Internal Blu-ray drive upgrade.

Question

Hi, as the ongoing saga of desiring a Blu-ray Read & Write drive in a Macbook Pro 17" is still a painful bag of hurt for many people including myself, I still can't help try and track down a suitable  possible solution and likely contender.
I previously had upgraded the MacBook Pro's internal 2.5" Hard Disk Drive after having learned at the time that the internal cleareance of my early 2009 unibody MBP 17" allowed a capacious maximum form-factor 'thickness' of 12.5mm instead of the usual 9.5mm for an internal HDD. This was an extremely rewarding piece of info and allowed me to grace the MBP with a 1TB HDD inside, which is absolutely fantastic especially when using space for Bootcamp and of course dealing with Hi Definition video files using FCS, in which you can 'never' have enough space for (transcoding into Apple Pro Res can turn out some seriously huge files). The now fitted internal 1TB drive has now enabled the MacBook Pro 17 to become mobile once again and not fully relying on external drives.
Except Blu-ray.
I'm personally not keen on attaching an external Blu-ray drive which is why I initially got a MBP for mobility and therefore still looking for an eventual compatible internal version. The irony is that Final Cut Studio can edit and process Hi Definition Media, albeit without proper large optical-disc storage media to store it on and FCS's Compressor will even transcode it to Blu-ray format and burn on output to Blu-ray disc (even has a Blu-ray New Batch template). Toast 10 & 11 Titanium deals with Blu-ray (via it's Blu-ray plugin). Therefore it continues to be a painful legacy that the MBP is devoid of one.
My question is this, if upgrading the internal Super-drive to another optical drive, what are the exact dimension restriction and therefore the allowed thickness form-factor for a slot-loading optical drive on it's 'own' and with it's securing bracket/bezel. Is the bracket/bezel a standard fixture that will de-assemble and be re-used with a new replacement, or would any replacement drive come with a new suitable on affixed.
Any thoughts on the following two likely contenders. The first drive by FastMac Reads & Writes Blu-ray, the second drive by Sony Reads Blu-ray only but both makes read & write DVD's (no doubt Sony has a writeable slot-loading version somewhere buried within one of their Web Site because I had a Sony Laptop about 4 or 5 years ago that burned Blu-ray). The FastMac drive looks promising if the company is legit:-
http://store.fastmac.com/product_info.php?products_id=338
http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/3245/2512/-/18658441/Sony-BC-5640H-Slot-Loading-Sli m-Blu-Ray-Combo-Drive/Product.html
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tGtqxbfqWNsJ:www.sony-optia rc.eu/products/bluraydrivesnotebooks/bc5640h.html+Sony+BC-5640H&cd=1&hl=en&ct=cl nk&gl=uk&source=www.google.co.uk
It doesn't matter if for at least the immediate time being, it may not be actually possible to play Blu-ray movies within OS X lacking the kernels for it. If a compatible drive was found, then the rewards are:-
Storing massive amounts of data (up to 50GB on one disc). Fantastic fro backups and archiving.
Being able to FINNALLY output edited Hi Def video/movies from Final Cut Studio onto a Blu-ray disc and then playing that on a dedicated external Blu-ray player elsewhere.
Booting-up in Bootcamp for attempting to play-back Blu-ray movies using windows drivers, software and built-in OS kernels. (I'm not a Windows person, but can't deny it can save the day where some things are concerned)
Future-proofing; if one day soon Apple smiles on us all and releases a system OS update that enables 'full' Blu-ray support (or some other upgrade)

Answer 1

I have noted that on numerous wish lists for Mac enhancements has been Blue Ray capability.  I looked at the Fast mac web site and the specifications were impressive.  When I saw the price, I had to have the Heimlich maneuver performed.  This is not to dissuade you or anyone else to purchase one.  It simply is a reflection of my cheapness ex. for me SSD are overpriced for the value received but I take no issue for those who but them.
What I find to be very peculiar is the issue of apparent compatibility with only pre-unibody MBPs.  We know that these MBP are slower than the subsequent generations.  Blu-ray vidio files are huge. To load, tranferr, edit and compile these such files is best served with a fast processor.  To install this on an older MBP seem like simultanously  taking a step forward and a step backward.
Your list of virtues has merit but I have to take exception with your 'Future Proofing'.  Apple has a habit of going down the road less traveled.  If and when they integrate Blu-ray capability in their MBPs, it does not follow that the Fast Mac drive will be the same or have software compatibility.
I have both a pre-unibody MBP and a unibody MBP.  I have changed the optical drive on the old machine and I have just looked inside the newer one (when I upgraded the HHD).  They both APPEAR to be identical but I suspect there may be subtle physical differences.  Hence this may be the reason why it can be installed only pre-unibody MBPs. (I can be bribed to take the both out and compare them!)
I would suggest to contact the technical department at OWC and find out if they are familiar with this product and what opinions they may have.  I have dealt with them on several occasions and they seem knowledgeable.
Ciao.