Software for DVD/Blu-ray playing on a laptop

[Count Steer]

For umpteen years I've been using various versions of Cyberlink PowerDVD for watching (legit, bought, right region etc) DVDs/Bluray discs on PCs and laptops. Tried to use current install recently (v15) and it seems to spin a coin to decide what will/won't play. The disk drive seems fine. That's all it's for (I had other software for editing video camera footage but haven't used an actual video cam for a long time). The screen grab was fun for a while (wouldn't do grabs from Bluray - 'cos licensing type thing) but that's just a nice to have and really it's just about using the laptop like a TV+dvd player.

So, what's the recommendation? Someone suggested Pinnacle (Corel?) but that looks like a full blown editor. I assume there's something in Windoze already but can't work out what from the list of options what to try as a reset default.

[katana]

Look up VLC media player https://www.videolan.org/

[KungFooBob]

VLC plays everything.

[Count Steer]

Looked at VLC. Can't see anything that specifically mentions Bluray?

If they're open source, free, etc...how do they make any money?

Might give it a go though but I'm happy to pay for stuff that's a bit less 'techy'

[ChrisW]

If they're open source, free, etc...how do they make any money?

The guy behind it wasn't just interested in making money from it - Jean Baptist Kempf:

[Count Steer]

If they're open source, free, etc...how do they make any money?

The guy behind it wasn't just interested in making money from it - Jean Baptist Kempf:

Yeah I read up on them. I just twitch when something is 'free' because it usually isn't. I note that India banned it because (and I don't for one minute think this is why they actually did) 'links with China'.

[katana]

Some people are altruistic, or do things for the kudos.

[mangocrazy]

I use it because it's 'simply the best' (© Tina Turner), it supports every known file format and it's free. It's also not Windows Media Player.

What's not to like?

[Count Steer]

Thanks all. I'll give it a go later today.

(Tried the DVDs that PowerDVD failed with in my old PS3 and the Sony portable player. No problem, so the disks are fine and the laptop/PowerDVD combo plays others quite happily).

I'll report back.

[Count Steer]

Loaded and works a treat. The user interface is a bit primitive but it does everything I need. Haven't tried Bluray yet.

Thanks again.

[Count Steer]

Yup. It doesn't like Bluray (or more accurately doesn't have the necessary decryption for copyrighted ones). There are dlls available 'for developers' but no info on how to incorporate them. I guess if I hack around the info is out there.

[Horse]

If they're open source, free, etc...how do they make any money?

The guy behind it wasn't just interested in making money from it - Jean Baptist Kempf:

Well, I have to say, he's a stylish chap!

20240124_140805.jpg (347.29 KiB) Viewed 546 times

[Greenman]

Another vote here for VLC - I also install the k-lite codec pack which i find will play pretty much anything.

[Count Steer]

Another vote here for VLC - I also install the k-lite codec pack which i find will play pretty much anything.

Q? How did you get/install the k-lite codec pack? I saw a couple of Bluray related .dll's but no info on the install process. It's all geek to me.

(So I downloaded a £'s off offer to upgrade my PowerDVD from 15 to 22...and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get it to work. Eventually found there was a patch issued on 22/12/24 so downloaded that, turned off the firewall and it worked. Mostly....one BR disk has a 3D version as well as a 2D...system says 'nope'. Turned the firewall back on after).

Years ago my nephew told me a PS3 was a good way of getting a BR player - which were silly expensive at the time - and what a bit of advice that was. I guess Sony can afford to pay all the licence fees for all formats. Stick the 3D disk in, pop the funny specs on and hey presto. I think it even came with a 3D version of Coraline -and that came out in 2009 so the PS3 has some miles on it.

[Greenman]

Another vote here for VLC - I also install the k-lite codec pack which i find will play pretty much anything.

Q? How did you get/install the k-lite codec pack? I saw a couple of Bluray related .dll's but no info on the install process. It's all geek to me.

(So I downloaded a £'s off offer to upgrade my PowerDVD from 15 to 22...and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get it to work. Eventually found there was a patch issued on 22/12/24 so downloaded that, turned off the firewall and it worked. Mostly....one BR disk has a 3D version as well as a 2D...system says 'nope'. Turned the firewall back on after).

Years ago my nephew told me a PS3 was a good way of getting a BR player - which were silly expensive at the time - and what a bit of advice that was. I guess Sony can afford to pay all the licence fees for all formats. Stick the 3D disk in, pop the funny specs on and hey presto. I think it even came with a 3D version of Coraline -and that came out in 2009 so the PS3 has some miles on it.

https://ninite.com/

That website is my very good friend. You can incorporate it into AD too and use it as a SaaS tool.

Nice easy way to install Software and plugins.