Blu-Ray for the PC still isn't reliable

[Sirandar]

New release Blue-Ray disc still fail to play far too often. I wouldn't even consider buying, only renting.

Currently for Blu-Ray there is nobody at the helm and nobody responsible when things go wrong.... the parties involved just point at each other.

New release Blu-Rays often don't play on your computer when you take them home. Some will play with one player and not another. Some play after a software update. It is an epic fail IMO

My system is higher end and and meets all the standards and is stable. Last night rented Green Zone, played perfectly on Arcsoft TNT (V2) but wouldn't play on Corel WinDVD9. Decided to part ways with Corel as they offically said that they no longer support WinDVD9 (WinDVD is one release back from current version and less than 2 years old).

Decided to try out the new version of Arcsoft TMT version 3 plat. Wouldn't play Green Zone. Reverted to V2 and it played again.


This is the ridiculousness of Blu-Ray for PC. Nobody is responsible when things go wrong and nobody is trying to fix things properly. They just keep adding more and more useless features to cause even more issues.


What is needed to make Blu Ray Steven work for the PC?

The Blu ray association needs to hire a group of the best AV software developers and hardware specialists to write an application that will absolutely certify your PC as fit to play Blu-ray content. It would need to run stress tests on RAM, video and hard drives, check software installations, registry, permissions and for in-compatible software.

Once written, the end user could download it for free and then certify their system. If is passes than the PC is certified and if a disk has issues the user should be able to return the disk and that will get the studios to clean up their act. For the end user there is no checking, reloading and updating required. If it fails due to the player software it should report direct to your player developer so they can fix it. If it points to your hardware at least you know it's you.

If this type of application can't be written, then Blu-Ray isn't really a standard, it is a failure and needs to be replaced.

[tyelway07]

I don't own a standalone bluray player I only use my PC and so far I have had no problems with playing any disc I own.

[Sirandar]

Originally Posted by tyelway07

I don't own a standalone bluray player I only use my PC and so far I have had no problems with playing any disc I own.

I have both ArcSoft TMT2 and Corel WinDVD9 (and TMT3 that I am trying to get a refund for)

I am talking about new release movies only ..... old releases always play even on WinDVD9.

So far TMT2 has played every Blu-Ray I have thrown at it, but even this well supported player didn't play Avatar when it came out. TMT3 however fails to play some BD.

Corel WinDVD9 fails more than it succeeds with new release content.

[Celerony]

Well, if your stand-alone doesn't play a certain disc and the manufacturer doesn't provide an update, you're doomed, while on a PC you're always able to install new software.

[Kraxxis]

I have Windvd Pro 2010 which I have had success in playing recent
releases until I rented 'Green Zone' on bluray and have 2 days left
to return Green Zone.
It plays the trailers, into's ok, but is stuck in the final
menu which I usually select play, but there are no buttons
anywhere for me to select.
I've contacted Corel and was given the standard 'make sure my drivers
are up to date' response. I've replied asking if they can play
Green Zone with the up to date version of Windvd 2010 player
that I have.

[Celerony]

Aaaarrggghhhhh, irritating!

If you want to play the disc right now, just download a trial version of another program, like PowerDVD.

[Sirandar]

Originally Posted by Celerony

Aaaarrggghhhhh, irritating!

If you want to play the disc right now, just download a trial version of another program, like PowerDVD.

The only player I know of that playes Green Zone is Arcsoft TMT2, but Arcsoft TMT3 doesn't play it ..... go figure

[Kraxxis]

I downloaded the trial version of Powerdvd 10 and it plays the intro,traliers,
BD live content okay. But when it reaches the point where the movie should play it stops. If I select next or play it flahses 'Prohibited'.

[jello_02]

umm i have about 300 blus, of which ive probably watched 175 of them. only 1 didnt work...2012.

[Stillhouse]

I use TMT3. The only movie I've had problems with is Fight Club. Everything else has played fine. I'd call that pretty reliable.

[OrlandoEastwood]

I pretty much gave up on playing Blu-rays on my external drive except for my Region B discs. I have no problems watching them on my external drive.

[ryanyomomma]

Hey you're not alone either. It seems to be a hit or miss deal because I have movies like The Book Of Eli work fine on PowerDVD 10...yet I pop in Green Zone and it doesn't even get to a title screen. It's unfortunate and the worst part is that I sent something to Cyberlink in regards to that problem...and they (like other software/hardware companies i.e Creative Labs) have not responded...or even attempted to make a movie update patch (like they did for 2012 and Inglorious Basterd's).

[Sirandar]

Originally Posted by jello_02

umm i have about 300 blus, of which ive probably watched 175 of them. only 1 didnt work...2012.

All of my Blu-rays played eventually on one of my players ....... after an update from the player developer. The problem is with movies out less than about 6 months.

When I can confidently rent a new release from the video store and have it play pretty well every time, then I would call Blu-ray a reliable tech.

It is still unreliable.

Would you buy a new release for your girl/boy friend for her birthday? I sure wouldn't because there is a very good chance it wouldn't play. Tell her/him it will play in a month isn't going to help much.

Messing around with his/her computer for 10 hours while you download updates, check his/her system, update directX ........ isn't very romantic.


IMO, the only thing that can make Blu-ray reliable is if the BD association writes a software package that certifies an end users PC for Blu-ray. If your PC fails you know it is your problem.

If a movie is released by a studio that doesn't play on a certified PC or hardware player, the BD association would block its release.

Writing the software will get the BD-association to clean up act and write a proper standard.

The application will also force the movie production companies to release disks that work and may result in less new untested crap in disks.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Sirandar

I have both ArcSoft TMT2 and Corel WinDVD9 (and TMT3 that I am trying to get a refund for)

I am talking about new release movies only ..... old releases always play even on WinDVD9.

So far TMT2 has played every Blu-Ray I have thrown at it, but even this well supported player didn't play Avatar when it came out. TMT3 however fails to play some BD.

Corel WinDVD9 fails more than it succeeds with new release content.

I own TMT Asus version (I have a Xonar Slim in my system) and I upgraded my Windvd9 to 10 for only 29 bucks I can play everything.

[prerich]

P.S. to the OP. I also own a standalone but my PC is my main player.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Sirandar

All of my Blu-rays played eventually on one of my players ....... after an update from the player developer. The problem is with movies out less than about 6 months.

When I can confidently rent a new release from the video store and have it play pretty well every time, then I would call Blu-ray a reliable tech.

It is still unreliable.

Would you buy a new release for your girl/boy friend for her birthday? I sure wouldn't because there is a very good chance it wouldn't play. Tell her/him it will play in a month isn't going to help much.

Messing around with his/her computer for 10 hours while you download updates, check his/her system, update directX ........ isn't very romantic.


IMO, the only thing that can make Blu-ray reliable is if the BD association writes a software package that certifies an end users PC for Blu-ray. If your PC fails you know it is your problem.

If a movie is released by a studio that doesn't play on a certified PC or hardware player, the BD association would block its release.

Writing the software will get the BD-association to clean up act and write a proper standard.

The application will also force the movie production companies to release disks that work and may result in less new untested crap in disks.

The problem is the changing AACS keys - not the players ... this is why standalones and pc players all need periodic updates (firmware updates in standalones and the PS3 - and software updates in PC's). I've been using my PC for BD for 3 years and it's been as reliable as my standalone - and my region free standalone is going no where any time soon.

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by Kraxxis

I have Windvd Pro 2010 which I have had success in playing recent
releases until I rented 'Green Zone' on bluray and have 2 days left
to return Green Zone.
It plays the trailers, into's ok, but is stuck in the final
menu which I usually select play, but there are no buttons
anywhere for me to select.
I've contacted Corel and was given the standard 'make sure my drivers
are up to date' response. I've replied asking if they can play
Green Zone with the up to date version of Windvd 2010 player
that I have.

Can you play it on a different Blu-Ray player?

I ask because I've had several discs do things similar to this, and it was just the disc, not the player.

I have no question that there is a real issue with PCs maintaining Blu-Ray capability, just commenting on your specific example, especially if it is just the one Blu-Ray.

[Offender_Mullet]

Originally Posted by Stillhouse

I use TMT3. The only movie I've had problems with is Fight Club. Everything else has played fine. I'd call that pretty reliable.

That's the only movie that ever gave me a problem in TMT3. It's either their last patch or second-to-last one which was suppose to fix that specific problem though. I loaned the movie to a friend and haven't been able to test it out yet.

[Pyoko]

You have to keep the application up to date, no different from the standalone players. I'm constantly seeing posts like "so and so doesn't play on my Sony/Panasonic/whatever", sometimes even after firmware upgrades.

I'm using PowerDVD 7 and so far I haven't had a single disc I couldn't play. The only exception was Avatar, but I had missed there was a new patch and it worked fine after that.

[dvdmike]

I got a BD-ROM yesterday and tried about 30 out of my 279 discs and all have worked with Power DVD 10.
I just need to find some freeware that does what anydvd-hd does