NO DVD player, what are options?

PA WOODCHUCK · Dec 25, 2022

hsehestedt · Dec 25, 2022

Options for what? Installing software? Playing DVD video? If you could explain in a little more detail what the goal is I would appreciate that?

DigitalGoat · Dec 25, 2022

Fit an internal, buy an external, cable out to a set top device (probably need an active HDCP cable) that can accept PC input. Buy a console.
Those are all viable hardware options, as asked for though what are your specific requirements?

bobkn · Dec 25, 2022

Hardware? Software?

MS dropped the DVD codec in Windows 10. (Saves them a few pennies.) I believe that the VLC Media Player (freeware) can play DVDs. BluRays are a different issue. (DVDs don't use HDCP.) 4k BluRays are at yet another level.

PA WOODCHUCK · Dec 25, 2022

Sorry, have the drive but win11 no longer has the app/program to play media like movies. Or am I missing something?
It's a blueray disc too... so any player suggestions?

Fabler2 · Dec 25, 2022

You can also check the Store app.

SIW2 · Dec 25, 2022

PA WOODCHUCK said:
Sorry, have the drive but win11 no longer has the app/program to play media like movies. Or am I missing something?
It's a blueray disc too... so any player suggestions?

vlc

bobkn · Dec 25, 2022

PA WOODCHUCK said:
Sorry, have the drive but win11 no longer has the app/program to play media like movies. Or am I missing something?
It's a blueray disc too... so any player suggestions?

I'm not optimistic about freeware players for copy protected BluRay disks. Every commercial BD I've seen is copy protected.

I can't swear that none exist.

Spartan · Dec 25, 2022

PA WOODCHUCK said:
NO DVD player, what are options?

Leawo Blu-ray Player

Being the best media player software combo, Leawo Blu-ray Player is all-inclusive media player software to play back Blu-ray/DVD disc, common videos and up to 1080P HD videos smoothly on Windows 8. As professional Blu-ray/DVD media player software, Leawo Blu-ray Player could play back the newest Blu-ray and DVD discs released in the market on Windows 8.1/8/7/Vista/XP. It could play back common videos, up to 1080P videos and audios in almost all formats with lossless quality. With various advanced audio decoding technologies like Dolby, DTS, AAC, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc. built in, Leawo Blu-ray Player delivers extraordinary audio effect. For better user experience, it provides detailed navigation and full playback control and allows people to adjust subtitles, audio tracks and videos during playback, customize background picture and switch program skins, support multi-languages and multiple screen displays, etc. People could add videos to the internal playlist for continuous movie enjoying. With Leawo Blu-ray Player, HD movie enjoyment on Windows would be greatly improved.

Berton · Dec 25, 2022

For me it's the copying of movies that the protection blocks. It even exists on commercial VHS movies, the original M.A.S.H. movie fails at 80% transfer from tape to disc.

Scott · Dec 25, 2022

bobkn said:
I'm not optimistic about freeware players for copy protected BluRay disks. Every commercial BD I've seen is copy protected.

I can't swear that none exist.

Spartan said:
Leawo Blu-ray Player

The Leawo player actually works.

bobkn · Dec 25, 2022

Berton said:
For me it's the copying of movies that the protection blocks. It even exists on commercial VHS movies, the original M.A.S.H. movie fails at 80% transfer from tape to disc.

UHD BDs on standalone players will only play at 1080p if HDCP 2.2 or later isn't detected from the TV.

For PCs, officially supported UHD BD play seems to have been mostly blocked. I'm not up-to-date on the work arounds for that. I have an LG BD drive with an old firmware that permits UHD BD play, with software that supports it.

Spartan · Dec 25, 2022

bobkn said:
UHD BDs on standalone players will only play at 1080p if HDCP 2.2 or later isn't detected from the TV.

For PCs, officially supported UHD BD play seems to have been mostly blocked. I'm not up-to-date on the work arounds for that. I have an LG BD drive with an old firmware that permits UHD BD play, with software that supports it.

I personally use PowerDVD 22 Ultra just for the Smooth motion enhancement although it doesn't make a huge difference, but it makes movies look better for me, that and the other enhancements it does with regards to colors but it's not cheap so for people wanting a free player, Leawo is the best.

hsehestedt · Dec 25, 2022

As an alternative, you can use your Blu-Ray player to rip video to an ISO image, then recompress the video to another format that you can play with most typical video player apps such as VLC. Yes, I admit that this is a bit of work, but when you are done, you play your videos on any system without any optical drive.

Before I continue, I want to be very clear that I'm not advocating for the copying of media that you do not legally own. Every movie I have, I purchased, then I rip them and toss the discs.

Back when DVDs first came out, I purchased a DVD player weeks before discs came to market. They then released discs only in a few major test markets like New Your, LA, Chicago, etc. I flew out to New York so that I could get the first wave of discs and I've been collecting them, and now Blu-Rays, ever since. I ended up with over 2,000 discs but now have all of them ripped to files on HDDs. 2,000 discs occupied too much space so the last time I moved I tossed all of them. But now every movie is readily accessible via Plex server and way more convenient than physical discs.

Winuser · Dec 26, 2022

If interested, here is a list of video players. You can scroll through and see if any of the programs are to your liking. Video Players Free Downloads - VideoHelp

Winuser · Dec 26, 2022

hsehestedt said:
As an alternative, you can use your Blu-Ray player to rip video to an ISO image

If they are copy protected, that's a taboo subject.

Winuser · Dec 26, 2022

Winuser said:
If interested, here is a list of video players. You can scroll through and see if any of the programs are to your liking. Video Players Free Downloads - VideoHelp

Edit: I use Cyberlink PowerDVD or Leawo Blu-ray player when I watch my dvds or blu-ray disk on my desktop.

jds63 · Dec 26, 2022

Winuser said:
I use Cyberlink PowerDVD or Leawo Blu-ray player when I watch my dvds or blu-ray disk on my desktop.

Also good for movies in a file format…mkv..mov…mp4 what i use PowerDVD even though it’s pricey

hsehestedt · Dec 26, 2022

Winuser said:
If they are copy protected, that's a taboo subject.

Absolutely not. 100% legal for personal use if you own the media, at least here in the United States. That's why I made crystal clear that I purchased all the media first.

Winuser · Dec 26, 2022

hsehestedt said:
Absolutely not. 100% legal for personal use if you own the media, at least here in the United States. That's why I made crystal clear that I purchased all the media first.

You better check your source of info again. It is illegal to circumvent the copy protection. Why do you think they have the FBI warning when you play the disk or tape.