Trying to watch a Blu-Ray movie on my comp with no luck

[Eddiedale]

Ok...should this work ? Some say yes...some say no...I don't have an understanding of this stuff so I'm lost.

I installed a Blu-Ray player in my comp. I've been wanting to watch movies that look like those amazing ones playing at video rental stores where they have Blu-Ray displays set up.

To start with, the parts of my comp that matter I guess are as follows. 2 EVGA 8800GTX video cards in SLI. Hooked up to a Dell 3007 monitor via DVI cable. I'm running it at it's max resolution of 2560 X 1600. Driver version for the cards is 7.15.11.6369. Using 64bit Vista.

I bought and installed a Lite-On Blu-Ray Sata model along with the CyberLink bundled software. So now after renting a movie to check it out, this is what happens.

1) CyberLink PowerDvD launches.

2) I get a message on the taskbar that states : Color scheme has been changed to windows vista basic.

3) Movie starts to play momentarily

4) Then a warning pops up that says: Fail to enable HDCP. Please switch to analog output (VGA D-Sub) and try again ? (Error Code = 0110) Please run the BD/HD Advisor tool for more information.

So I downloaded and ran the Advisor tool. It comes back with a list of my computer components and displays a green bubble next to each expressing everything is BD ready, everything except the very last one. The last one says?Video Connection Type : Digital (without HDCP) and has a red bubble next to it.

So I googled that to try and find out what?s up and promptly got a thick fog in my head. Some stuff I found made it seem like my monitors resolution is to high, something about dual link ? But then I ran into this post http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=19784 That guys set up is almost identical to mine, same issue as well it seems, but on the second page he states it works now after reinstalling the software /shrug. So ok?that easy enough?but then before I did that I read the rest of the post, now I have a headache to go along with the fog lmao.

 

[ilkhan]

HDCP is high definition content protection (IIRC). Its designed to ensure theres not a recording device between the source (the computer) and the display (the screen). Its complaining that the screen or the GPU(s) don't support HDCP, thus it won't play over a digital interface (over analog the quality degrades, so they care less about being copied). Dumb, but thats how it is. Thats the problem, I don't know enough to suggest a solution, though.

 

[taltamir]

HDCP is DRM meant to prevent digital copy, it of course fails to do so. but it requires suckers who use legal content replace all their hardware to HDCP compliant hardware. Either replace some of the stuff in the chain, or crack the copy protection (note you should only do so if you live in a country where they have sane laws protecting the consumer from such abuse. in the US that is illegal and thus I recommend you don't do it and don't break the law; if you live in the US you need to buy a new monitor, one that is compliant with the HDCP DRM scheme)

 

[hans007]

the reason it doesnt work for you is that you have a dell 3007fpw.

HDCP compatibility doesnt go to dual link. if you had a monitor that was smaller than 30" you'd be fine. if you run the 30" monitor at a single link resolution (like 1600x1200) i bet it will work.

 

[Eddiedale]

Ok....well that's starting to make some sense....in a foggy kind of way lol..I really don't undertsand the dual link thing, going to have to google that and get educated. You are right about changing resolution on the 30i inch, I tried that and it worked wooot. I do have another monitor I can try it on as well, a Dell 2407 that I gave to my wife. I'll hook it up tomorrow and give it a go. Kinda sucks I can't use the 30 inch one though at it's native res. So I guess I'll just have to play around with them on different resolutions and see what combination looks the best.

 

[s44]

Blu-Ray is encoded at 1080p anyway; it's pointless to run the movie at any higher resolution.

 

[Eddiedale]

doh....now I know that means something lol....sorry I'm ignorant on this stuff....does that mean no matter what resolution a monitor might be...assuming it's low enough to be a single link resolution, that a Blu-Ray movie is going to be displayed at a certain resolution no matter what ? If that's the case and that's what 1080p stands for, what resolution is that anyhow ?

Well google answered that one, so that's 1920 X 1080. So in theory, is this a true statement ? A monitor with a native resolution of 1920 by 1080 is going to give the clearest picture one can watch a Blu-Ray movie on ?

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: s44
Blu-Ray is encoded at 1080p anyway; it's pointless to run the movie at any higher resolution.

except for filling the screen, your video card WILL have a higher quality stretching algorithm than your monitor.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: Eddiedale
doh....now I know that means something lol....sorry I'm ignorant on this stuff....does that mean no matter what resolution a monitor might be...assuming it's low enough to be a single link resolution, that a Blu-Ray movie is going to be displayed at a certain resolution no matter what ? If that's the case and that's what 1080p stands for, what resolution is that anyhow ?

Well google answered that one, so that's 1920 X 1080. So in theory, is this a true statement ? A monitor with a native resolution of 1920 by 1080 is going to give the clearest picture one can watch a Blu-Ray movie on ?

no, your monitor will either display it in the center with black bars on top AND the sides... or it will stretch it to fit...

the thing is blu ray DRM only works with certain very specific models and resolutions. Yours supports it, but only at lower resolution, it can then stretch it to fit internally in the monitor, but it cannot take it as input.

 

[hans007]

i think basically no monitor supports dual link and hdcp.

i think the only way you can get 2560x1440 or whatever with hdcp is hdmi 1.3 . That might be on the 3009 fpw monitor.

and yes either your video card, or monitor will have to scale the picture to with at 1920x1080 or just have it with black borders everywhere.

 

[Eddiedale]

Yikes, I almost feel like I need to go take a class or something to understand exactly how all this stuff interacts and works with one another.

So I had a little bit of time this morning to mess with it on the 30 inch monitor, and this is what I ended up doing. I set the monitor resolution to 1280 X 800 and it played the movie, it actually looked pretty good. I'm not sure if it could look better with different setting or different components, because I don't really have a good understanding of how it all works and what would give the clearest picture possible. I set it at that resolution because I remembered some time back, I tried to play a few games at my monitors native resolution and they were unplayable, that was before I got the 2 8800GTX cards. I remembered I played with the resolution so I could play the games and found that an "even split", if that's the right way to say it, of my monitors native resolution looked the best.

I know I'm not going to replace my monitor, it cost too much to begin with lol. Eventually I'll replace my video cards just because of new games, but I'm not sure that would even make a difference as far as HDCP / DRM / Dual Link / Stretching / Scaling, and all that stuff goes, simply because I don't have a grasp of how it all works to be honest.

So is what I did this morning my best option ? Running my monitor at 1280 X 800 when I watch a Blu-Ray movie ? Even though it looked good to me, am I really not getting the full affect yet because of my components. Just for future reference, will changes in video cards make a difference eventually and make it even better on my monitor ?

Thanks to everyone who chimed in and tried to educate me lol, just realize you're talking to the most dangerous type of person here, I understand about half of it, the other half I'm out to lunch on lmao.

 

[s44]

Set the resolution to 19*12 -- the max for single-link DVI -- and have the monitor scale it up from there. The movie will be encoded at 19*10 (1920*1080 -- 1080p), so any less than that will mean you're squashing the picture and then inflating it again, losing data.

Vidcard won't make a difference... The only thing that will let you watch copy-protected movies at native resolution is if you get a HDMI 1.3 monitor.

 

[Eddiedale]

ahh....ok....I'll try that setting as soon as I get home then...Thanks !!!

 

[QuantumPion]

I think there is a program you can get which removes the HDCP requirement. I don't remember what it is called but it is made by the same company that makes Alcohol 120%, it's a little program that runs in the background which breaks DRM in real time, so that powerdvd will see the blu-ray movie as unsecured and allow it to play without HDCP.

 

[Eddiedale]

hmm.....now that's interesting....I remember Alcohol 120%, I played around with it some years back, I don't even remember why anymore....

 

[corwin]

The best route to get around the HDCP requirement is AnyDVDHD, made by SlySoft...does on-the-fly decoding of all Bluray/HD-DVD/DVD disks...a bit pricey but it's worth it. Also allows a direct rip to ISO of all formats...

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: Eddiedale
Yikes, I almost feel like I need to go take a class or something to understand exactly how all this stuff interacts and works with one another.

So I had a little bit of time this morning to mess with it on the 30 inch monitor, and this is what I ended up doing. I set the monitor resolution to 1280 X 800 and it played the movie, it actually looked pretty good. I'm not sure if it could look better with different setting or different components, because I don't really have a good understanding of how it all works and what would give the clearest picture possible. I set it at that resolution because I remembered some time back, I tried to play a few games at my monitors native resolution and they were unplayable, that was before I got the 2 8800GTX cards. I remembered I played with the resolution so I could play the games and found that an "even split", if that's the right way to say it, of my monitors native resolution looked the best.

I know I'm not going to replace my monitor, it cost too much to begin with lol. Eventually I'll replace my video cards just because of new games, but I'm not sure that would even make a difference as far as HDCP / DRM / Dual Link / Stretching / Scaling, and all that stuff goes, simply because I don't have a grasp of how it all works to be honest.

So is what I did this morning my best option ? Running my monitor at 1280 X 800 when I watch a Blu-Ray movie ? Even though it looked good to me, am I really not getting the full affect yet because of my components. Just for future reference, will changes in video cards make a difference eventually and make it even better on my monitor ?

Thanks to everyone who chimed in and tried to educate me lol, just realize you're talking to the most dangerous type of person here, I understand about half of it, the other half I'm out to lunch on lmao.

The only class you need is one in AnyDVD HD.

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: corwin
The best route to get around the HDCP requirement is AnyDVDHD, made by SlySoft...does on-the-fly decoding of all Bluray/HD-DVD/DVD disks...a bit pricey but it's worth it. Also allows a direct rip to ISO of all formats...

Beat me to it.

 

[s44]

It's also illegal.

 

[WelshBloke]

Originally posted by: s44
It's also illegal.

Depending where you live.

And if you are useing it at home and not passing copies to anyone nobodies going to come smashing through your door to nick you.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: WelshBloke

Originally posted by: s44
It's also illegal.

Depending where you live.

And if you are useing it at home and not passing copies to anyone nobodies going to come smashing through your door to nick you.

not yet ;p

but yes, anyDVDHD is your best bet, if you are lucky enough to live somewhere where it is legal
http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvdhd.html

Note to those saying "don't get caught"... suggesting something illegal is against forum policy. You should only suggest he do that if it is legal in his country of residence.

 

[MagickMan]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: WelshBloke

Originally posted by: s44
It's also illegal.

Depending where you live.

And if you are useing it at home and not passing copies to anyone nobodies going to come smashing through your door to nick you.

not yet ;p

but yes, anyDVDHD is your best bet, if you are lucky enough to live somewhere where it is legal
http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvdhd.html

Note to those saying "don't get caught"... suggesting something illegal is against forum policy. You should only suggest he do that if it is legal in his country of residence.

Yeah, I setup the local police chief's system with anyDVDHD, at his request, when we ran into this same situation. The cops are really trying to track this kinda thing down. They're SO diligent. *cough*

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: WelshBloke

Originally posted by: s44
It's also illegal.

Depending where you live.

And if you are useing it at home and not passing copies to anyone nobodies going to come smashing through your door to nick you.

not yet ;p

but yes, anyDVDHD is your best bet, if you are lucky enough to live somewhere where it is legal
http://www.slysoft.com/en/anydvdhd.html

Note to those saying "don't get caught"... suggesting something illegal is against forum policy. You should only suggest he do that if it is legal in his country of residence.

The day the USG is in complete cahoots with the MPAA and the RIAA is the day I leave the country. The only thing stronger DRM will do is decrease sales of legal content and drive good hard-working folks to "piracy". This thread is an excellent example. Guy wants to check out Blu-ray, HDCP prevents him from easily consuming legal premium content, and guy gets educated in ways to remove said copy protection. Guy will tell his friends when they come across similar problems and guy (maybe his friends too) may decide to start making Blu-ray copies from his Netflix/Blockbuster/friend's collection/etc.

I do not condone piracy, but I'll be damned if I'm inconvenienced by Draconian DRM, which is so damn easily circumvented. My HTPC wouldn't exist without AnyDVD HD, and I'd have no reason to own any premium content without it.

 

[Eddiedale]

Well, I might have to go the Any"dadeda" way. For some reason, the only way I can get it to work on my rig is to set the resolution at 1280 by 800, nothing else works, I just get the same message as I got before about Video Connection Type : Digital (without HDCP)

I have no plans to do anything illegal, I just want to watch a Blu-Ray movie from time to time on my comp. I read about the "Any" thing, and I guess in my mind it's like just about everything else....there's a right way to use it....and a wrong way as well. I'm not passing judgment on anyone else?s use of it either, I'm just speaking about myself. I don't want a library of ripped stuff, hell, I barley have the time to watch a movie once, let alone a second time lol. BUT, I find it a real pain when I'm forced to jump thru a bunch of hoops to get something to work, mainly because it's being assumed I'm going to do something illegal if it's not. I'm speaking about DRM and what I understand now about HDCP.

If I rent a Blu-Ray movie and use Any*** to enable me to watch it without having to change a bunch of stuff, expensive stuff at that, and then when I'm done they get their movie back, I don't see what the harm is. They got their money and I got to watch it /shrug. I personally think that should be true no matter where I live.

I certainly don't mean to open up a can of worms with any of this, like I said, I just want to be able to watch a nice looking movie lol.

 

[uclaLabrat]

The samsung 305t+ has an HDMI connector, is that going to work?