VAIO WinDVD won't open Blu-ray

[cascadingsquares]

Hi! I'm a newbie and I'm having some problems playing Blu-ray DVDs on my new vaio.
Here's what's up..

Model: Sony VAIO VGN-AR630e
Blu-ray player: Intervideo WinDVD BD for VAIO
What happened:
- New VAIO, everything installed (windows vista)
- Using Blu-ray dvd, WinDVD automatically opened
- Message popped up saying AAC key expired
- Redirected to website (Corel)
- Now WinDVD opens and plays ordinary DVDs but does not even keep the application open for more than 10 secs when the Blu-ray is inserted

Please help! Thanks so much!

[dadkins]

#1 Goto VAIO Support and get any/all updates for the machine and software.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...?mdl=VGNAR630E

#2 SERIOUSLY consider getting a different Blu-ray playback software.

Yeah, I have 2 VAIOs with WinDVD BD for VAIO(Pre-Corel)... I prefer ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre:
http://www.arcsoft.com/products/totalmediatheatre/

You might also consider upgrading the pre-installed WinDVD to WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray:
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satelli...0&tabview=tab0

Or, PowerDVD 8 Ultra:
http://www.cyberlink.com/multi/products/main_1_ENU.html

[prerich]

Originally Posted by dadkins

#1 Goto VAIO Support and get any/all updates for the machine and software.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...?mdl=VGNAR630E

#2 SERIOUSLY consider getting a different Blu-ray playback software.

Yeah, I have 2 VAIOs with WinDVD BD for VAIO(Pre-Corel)... I prefer ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre:
http://www.arcsoft.com/products/totalmediatheatre/

You might also consider upgrading the pre-installed WinDVD to WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray:
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satelli...0&tabview=tab0

Or, PowerDVD 8 Ultra:
http://www.cyberlink.com/multi/products/main_1_ENU.html

I was just going to suggest that the OP contact you

Hi I have exactly the same problem. They do mention this key business and also mention that a little icon will appear within the vacant blu bar at the top of our installed players - what I am attempting to do is to track down this key and also find out where I can upgrade my version of the player to play blu ray discs.

Having forked out big bickies for my machine I would expect a workable blu player on the thing! Please help!

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by dadkins

You might also consider upgrading the pre-installed WinDVD to WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray:
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satelli...0&tabview=tab0

I'd stay away from Corel's WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray if I were you. They've been slow (or maybe nonexistent is the proper term) on player updates and have only released one patch to date. The retail version of the player also doesn't support BD-Live. What floored me was that Corel did release a press release in Jul 08 stating that this functionality would be available immediately through OEM software, but it's current retail customers would have to wait until early '09! Other users have also reported that newer Fox discs (w/ new BD+ encryption) won't play on the player and until Corel releases an update there's nothing we can do, but wait.

As Dadkins has stated, Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre is probably the best software player on the market to date. Arcsoft has been the best with releasing updates in a timely manner.

[Sharkbyte]

I need a player with at least Dolby 5.1 surround.
WinDVD 8 came preinstalled with a new Sony VAIO VGNAR825E I purchased yesterday. It fails to update the AACS key form the Corel and will not work if you select YES from the pop up that launches when you open the player. If you select NO to updating the AACS key it will play the disk. Sony's support said if you select no to many times, you will get a Error 10 message. Sony support states they hope to have a fix soon. How long have they been saying this? Can anyone recommend a better play NOT from Corel that will handle 5.1, 7.1 and DTS?

[Sharkbyte]

Sony's level 2 support is aware of the inability for AACS files to update from Corel's website issue and they admit it is a problem with WinDVD 8 and said I could pay for WinDVD 9 because that might fix the problem. It costs $70 to upgrade. I have been on the phone with them every other week for 2 months and there does not appear that there will be a solution provided by Sony because nothing has changed. If they wanted to fix the problem they could find a way to provide users with an upgrade to WinDVD9. I bought my VGN-AR825e because I could play Blu-Ray disks with Dolby 5.1 surround. It was supposed to work. Why do I need to pay to fix it? I am waiting for a phone call from Sony support in San Diego. Possibly they will find a way to deal with this.

[dadkins]

I made the choice and got full versions of playback software for both of my AR VAIOs.

Just as if I wanted the newer Adobe Photoshop Elements, *I* would have to pay to get it.
Sony is not going to pop for the newest version.

For playback, I recommend ArcSoft TMT 3 or PowerDVD 9 Ultra.

[CyBer111]

I updated to the latest version of WinDVD from Sony, got an account from Corel and made Corel a trusted site. After all that, I got to the point where Corel says I'm downloading the latest key but it just hangs there. After reading several other forums, I opened WinDVD as the Administrator by right-clicking the application. This time it updated in seconds with no problem.

[Tug]

Originally Posted by dadkins

Just as if I wanted the newer Adobe Photoshop Elements, *I* would have to pay to get it.
Sony is not going to pop for the newest version.

Sharkbyte's point was that Sony admits that they have no solution to the problem with the software they have pre-installed.

The only solution they can offer is for the user to make a substantial purchase of a software product other than the one they pre-installed. In essence, they have advertised functionality in their product that does not exist. If that's not false advertising, I don't know what is.

As Sharkbyte correctly asserted, the very least Sony should do is provide to those paying customers who have asked, an upgrade to the next closest version that functions. In this case, the "upgrade" is actually a patch.

As you might have guessed, I have just discovered the exact same problem that Sharkbyte encountered and I, too, am not a happy camper. Seventy dollars is a good percentage of the cost of an actual player (component) nowadays. Oh yeah, I also blew $70 on a new cable.

The part that gripes me the most is that I have been a very loyal and happy Sony customer for 25 years and this very un-Sony like.

This borders on fraud and Sony should take more interest in maintaining their integrity.

[Tug]

Originally Posted by CyBer111

I updated to the latest version of WinDVD from Sony, got an account from Corel and made Corel a trusted site. After all that, I got to the point where Corel says I'm downloading the latest key but it just hangs there. After reading several other forums, I opened WinDVD as the Administrator by right-clicking the application. This time it updated in seconds with no problem.

Thanks CyBer111 - this worked for me as well, though it took 2 tries with a new error in-between ("MCF App has stopped working").

You'd think Sony support would be aware of it so they wouldn't have to tell people they have to purchase a solution.

Thanks for sharing.

[Pihl]

Hi all.
Sony support are full of energy, when it comes to wanting to help. But when it comes to actually helping and solving problems they completely fail. After a 1/2 year with 4 visits to the repairs and no problems solved, I know that Sony cant solve problems, they only collect! I got my money back and I will never spent a single dime on a Sony product!
Kind regards from
Pihl

[PSTANDSFORPAUL]

Good Evening,
Re: Sony Vaio VGN-FW11M Running Vista SP2 32-bit

Sorry in advance if I have posted this in the wrong place or if this problem has been delt with on this forum before; site virgin here!

There appears to be a problem with my Vaio Laptop when I try to play Blu Ray Discs. When the disc is put into the tray and the tray inserted; you can hear the drive trying to read the disc. After about four attempts it stops. If I try to 'explore' or 'open' the disc in 'my computer' the tray is ejected and I get the message to insert a disc. The discs I am trying to play are brand new, no fingerprints, scratches etc.

The latest version of the pre-installed WinDVD BD and the latest drive firmware is installed. The drive is an Optarc BD ROM BC-5500A.

Regular DVD titles and Audio discs play without any problems. The same goes for writing data to blank discs.

I have followed a few suggestions found on various forums regarding this problem such as uninstall/reinstall the drive/graphics driver etc. but to no avail.


Many Thanks to anyone who can help me!

[CinC-UFPForces]

All,

I'm a first time poster and Blu-Ray owner hoping to solicit your advice.

I recently purchased a copy of Battlestar Galactica: The Plan as well as the complete Blu-Ray edition of that series from Amazon.com. I'm using a Toshiba Qosmio X505-830, which features a Blu-Ray drive, as my player and the pre-packaged WinDVD to play it.

Discs from the complete series play without difficulty on my laptop. The Plan, by contrast, loads, runs, plays the trailers, and then proceeds to what I presume out to be the main menu. Instead of actually going to the main menu, it hangs at the "loading" bar forever. No progress is made even after more than an hour; it just continues to cycle in perpetuity.

Is this problem familiar to anyone, and is there a potential solution?

Thanks kindly!

[mgkoeln]

Hi! I recently purchased a new Sony VAIO VGN-NW21ZF Laptop and was keen to check out BD-Live on the new LOST DVD with its LOST UNIVERSITY feature.

Unfortunately, all I get is the disc's "You need a broadband internet connection" screen. The included software "WinDVD BD for Vaio" (latest version 8.0.20.89) has a BD-LIVE logo on its info tab. Neither Sony's nor Corel's support over here in Germany could definitely tell me, if the software is actually BD-Live compatible, though. (Corel says: "You're not getting any support for an OEM version from us". Sony says: "It's just an OEM version so it may or may not feature BD-Live. Try it out - we don't care...")

Does anybody know, if BD-Live should work on my VAIO?

I assume, that WinDVD's history might have saved the wrong settings with this particular Disc. As I got the LOST BluRay a few days early I might have tried LOST UNIVERSITY when it hadn't yet been online. The first few times it took much longer for the error message to appear, while it pops up immediately now. What also strikes me funny, is that the software seems to remember the special hidden menu screen of this disc (with the white background) that usually only appears later on while scrolling through the regular menu screen. Is there any way, to erase WinDVD's history?

[emersonsilveira]

Hello Everyone,

I have a brand new Vaio. It came with windows 7 premium, but I upgraded it to windows 7 ultimate.

because of it, its not working the Blu Ray drive.

I installed the newest WINDVD Corel 2010, and it's still not working..

can some one help me out... please!!!!!!!!!

tks.

[Pihl]

You should stop trying to solve any problem with Sony Vaio. Why. Because it simply does not work!

[Old School Joe]

I recently picked up a Sony Vaio VPCEB15FM with Windows 7 Premium (64 bit). It came with the preinstalled WinDvD BD, which would not launch. So, like a dummy, I uninstalled it, and purchased the full Corel Windvd 10 Pro and of course, it will not launch. When you click on the short cut, or *.exe to launch the application, you get an hour glass, the CPU% hits about 30, then nothing. When you watch the processing under task manager you see the windvd.exe process start, then it ends. I have contacted Corels support and they sent me an email with the normal check for Windows updates and video and graphic card updates and uninstall and reinstall the application. And once again, none of this worked of course. Any thoughts that don't involve purchasing a Mac?

[vonzipper3]

You guy's should try this by backing up your WinDVD software I was able to uninstall it then reinstalled the Blu-ray software & it started to work!

Goodluck!

[Cube]

Like other people, I also recently purchased a Sony VAIO (EB1 Z0E/B).

I have WinDVD BD (v10.0) which was pre-installed and PowerDVD 10 (which I mainly use).

The first Blu-Ray I tried (Serenity - one of my favourite films) would not play.

With WinDVD I got past the Universal logo, some trailer and the language selection - it then went to a loading screen (a big metal Universal logo spinning) and no further. With PowerDVD it just stopped after the Universal logo.

After a while I tried the other Blu-Ray I got with it (Pan's Labyrinth) and it worked fine. I presumed that I had gotten a faulty disk

After having a few more films with no problems, I finally received my replacement copy of Serenity today. I still had the same problems.

Had anyone had a similar problem where just one/few Blu-Ray's don't work or is it simply that some Blu-Rays are incompatible with some players?