now that you mention it, it may just make more sense to get a standalone player.

I don't even own any blu-rays, but was just anticipating using them in the future after I build this HTPC and get my new TV. Maybe I'll just hold off and see if I can make due without one, since I download pretty much everything anyway

Another oddity is that, due to blu-ray licensing restrictions, blu-ray disk playback causes Windows 7 to drop out of aero. According to Arcsoft, this is because the blu-ray license requires overlay rendering, which is not compatible with aero. This is true with at least PowerDVD and TMT3, the only 2 players I've used. Apparently this was not the case with older versions of TMT3, but recent updates brought it back into "compliance" with the license. The Arcsoft forums are full of people complaining about this, and the devs advising that their hands are tied.

Ripping to HDD avoids all this obviously.

Hi miketootall,

I started speccing up a new HTPC yesterday and must have spent around 12 hours on it. The one component that I really struggled finding was one I never would have expected to - the blu-ray player!! I'm glad it's not just me then. I too found the SilverStone SST-TOB02 but these are listed as a clearance item in the UK (they have an IDE interface and come with a SATA converter - eurgh) so that puts me off. The Sony Optiarc 5500 you mentioned seems to be very old now and has actually risen in price due to its scarcity. I'm suprised no manufacturer has filled this void, and it makes me wonder what slimline player these guys are supply in their rigs at around £100:

www dot powerc dot com/uk/ps/MiniITX%20Intel%20Base%20Unit/1/code/cs-home-svi/act/gpage

I too am considering having to use an external drive but I really wanted an integrated solution. Slot-loading would have been the icing on the cake but mayeb I ask for too much.

p.s. I also wanted the ISK-300 case, but now I found my perfect mobo (ZOTAC NM10-DTX ION Upgrade Kit ) I have to find one that can accommodate 2 PCI cards - wish me luck!