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How can I play Blu-Ray movies via Windows Media Centre on Windows 8? If I choose the "play dvd" option, I get an error:
Cannot Play Disc
To play this DVD, you must first install a playback application that supports Blu-ray Disc.
[ OK ]
However, I have got the HP MediaSmart application installed, which does work (although it's "less than awesome"), so I'm confused why I get this warning?
Rowland Shaw
Posted 2012-11-04T20:03:12.400
Reputation: 3 607
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From an article on Tom's Hardware:
[...] the Media Center Pack does not include codecs for Blu-ray playback.
You need to obtain (read: buy, as Blu-Ray codecs cost money) a separate application to be able to play Blu-Ray discs. In your case, you should use HP MediaSmart to play your videos.
DzinX
Posted 2012-11-04T20:03:12.400
Reputation: 4 010
I have HP MediaSmart (as mentioned in the question). Why doesn't that count? – Rowland Shaw – 2012-11-04T20:55:36.730
You have to use this application to play the movie. Media Center obviously won't "borrow" codecs from it. – DzinX – 2012-11-04T21:00:35.250
Are you saying it's just a badly worded message, and that it should tell me to use that application (that it implies is not yet installed) – Rowland Shaw – 2012-11-04T21:41:19.677
I think so, yes. – DzinX – 2012-11-04T21:58:05.300
1But what if the user really wants to use WMC to play blue-ray movies? – Andreas Rejbrand – 2012-11-25T23:15:17.280
1@AndreasRejbrand : "But what if the user really wants to use WMC to play blue-ray movies?" - Well, then the user is out of luck. :) – Lumi – 2012-12-01T16:41:41.397
@Rowland Shaw: How do you expect Windows Media Player to divine the fact that an entirely different application already installed is able to play BluRays? – SecurityMatt – 2013-01-29T04:12:02.603
@SecurityMatt I expect codecs to be shared between applications, in the same that they are for DVDs. – Rowland Shaw – 2013-01-29T09:38:06.110
@RowlandShaw: Codecs are not shared between applications even before Windows8. – SecurityMatt – 2013-01-29T20:08:51.013
@SecurityMatt They can be (and are in some cases). – Rowland Shaw – 2013-01-30T09:00:51.170
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You get this warning because:
The warning states that you don't have a correct application to view it, not the correct drive, which is is why your Blu-ray does work with HP MediaSmart.
If you're unhappy with it try VLC. I don't have a Blu-ray myself but a quick Google of the keywords "VLC Blu-ray" tells me that it is possible.
Danny
Posted 2012-11-04T20:03:12.400
Reputation: 164
1I think it is extremely strange that Microsoft doesn't prioritise Windows Media Centre (my personal favourite application, which I use daily to watch movies from DVB-T and DVD) as a platform for home cinema. The WMC interface is superior to any third-party application. I don't want to use any other application to watch movies. – Andreas Rejbrand – 2012-11-25T23:08:17.797