Sony Vaio Blu-ray help

[Roymus]

All: I scanned the threads for an answer to this question but didn't see anything directly. I bought a new Sony Vaio VGNFZ285U (Windows Ultimate with WinDVD 8 and a Blu-Ray drive). The laptop has an HDMI connector so you can watch Blu-Ray movies on your 1080P HDTV (in my case a Mitsubishi 75831). I bought "300" and popped it into the Sony to see how it looked on the laptop...ok but not impressive (the screen does not support 1080P). I then hooked up the laptop to my HDTV via HDMI. The laptop display looks great on my TV, but when I tried to play the movie using WinDVD I received the message "Stop. Your display environment does not support protected content" and playback stops. I tested playing a regular DVD and it worked fine. I assume this is some kind of newfangled macrovision copy protection to prevent routing the signal to another device and copying the movie. So here's my questions:

1. Is it possible to play the movie on my HDTV using another player besides WinDVD? If so, which one? I don't mind buying another software player if I know it works.

2. Is the copy protection specific to Mitsubishi (i.e., is there something in the TV firmware that's telling WinDVD to stop playing)? If so, is there a way to defeat it?

3. If #2 is correct, are there Blu-Ray movies that don't have this kind of protection? If not, shouldn't Sony compensate me for selling me a player that won't work under any circumstances?

Sorry if this has been covered...thanks!

Roy

[clyon]

Sounds like it is a hdmi hdcp compatiable issue.

You done the most resent updates? Software & hardware updates.

if so give sony a call & makesure you have your tv model # on hand


Your getting the error from the computer Not the tv?

Don't know if a bad HDMI cable you would get this error, but if you got another one on hand try a diffrent hdmi

[Hep]

I am getting the same message with a Sony VAIO VGN-FZ180E with blu-ray drive, a Sony KDL46XBR4, and high quality Monster HDMI cable. Haven't had the time to solve the issue yet, I only assume it is a copy protection issue.

[Roymus]

Everything is updated to the most current version. Any advice on another blu-ray software player besides WinDVD?

[gabrielc]

I have a vaio vgn-fz290 and it played several bds when out of the box, through hdmi cable to hitachi plasma.

Several months later (after a bunch of vista and a few vaio updates of course) I'm getting the same error msg. about content protection for exactly the same BDs that worked fine before.

Gotta love them MS bastards!

[PanamaMarco]

I posted this same issue with my Acer that has the Sony Blu-Ray drive.

I have all the correct cables and I get the same message.

I need to buy a new TV....and make sure it's compliant.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

[gabrielc]

I'll take it back, it works, you need to use "expanded" or "dual-view" (NOT CLONE) mode in your graphics card settings. So, to recap:

- vaio vgn-fz290 (nvidia ge force 8400M GT, laptop LCD monitor resolution left to 1280x800 native and second display set up to plasma 1920x1080 interlaced, native)

- plasma hitachi 42" 42hdt51m (1080i, hdcp compatible)

I get a nice 16:9 HD image (not true 1080p but still nice at the 1920x1080x30 Hz) and the sound comes out OK through the laptop HDMI cable to plasma TV tuner (and TV speakers). However, the Hitachi optical out doesn't decode properly the BD sound to my 5.1 receiver, so the sound is just stereo through the sound system and/or simulated surround through plasma own speakers

[the rapture]

Hey there, please can you help? - I purchased a sony vaio VGN-AR51M today with it came a free blu-ray DVD (spiderman3), I am aware this system has a blu-ray DVD player however the only programme I have on it is WINDVD BD, for some reason it doesnt seem to play the disk. I would understand usually but I dont even get an error message! - any ideas?

[rmandovnz]

Hey i got the same here with my fz285u. i got spiderman3

it doesnt seem to play the disk too. windows ultimate seems to not recognizes the disc. i know this drive can reproduce bd discs, it got the dual lents (one of them its the blue one)

- i got no error
- ive trying with and without all the updates.
- differents bd players
- in ubuntu too
- others medias plays ok (dvd, audio and data discs)

i contact sony and.... same thing.... have to send it, i live in latin america, get the vaio thru amazon.com.

do i have to send it back to us???? or sell it here and get other??

SONY

it seems theres a few knoledge about the matshita uj-220s drive, theres no firmware after the 1.03.

Any ideas?

[arush5268d]

Originally Posted by rmandovnz

Hey i got the same here with my fz285u. i got spiderman3

it doesnt seem to play the disk too. windows ultimate seems to not recognizes the disc. i know this drive can reproduce bd discs, it got the dual lents (one of them its the blue one)

- i got no error
- ive trying with and without all the updates.
- differents bd players
- in ubuntu too
- others medias plays ok (dvd, audio and data discs)

i contact sony and.... same thing.... have to send it, i live in latin america, get the vaio thru amazon.com.

do i have to send it back to us???? or sell it here and get other??

SONY

it seems theres a few knoledge about the matshita uj-220s drive, theres no firmware after the 1.03.

Any ideas?

Are you trying to play it on your laptop screen with no other screens connected?

[arush5268d]

One of the members here is pretty knowledgable with the Sony Vaios. I'd recommend that you shoot him a message about your problem. His name here is dadkins https://forum.blu-ray.com/member.php?u=3633

I hope that this community can help you find a way to resolve your problem soon!

[aramis109]

This post might get some more help in the Blu-Ray drives forum: https://forum.blu-ray.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35

Either request a mod to move it or repost it. It's an HDCP issue for sure, but I'm not sure how to resolve it. You need to have HDCP-compliance through each connection- device, cable, display device.

[Robb99]

I got the following advice direct from Sony support, worked for me

*** NOTES 12-Dec-2008 Action Type: Info
Dear Mr Barker,

Thank you for contacting eSupport.

Please be advised that your TV set must support High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) which allows you to view between HDCP transmitters and HDCP receivers on its way to your TV via the HDMI connection.

Please connect the VAIO and TV via the HDMI cable to please change the regional settings , then change the region code on the WinDVD BD Setup menu by doing the following:

1. Open WinDVD BD for VAIO.
2. Right-click anywhere on the WinDVD BD window, and then click Setup.
3. On the Setup dialog box, click the Region tab.
4. Select BD Title from the drop-down menu.
5. Select a region (for e.g., region B for Europe, etc.)
6. Click OK.

Please change the Audi setting as well as following:
When you connecting HDMI you need to change sound output to HDMI.
To do that please follow steps below:
1. Click on the "Start" button in the bottom left hand corner of your desktop and then Control Panel.
2. Click on "Classic View" on the task panel on the left hand side.
3. Double click on Sound.
4. Select HDMI("Realtek High Definition Audio") and click on Set Default.

Options 2:
You will need to enable the sound for HDMI. To do this you will need to open the sound properties.
1. Right click the sound icon on the taskbar and select "Playback devices"
2. Make sure the HDMI cable is connected and the TV is on
3. Right click "HDMI" and click "Enable"
4. Right click "HDMI" again and select "Properties", make sure that the device is enabled here too.
5. Right click it one last time and select "TEST"
6. Right click it again and "Set as default Device"
7. Restart the computer

Please note that you can only view via HDMI connectivity only on 1 screen. Please use the Fn+F7 key combination to switch to one single screen

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to update your case. If you would prefer an e-Support agent to contact you by telephone, please update your case with your preferred contact number and a suitable timeframe between the hours of 8:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday.

Regards,
Thabo
Sony-Vaio Link Team