Pioneer BDR-202, Vista Media Center - Blu-ray Forum

sangpeiris · 09-26-2007, 02:56 AM

Hi;

I'm planning on buying a Pioneer BDR-202 to add to my Vista Media Center PC. The Media Center PC is a Shuttle XPS (http://us.shuttle.com/ConfigurePacka...ge=SYG5-3300-M) with Core 2 Duo 2.13Mgz Processor, Intel GMA 3100 video with HDMI at 1080p and 2 GB of memory. I use the machine only as a Media Center PC attached to a Samsung LNT-5271F LCD via HDMI 1.3a. I'm buying the BDR-202 Blu-ray drive to replace my current DVD drive. The only reason I want a Blu-ray drive in this machine is to watch commercially available Blu-Ray disks. Outside of buying the Pioneer drive, what else will I need to get Vista Media Center to play any commercial blu-ray movie? Do I need another version of Nvida PureVideoHD Codecs? Do I need something like WinDVD BD? or is it just plug and pray?

Thanks for any advice.

Sang

Lee Christie · 09-27-2007, 10:17 AM

Is your graphics card and monitor HDCP compliant? Looks all good.

Anyway to play BDs on your PC you need software, I use CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra. I haven't used WinDVD BD, it'll probably be the same. Unfortunatly i don't think there's any way to get Windows Media Center to play BDs (or HD DVDs), I'd like it to, I have Vista Ultimate and it's be nice if you could play BDs within WMC, but the best you can seem to do if set it up so that if you select "Play DVD" while there's a BD in the drive, it'll minimise WMC and open PowerDVD Ultra (or whatever player you have).

I'm sure with DVDs you could just install an MPEG-2 decoder such as NVidia PureVideo and that would permit any program to use it, but the decoder for Blu-ray and HD DVD seems locked to the program and WMC isn't compatable.

I'd like to be wrong, because I think it's stupid not permitting this interoperability, and I'd like to play BDs in WMC myself. If you find any way to do it, let me know.

I imagine eventually Microsoft WILL release an update which allows WMC to play HD DVDs, but not Blu-ray, though that's just me guessing.

JadedRaverLA · 09-30-2007, 08:30 PM

As Lee said, it sounds like all you'll really need is the software. As you don't have an ATI or Nvidia graphics solution, you'll be relying on the system processor for video decoding. Fortunately, your system can handle it, and since you use the system as an HTPC only, it shouldn't matter.

There is no Media Center "plug-in" to play Blu-ray discs at this time, but as Lee mentioned you can set it up to autolaunch your player of choice from within Media Center when you insert a disc.

I've used both PowerDVD and WinDVD for Blu-ray playback. I prefer PowerDVD, though both work just fine. I'm sure if you purchase the retail version of the drive, it will come with one or the other software playback solutions... if you buy an OEM drive it may not.

09-26-2007, 02:56 AM	#1
sangpeiris New Member Member since:Sep 2007	Pioneer BDR-202, Vista Media Center Hi; I'm planning on buying a Pioneer BDR-202 to add to my Vista Media Center PC. The Media Center PC is a Shuttle XPS (http://us.shuttle.com/ConfigurePacka...ge=SYG5-3300-M) with Core 2 Duo 2.13Mgz Processor, Intel GMA 3100 video with HDMI at 1080p and 2 GB of memory. I use the machine only as a Media Center PC attached to a Samsung LNT-5271F LCD via HDMI 1.3a. I'm buying the BDR-202 Blu-ray drive to replace my current DVD drive. The only reason I want a Blu-ray drive in this machine is to watch commercially available Blu-Ray disks. Outside of buying the Pioneer drive, what else will I need to get Vista Media Center to play any commercial blu-ray movie? Do I need another version of Nvida PureVideoHD Codecs? Do I need something like WinDVD BD? or is it just plug and pray? Thanks for any advice. Sang

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09-27-2007, 10:17 AM	#2
Lee Christie Active Member Member since:Aug 2007	Is your graphics card and monitor HDCP compliant? Looks all good. Anyway to play BDs on your PC you need software, I use CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra. I haven't used WinDVD BD, it'll probably be the same. Unfortunatly i don't think there's any way to get Windows Media Center to play BDs (or HD DVDs), I'd like it to, I have Vista Ultimate and it's be nice if you could play BDs within WMC, but the best you can seem to do if set it up so that if you select "Play DVD" while there's a BD in the drive, it'll minimise WMC and open PowerDVD Ultra (or whatever player you have). I'm sure with DVDs you could just install an MPEG-2 decoder such as NVidia PureVideo and that would permit any program to use it, but the decoder for Blu-ray and HD DVD seems locked to the program and WMC isn't compatable. I'd like to be wrong, because I think it's stupid not permitting this interoperability, and I'd like to play BDs in WMC myself. If you find any way to do it, let me know. I imagine eventually Microsoft WILL release an update which allows WMC to play HD DVDs, but not Blu-ray, though that's just me guessing.

09-30-2007, 08:30 PM	#3
JadedRaverLA Power Member Member since:Apr 2007 Blu-ray reviews:2	As Lee said, it sounds like all you'll really need is the software. As you don't have an ATI or Nvidia graphics solution, you'll be relying on the system processor for video decoding. Fortunately, your system can handle it, and since you use the system as an HTPC only, it shouldn't matter. There is no Media Center "plug-in" to play Blu-ray discs at this time, but as Lee mentioned you can set it up to autolaunch your player of choice from within Media Center when you insert a disc. I've used both PowerDVD and WinDVD for Blu-ray playback. I prefer PowerDVD, though both work just fine. I'm sure if you purchase the retail version of the drive, it will come with one or the other software playback solutions... if you buy an OEM drive it may not.

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