Play Blu-Rays on Windows XP?

Question

I have been having trouble playing Blu-Rays on Windows XP.

I have AnyMP4 BluRay toolkit, but it does not play titles and menus correctly. I just gives a list of tracks which makes it difficult to play BluRays that have a complex structure.

Both WinDVD and PowerDVD seem to be the only software that (might) play Blu-Ray menus correctly, but unfortunately the current versions of both of these do not support Windows XP.

I tried WinDVD 11 trial from a file sharing site, but it did not run (just got a splash screen and it silently quit).

Is there any way to solve this problem?

Answer 1

You could always use VLC...

You will need to update the keys database and AACS dynamic library, both of which can be downloaded from http://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/.

The basic steps are...

1. Download VLC
2. Download the Blu-Ray keys
3. Download the AACS Dynamic Library 32-bit or 64-bit
4. Install VLC
5. Navigate to %APPDATA%\Roaming (Windows Vista and above, %ProgramData%)
6. Create a folder, and name it aacs inside %APPDATA%\Roaming (Windows Vista and above, %ProgramData%)
7. Open the folder that VLC is installed in, for 32-bit Windows -- C:\Program Files\VLC or 64-bit C:\Program Files (x86)\VLC
8. Move the library you downloaded into VLC's directory (libaacs.dll)
9. Open VLC
10. Open Disc Input
11. ???
12. Consider upgrading to a more recent version of Windows
13. Profit

Answer 2

You probably can't, least not legally.

To run a blu ray video disk, you need HDCP support throughout the chain. Luckily since the studios don't know how to have DRM in your eyes yet, this means you need an OS, a video card and a monitor, all of which support HCDP, which windows XP dosen't support.

I presume that the VLC option either somehow ignores this or outputs a non HD image. Apparently linux has the same issues and somewhat spotty support.

Its unlikely windows XP will have the necessary codecs and other bits that you'll need to playback blu ray.