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Help wanted: Win 7/Media center/Blu-ray player

VacuumJockeyVacuumJockey Registered User regular
edited November 2010 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
I just got one of these. Now that I'm done installing apps, updating drivers & firmware, etc, it's a fine little machine.

But I need some kind of blu-ray player, preferably integrated in a media center. MS Media Center and Boxee can't play blu-rays, and I see no indication that XBMC is any different. So what do I do? Is there a media center with integrated blu-ray playback? Will I need a seperate util for blu-ray playback? If so, which one should I get?

(To be clear, I'm talking about playing directly off a blu-ray disc - I have no particular interest in ripping blu-rays and converting files etc. In short, I want to put a blu-ray disc in the drive and then watch whatever is on that disc with as little fuss as possible.)

PSN: VacuumJockey

"Laugh while you can, monkey-boy!"
~ Dr. Emilio Lizardo
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Posts

  • SporkAndrewSporkAndrew Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited November 2010
    The latest version of PowerDVD integrates semi-nicely with Vista Media Center. EngadgetHD did a write-up on it last year, and it's improved a lot since then.

    It can also handle reading from virtual drives too if you end up like me too lazy to stand up and put a disc in a drive and end up backing up every disc you own.

    SporkAndrew on
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  • bigwahbigwah Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    There are only two options. PowerDVD and ArcSofts TMT 3. I prefer TMT because of their better customer support, the fact that powerdvds upgrade path is atrocious, and I can rip my BDs to disk and play them from there (cannot do this with PowerDVD unless you rip as an image, ie no take out adverts).

    bigwah on
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  • SporkAndrewSporkAndrew Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited November 2010
    bigwah wrote: »
    and I can rip my BDs to disk and play them from there (cannot do this with PowerDVD unless you rip as an image, ie no take out adverts).

    You can do it if you remux the BD to just be the main movie and then convert that into an image - I've done it with every BD I own.

    SporkAndrew on
    The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin
  • bigwahbigwah Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    SporkAndrew wrote: »
    bigwah wrote: »
    and I can rip my BDs to disk and play them from there (cannot do this with PowerDVD unless you rip as an image, ie no take out adverts).

    You can do it if you remux the BD to just be the main movie and then convert that into an image - I've done it with every BD I own.

    Yes, but I have my movies in folder format to play on extenders (yes I know that BDs wont play, but I like consistency!)

    bigwah on
    LoL Tribunal:
    "Was cursing, in broken english at his team, and at our team. made fun of dead family members and mentioned he had sex with a dog."
    "Hope he dies tbh but a ban would do."
  • FoomyFoomy Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    there appears to be a plugin for xbmc to play bluerays: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=67420

    haven't looked into that hard, but might be an option for you.

    Foomy on
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  • bigwahbigwah Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Foomy wrote: »
    there appears to be a plugin for xbmc to play bluerays: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=67420

    haven't looked into that hard, but might be an option for you.

    That converts it to MKV, but he just wants to be able to put in a BD disc and watch a movie.

    bigwah on
    LoL Tribunal:
    "Was cursing, in broken english at his team, and at our team. made fun of dead family members and mentioned he had sex with a dog."
    "Hope he dies tbh but a ban would do."
  • FoomyFoomy Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    bigwah wrote: »
    Foomy wrote: »
    there appears to be a plugin for xbmc to play bluerays: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=67420

    haven't looked into that hard, but might be an option for you.

    That converts it to MKV, but he just wants to be able to put in a BD disc and watch a movie.

    it does that, it transcodes the blueray and than streams it, the script just automates the process and automatically opens the stream for viewing, takes a minute or so from starting to get the playback depending on the speed of cpu, but it shouldnt be that bad

    Foomy on
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  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I'm throwing a second vote in for ArcSoft. If you want to use Windows Media Center then they're the ones to go with.

    Also if you want to use Hulu Desktop software with WMC I'll give you this link: http://huluwmc.teknowebworks.com/

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  • VacuumJockeyVacuumJockey Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Thanks guys - now I know what to look for. Much obliged.

    VacuumJockey on
    PSN: VacuumJockey

    "Laugh while you can, monkey-boy!"
    ~ Dr. Emilio Lizardo
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