PC Blu-Ray Player

Lalabox

Hey so I've just realised that my PC can't play blu-rays, the DVD drive (which I'm pretty sure is this one) just doesn't recognise them.

I was wondering if there are any drivers or software that I could download that would make them work, or if I need to buy and install a blu-ray drive, and what sorts of things I should be looking for. I tried finding some myself, but I keep on finding AUD$80 ones, and I'm not sure if that's the general starting price.

Thanks very much

wunderbar

the drive you linked to is just a DVD drive, which does not read blu-ray discs of any kind. You do need to buy a blu-ray drive.

When you do, the drive may or may not be able to play blu-ray movies. You do need software to play those movies, the most common is PowerDVD. A drive you buy may come with a version, it may not. If it doesn't, you have to buy the software separately.

tsmvengy

Even if you get a blu-ray drive, you will need to spend more on some special software to play them. And some may not work properly.

LD50

Depending on what you are trying to do, you might be better of just getting a standalone player. Bluetooth drives are expensive on their own (as far as optical drives go anyway), and bluetooth playing software is not only price but most of it is pretty shitty.

Lalabox

alright cheers

Elimination

Yeah I have a blu-ray drive in my pc, it was a total waste of time. It's also a bluray burner, and i've never burned a single bluray with it.

Synthesis

I likewise have one--it's okay for playing BR, but since UHD BR playing options simply don't exist yet on PC, it's not good for that (even if it was that kind of drive). I can rip BR discs for friends upon request, but I don't do it for myself.

It cost the same amount as getting a normal DVD-RW drive, and I needed some variety of optical drive. The same thing happened with the first writing capable DVD drive I bought,.

BahamutZERO

Synthesis wrote: »

I likewise have one--it's okay for playing BR, but since UHD BR playing options simply don't exist yet on PC, it's not good for that (even if it was that kind of drive). I can rip BR discs for friends upon request, but I don't do it for myself.

It cost the same amount as getting a normal DVD-RW drive, and I needed some variety of optical drive. The same thing happened with the first writing capable DVD drive I bought,.

at least DVD was a good format for distributing computer data for a long time, blu-ray was unlucky in that it came out trying to be the successor to DVDs right around the time that digital distribution and solid state memory in the form of things like USB sticks were becoming cost-effective and widespread.

Heatwave

PowerDVD is currently on sale if you're still interested.

http://www.cyberlink.com/stat/edms/ppc/blu-ray-player-software/powerdvd/16/40P_72hr/au/index_bot_cp.jsp

It's really frustrating you have to either pay extra to watch your blu rays or settle for freeware that might not actually work properly.