Does WMP12 play Bluray?

[MichaelD]

Finally decided I need to have Bluray playback capability on my PC (Win7_x64), and am about to buy a Bluray/DVD drive. Does WMP12 natively play back Bluray discs or will I need to download a CODEC or buy another piece of software? Thanks.

 

[MadScientist]

Your answer: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-pictures/windows-7-media-player-will-not-play-back-bluray/36f826cd-db66-45e7-bfad-1ad7f37f42af

Software: http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=70410

Or you can convert the disk to an MKV file using MakeMKV (includes Blu-ray decryption) and play it with VLC. Both are free.

http://www.makemkv.com/

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks very much, MadScientist. I appreciate the all the links and suggestions. Looks like Newegg will be making that much more money off me on this order. I realize I'm late to the party; most ATers have been watching BR on their PCs/Laptops for years now. It's disappointing to discover that my $300-something dollar copy of W7 Ultimate can't play BRs.

 

[jsedlak]

Anyone have PowerDVD 10 or later on Windows 7 x64? Does aero work when playing blurays?

I got PowerDVD 9 with my Samsung drive (WTF? 3 versions old?) and aero breaks when I watch a bluray...

 

[MichaelD]

Hmm, that's interesting, jsedlak. I'm looking at this "OEM" drive and supposedly it comes with PowerDVD9 (see the reviews). I'd hope PowerDVD9 doesn't break Aero. If this drive comes with the software it would be a huge money-saver for me. I.E. not have to buy a bare drive and the software separately. Dunno if I want that software if it breaks Aero though.

http://www.amazon.com/LG-WH12LS30-S...ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1329183284&sr=1-5

 

[JKoltner]

JSedlak: I have PowerDVD 11 Ultra on Windows x64... and I'm almost positive it still disables Aero during playback.

I take it you're looking to have PowerDVD windowed for playback so you can (attempt) to do other things simultaneously, and hence would prefer that Aero was still active?

 

[wirednuts]

am i wrong with the notion that if hd-dvd format won the war we all would have high def movie playback built into everything for free? blurays licensing schemes are god awful... and i actually thought after a few years bluray would completely replace dvd and would be just as cheap. well, the technology has but the prices are legally fixed. such bullshit

 

[abaez]

If you have AnyDVD you can play BR's in WMP12.

 

[JKoltner]

Wirednuts: The prices actually aren't that bad, IMO -- when DVDs first came out, I remember routinely paying ~$20/movie, and that was with dollars that inflation-adjusted would be worth more like ~$30 today!

What bothers me more is the constant effort on the part of the MPAA (and similar) to not allow you to transfer video that you've legally purchase to, e.g., your phone, a home video server for streaming throughout your house, etc.

I am a bit surprised that Blu-Ray players haven't hit the $50 mark yet, but I expect they will by the holiday 2012 season.