Debating which route to take on our Blu-ray player. It keeps dying, generally not making it through any one thing that we want to watch. Options:

1. Update firmware at potential cost of losing region-free capabilities I paid for
2. Get BD drive for computer(s); rip and stream stuff to Roku via Plex
3. Get DVD copies of the two things we own on BD

Respectively:

1. Firmware update seems worth a try since the other options involve disposing of the stupid piece of hardware anyway. Not guaranteed to work. Does involve getting it working enough to even accept an update.
2. A nice USB 3.0 external burner looks like it's around $160. A nice internal drive and eSATA case might be less, but I think I'd prefer to buy rather than assemble what I want in this case. I don't have USB 3.0 anywhere, but this looks like a place to future-proof. eSATA drives look too expensive. This option opens the possibility of backing up 50 GB at a crack, which I would use if I had but don't know just how to value.
3. If we buy used DVDs and sell the BDs it probably costs close to nothing to downgrade the two Blu-Ray items on the shelf. We find we don't care about the resolution difference, at least not on my 47" TV. But this precludes borrowing Blu-Ray movies from friends in the future.

Also, will try to remember http://jwz.org/b/yhLt when I have a really bad day at work …