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Free Blu-Ray Player for Windows 7
- Thread starter g0dM@n
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2004
Even with some addons, there are many discs it won't play, because they have newer keys. The DRM on Blu-ray makes me want to strangle media companies with citric acid-coated barbed wire. I'm tired of buying movies only to not be able to play them.
OP
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2003
- Thread Starter
- #5
The thing is, often on weekends, I have some family over to watch a movie. My brother sometimes will rent something from redbox and bring it over. I don't want us all to prepare for a movie and then my Blu-ray player refuse to work with it.
Does Windows Media Center have any known issues?
Does Windows Media Center have any known issues?
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
WMC does not support Blu-ray playback. You would have to get something like PowerDVD (as Janus suggested). PowerDVD does integrate in WMC though.
OP
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2003
- Thread Starter
- #8
Thanks.
So nothing out there that's free...? What's the cheapest option out there for me? They have a few different packages.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2007
- Location
- Near Toronto Canada
Hey Godm@n how come you don't have a decennial badge under your avatar? Seems to me you've been here more than 10 years and yet you don't have one! I'd complain to management.
Also, as was mentioned, there is no free Bluray playback software. They've got it locked down. Most packaged Bluray drives come with a software player packaged with them but if you just bougtht a bare drive you're going to have to buy a player at Best Buy or something.
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2007
Fixed!
..and this:
It's pathetic really. I bought a Blu-Ray player earlier this year thinking there was something I could download. Nope, doesn't exist. Tis a bunch of poo.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
Yeah blu-ray DRM makes me want to strangle somebody. Aside from my PS3 (which is getting dirt cheap for new ones due to the nextgen stuff), the other way I can play blu-ray on my Linux HTPC machine is to use the uPNP function of MakeMKV to stream the blu-ray and use XBMC to play it off that port locally. Kind of a pain.
That should work in Windows as well (streaming to any computer that can see a uPNP server on your LAN) - but MakeMKV is shareware (30 day trial). I think a registration key is $50. I have to doublecheck but I think the uPNP function doesn't work for Blu-ray after the trial period, only for DVDs.
That should work in Windows as well (streaming to any computer that can see a uPNP server on your LAN) - but MakeMKV is shareware (30 day trial). I think a registration key is $50. I have to doublecheck but I think the uPNP function doesn't work for Blu-ray after the trial period, only for DVDs.
What Blu-Ray player did you purchase. If you buy a Blu-Ray player what do you look for so it can be updated?
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2007
Err...sorry, let me rephrase. I bought a Blu-Ray drive. I did have to get firmware from the manufacturer for it to even play BRDs with PowerDVD. I don't recall the brand off the top of my head. Apparently BRD is a complete PITA regardless. I'm looking into the cheapest BRD-player-with-WIFI I can find and might just go that route b/c it's annoying to use with a HTPC, which is just ridiculous.
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2007
Bah, wouldn't want one. I have a sizable list of modern PC games I don't even have time to play. Why buy more games for a console I also won't have time to play?
BRD player with WiFi can be had on ebay for $70'ish. PS3s go for $175+ it seems.
BRD player with WiFi can be had on ebay for $70'ish. PS3s go for $175+ it seems.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
PS3s are getting cheaper before the PS4 release, I've seen a used slim for $119 recently.
OP
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2003
- Thread Starter
- #17
You know, I often throw out the media that comes with optical drives, as I almost always use something else I'm familiar with. If I did get media with one of my Blu-Ray drives, I sure as heck hope I can find it!! I've a feeling I won't.
Thanks for thinking of me.
I've been way out of touch. Hokie, thanks, bud!
Thanks for thinking of me.
I've been way out of touch. Hokie, thanks, bud!
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2012
Going to be hard finding one for free that can play BD, but Totalmedia Theater does the job too but not cheap, PowerDVD is the other option. Best just get a standalone DVD player for $50 than a $100 BD drive and a $80-100 BD software. lol my mother bought one for $56 and it can play Netflix.
Here's something I've been considering getting for my HTPC laptop but it doesn't say if it includes any software for playback.
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37594
Here's something I've been considering getting for my HTPC laptop but it doesn't say if it includes any software for playback.
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37594
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
Technically for free you can use a MakeMKV beta key (legit link: this is provided by MakeMKV devs) and use it to stream the disc UPnP. After that you can play it with your favorite player: SMPlayer, VLC, etc.
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