BluRay DVD will not mount, nor show up in BluRay reader software

blattanzi wrote:

Hi - I'm trying to play a Bluray on my 2017 imac, or on my 2021 mac pro. I'm running Ventura. I've downloaded several BluRay player software, including MacGo, trial version. Connected with HDMI to USB-C.

It sounds like you are trying to connect a Blu-Ray set-top player that is meant for use with a home theater system to a Mac, using a USB-C to HDMI adapter or adapter cable.

That won't work. Those adapters are for taking USB-C (DisplayPort) video output from a computer and packaging it as a HDMI video signal for input to a monitor or TV. They will not let you import HDMI video from a Blu-Ray player or from any other source. That's trying to push a signal through in the wrong direction.

There are computer Blu-Ray drives, such as this one:

Other World Computing – 16X OWC Mercury Pro USB 3.2 (5Gb/s) Super-Multi Blu-ray/DVD/CD Burner/Reader External Optical Drive with M-DISC & BDXL Support

As you may have discovered, a drive alone is not enough. Macs have built-in software to play CD-Audio and DVD-Video discs, but do NOT have built-in software to play Blu-Ray Video discs. You will need to find separate software for that.