Blu-ray Playing Software

[piccolo135]

Morning all,

I'm sure this question has been covered, but I can only find one specific thread on it from 2011, so thought I'd give it a go again.

I'm looking for a free solution to playing BD discs on my laptop. Obviously I'm aware of playing HD MKV files, and also decrypting the disc using something like AnyDVD in order to browse to the .m2ts and play directly. But really I'm after something more like Total Media Theatre, that plays the BD disc directly and much like a set top player. I have the ability to obtain TMT5, but I'd sooner grab a supported player, or even pay for a fairly cheap supported one.

Anyone got any thoughts? I'd prefer not to have to decrypt it, and just pop in the drive, and play as I would a normal DVD. A friend mentioned MPCStar, but I can't see how that works as I want it to..

Any responses appreciated!

Just noticed the spelling mistake on the thread title (sorry)...please could a mod sort it?

[jman98]

I'm looking for a free solution to playing BD discs on my laptop. Obviously I'm aware of playing HD MKV files, and also decrypting the disc using something like AnyDVD in order to browse to the .m2ts and play directly. But really I'm after something more like Total Media Theatre, that plays the BD disc directly and much like a set top player. I have the ability to obtain TMT5, but I'd sooner grab a supported player, or even pay for a fairly cheap supported one.

How is TMT not supported? Maybe your point is just poorly stated and it's that you don't want to pay a lot of money for a player.

Look here:
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/343705-VLC-Blu-ray-plugin-Watch-encrypted-Blu-rays-...tly-in-VLC-2-0

It's still in its infancy so no promises but this may eventually do what you want for free.

[piccolo135]

Because the version I have of TMT is certainly not supported

Sorry probably just poorly stated...

I've tried VLC 2.0, copied over the key files and AACS but still couldnt get that to work. And from general comments it looks like its yet to play as a straight forward player.

[Baldrick]

You wont find anything like TMT that is free.

[Hoser Rob]

Have you looked in the Tools/Software and Downloads section?

I'm no BR expert but they don't seem to be well supported with freeware. They may play the video but not support BR menus, which means ripping the main movie to HDD and then playing that. That usually works foir me but it doesn't sound like what you want.

I don't really know what you were doing with VLC. Rip the disc? VLC is supposed to play BRs but I've found it doesn't play DVD video properly, though it does play it.

However, I haven't tried VLC 2.0 yet. I use PowerDVD9 or mpc-hc for high quality video and SMplayer for less than DVD quality stuff. VLC is good with that kind of stuff but SMplayer is a lot better.

[piccolo135]

Have you looked in the Tools/Software and Downloads section?

I'm no BR expert but they don't seem to be well supported with freeware. They may play the video but not support BR menus, which means ripping the main movie to HDD and then playing that. That usually works foir me but it doesn't sound like what you want.

I don't really know what you were doing with VLC. Rip the disc? VLC is supposed to play BRs but I've found it doesn't play DVD video properly, though it does play it.

However, I haven't tried VLC 2.0 yet. I use PowerDVD9 or mpc-hc for high quality video and SMplayer for less than DVD quality stuff. VLC is good with that kind of stuff but SMplayer is a lot better.

I tried VLC 2.0, just to see what the new functionality was around playing Blu rays, but it doesnt seem to be up to much. Pretty much all freeware players seem to be based around the HD rip, or an assumption that you have something running in the background that decrypts your disc.

PowerDVD and TMT seem to be literally the sole options for what I want. Doesn't sell Blu Ray very well for those not already on the badn wagon!!

[Hoser Rob]

Well, I'm not on the BR bandwagon, and judging by how few computers come with BR drives I'm not alone.

[leghorn]

I'm using TMT5 myself, and $100 is really worth it. In case you don't want to spend that amount you could try VSO Media Player. Haven't tested it myself, but definitely will. According to its specs it should support playback of Blu-Ray (structures).

[dragonkeeper]

I've been having good luck with PowerDVD11( have not seen a reason to upgrade to 12). It has played every BD disk i have put in so far.

[turk690]

All the BD rewriters I ever installed on desktops are LG and all came with PowerDVD specifically for use with them free, making playing BDs quick work from day one. I tried using same installer CD on other BD-ROM drives and came to this conclusion: if it's LG, it will install and work; if not LG, tough. Extrapolating this, there's a good chance therefore that same CD will work with a laptop whose BD-R drive is LG, that is, install PowerDVD. I do not know what other brand BD rewriters (like LiteOn and Pioneer) come with by way of a player program installer CD; it may or may not be PowerDVD, or gasp!, there may even be none at all...

[Noahtuck]

TMT is by far the best Bluray software player out there, it blows away the only other competition (Powerdvd) for playing Bluray's with full menu support!!

[dragonkeeper]

I've not had any problem with PowerDVD11 Sony, Pioneer or Lite on drives,I have several of each here. I only mentioned it because to my knowledge its the cheapest route to go. See its a version behind it can be had for $30 dollars. At lest that's what i paid for it. TMT while great at what it does I have not looked at it since version 3 or was it 3.5 and i seriously doubt i will try it again. Installing it almost wrecked my system even with doing a custom install, it totally took over my system with its on filters. Which wouldn't have been so bad had they worked correctly, I'm sure they have since fixed the problems since that version but for all the trouble it cost me I'm very weary of their products.

[Noahtuck]

All i can say is.....

I have been a fan and user of powerdvd, for at least a few years, and i had issues with powerdvd playing back bluray's with full menu support and i started using TMT and i had no more problems.

[Roughy]

PowerDVD and TMT seem to be literally the sole options for what I want. Doesn't sell Blu Ray very well for those not already on the badn wagon!!

Check these recent reviews http://www.reviewmaze.com/2012/02/3d-blu-ray-player-software-for-windows.html
It seems there a couple of other options for Blu-ray playback but PowerDVD and TMT are selected as the best. Also a cheaper player coming from Roxio has apparently been retired. Obviously, there are not many players but with these licensing fees concerning Blu-ray products it's something to be expected.

[zoobie]

I think TMT is grossly overpriced and will soon have lots of competition at a far cheaper price. Gotta pay for the codec for full BD support regardless. Most here are simply using the free VLC to view the streams.

[dragonkeeper]

I think TMT is grossly overpriced and will soon have lots of competition at a far cheaper price. Gotta pay for the codec for full BD support regardless. Most here are simply using the free VLC to view the streams.

Agreed. Actually all blu-ray products seem to be over priced, but its due to the exuberant licensing fees from Sony. Sony finally won a format war and now they are killing the format by trying to milk it to death. I expect that if Sony were a bit more lax with the licensing fees BD would have better market penetration than it currently does. The only reason i have PowerDVD11 is because i found it online somewhere for $30, I only use it to testing BDs I author, it performs much better than whats provided with Encore4.

Now if only someone would create a BD authoring tool that does not suck, and doesn't require taking out a second mortgage on the house to purchase, lol.

[Roughy]

I think TMT is grossly overpriced and will soon have lots of competition at a far cheaper price. Gotta pay for the codec for full BD support regardless. Most here are simply using the free VLC to view the streams.

It seems that actually there are not many copmanies willing to create software for playing Blu-rays. In fact, this year the players are even less. It's probably related with the licensing fees but the fact remains there is not huge competition in this niche. The result is people are looking for alternative solutions allowing BD playback sacrificing some features.

[mzso]

Hello!
Did things change since the last comments? I'm looking for a free blu-ray player with menu support.

[Baldrick]

Nope.

[mzso]

Nope.

Well, TMT stays then.

[pepegot1]

Try Mirillis's "Splash" A good and fast starting player and no where near TM in price.

[Baldrick]

It doesn't even mention blu-ray....so I doubt it support any blu-ray menus?

[petesimon]

I love these forums. many replies, without an answer or solution.

[usually_quiet]

I love these forums. many replies, without an answer or solution.

"No" is the only correct answer anyone could give at the time these questions were posted.

There are still no free Blu players available that offer full menu support, as far as I can tell. At best, there are libraries, libbluray and libaacs, that allow VLC and some other free players to play movies from some Blu-Ray discs, but the libraries do not allow these players full access to all types of Blu-Ray menus.

If you know of something free that equals TMT for Blu-Ray playback, feel free to share...

[redwudz]

I got tired of TMT and I really didn't like the interface that much. Never liked Power DVD. So I now use VSO media player and I've gotten used to it, so it works well for me. I have AnyDVD HD decrypting in the background. Good luck with your laptop and BDs. Though mine can play some HD video, it's not even up to the MKVs converted from BDs that I use on my main PC, and I really doubt it could handle a BD disc. Besides, it doesn't have a BD drive.

I have little use for the standard BD menus as that also includes interminable 'previews' and dire warnings. VSO gives me a 'menu' of the main feature and the bonus features and that's enough for me. If I wanted a full range menu, I'd have bought a standalone BD player.

[JoeBolden]

Has anyone have experience with the latest paid version of DVDFab Media Player 1.0.3.3 (January 24, 2013)?

Reviews and comments about earlier versions mentioned problems with the software and that it's not worth getting at that time. Please reply to my question only if you have actually tried this version 1.0.3.3 January 24, 2013 (or newer when available) for Blu-ray. Mention whether trial or paid and about full range menu.

Full range menu may be helpful if you want that. You can get an idea of how it "may" work in standalone BD player before burning a disc.

Regards, Joey

[usually_quiet]

Has anyone have experience with the latest paid version of DVDFab Media Player 1.0.3.3 (January 24, 2013)?

Reviews and comments about earlier versions mentioned problems with the software and that it's not worth getting at that time. Please reply to my question only if you have actually tried this version 1.0.3.3 January 24, 2013 (or newer when available) for Blu-ray. Mention whether trial or paid and about full range menu.

Full range menu may be helpful if you want that. You can get an idea of how it "may" work in standalone BD player before burning a disc.

Regards, Joey

The OP was looking for a free Blu-Ray player with menu support. At $50 DVDFab Media Player is not free...

[Cornucopia]

Nobody ever mentioned Corel WinDVDPro through all this discourse (which I put up there with PowerDVD & TMT), but then it isn't free either (for the same reasons).

Scott

[JoeBolden]

The OP was looking for a free Blu-Ray player with menu support. At $50 DVDFab Media Player is not free...

...
But really I'm after something more like TMT, that plays the BD disc directly and much like a set top player. .... but I'd sooner grab a supported player, or even pay for a fairly cheap supported one.
...I'd prefer not to have to decrypt it,...

"or even pay for a fairly cheap supported one." Since "You wont find anything like TMT that is free"(Baldrick). How would the latest version of DVDFab Media Player at $50 (high end of a fairly cheap supported one) compare to TMT at $100?

[TreeTops]

Answer is this: DVDFab Media Player is an annual subscription based shareware, the price shown above is for the starting year only.