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Getting My Computer to Play Blu-Rays (1 Viewer)

Taco Wiz

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I want to know if I can get my Windows 7 computer to play Blu-Rays, either with software or by connecting it to a player. I own a Blu-Ray player, but it's in my old house (I moved recently). I can retrieve it eventually if there's a way to plug it in, and if there is software I can use then that's not necessary. My problem is that I can't afford a high definition television, but I DO know that my computer is capable of HD (either 720p or 1080p, I'm not sure).
Anyone who can help me with this will get my eternal gratitude and a pizza party courtesy of my mother's stolen credit card.
Here is information on my laptop from the sticker that came with it.
Aspire 5250-BZ669
AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350
15.6" HD LED LCD
AMD Raedeon HD 6310
4 GB DDR3 Memory
500 GB HDD
DVD-Super Multi DL Drive
Acer Nplify 802.11b/g/n
6-cell Li-ion battery
I can't translate most of that, but maybe one of you can.
Edit: Crap, I should have posted this in beginners. Could a mod please move this thread?
 

Mike Frezon

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Originally Posted by Taco Wiz /t/319304/getting-my-computer-to-play-blu-rays#post_3907310
Edit: Crap, I should have posted this in beginners. Could a mod please move this thread?
Done. And welcome to the HTF!
997ac3e3_welcome.gif
 

Taco Wiz

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Thanks.
I tried Cyberlink Power DVD last night. It didn't work I think I'll have more success using my computer as a monitor for my Blu-Ray player...if that's possible.
 

Taco Wiz

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This site seemed like the kind of place where people would know everything there is to know about Blu-Rays. There's not even a "no, you can't do that with computers". Either no one has seen this topic or no one knows if computers are capable for displaying images when connected to Blu-Ray players.
 

Mike Frezon

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I am determined to get you an answer, Taco.

I just PM'd a member who knows a lot about computers. I am hoping he can reply to your question soon.
 
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mattCR

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You need software like Arcsoft TotalTheater or Powerdvd 11 etc... edit, note: you also need a BD-ROM drive..
 

Taco Wiz

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PowerDVD doesn't work. Can I plug in my computer to a Blu-Ray player and just use the computer as a display? I know Windows 7s can do that with cable television.
 

mattCR

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Originally Posted by Taco Wiz /t/319304/getting-my-computer-to-play-blu-rays#post_3908678
PowerDVD doesn't work. Can I plug in my computer to a Blu-Ray player and just use the computer as a display? I know Windows 7s can do that with cable television.
How do you mean? PowerDVD has multiple versions, including ones that are DVD Player only, and ones that are designed for BD.. you have to get the version that specifically notes BD playback.
As to connected up a BD, you need it of course to be an accessible windows device; so connected via USB or Internal (SATA) are your only viable options. BD will not pass through/etc. under any circumstance.
 

Sam Posten

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They (he?) is not understanding what you are saying Matt.
Taco: You do not have a Bluray drive in your computer, hence you cannot play Blurays on it. You can add a bare Bluray drive and then software like PowerDVD to it to make it work. You need both hardware and software.
To be clear: Bluray uses a different kind of laser (BLUE! as opposed to DVD's Red) that is needed to physically read the disk. You cannot read a Bluray in a regular DVD drive.
Add something like this for easy and cheap playback:
http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Techn...f=sr_1_11?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1332424753&sr=1-11
You can buy more or less expensive ones, but I have this one and can vouch it works great.
Also, you can't just put a usb cable between a Bluray drive like what you could buy from Panasonic or Sony at Costco and your home computer. It doesn't work that way.
 
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xfett

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Your easiest and cheapest way to play Blu Ray disc is to use a stand alone player. If you want to watch Blu Rays on your HTPC then your gonna have to rip them into MKV or ISO. Then you can watch them using WMC or XBMC with the correct codecs.
 

Stan

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Not a huge help here, but just got a new HP laptop but only with the DVD R/W option. Called two days later to switch to Blu-Ray but it had already shipped (10 days ahead of schedule, man they are fast).
If anybody knows the answer, this is just a bump to move the question up.
 

xfett

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Your gonna need software such as Cyberlink Power DVD $50, Arcsoft Total Media Theater 5 $99, Corel WinDVD $49....etc. Or you just get AnyDVD HD (for a 1 yr update its like $60) and rip your movies to iso or mkv files. Just do a Google search. But be warned it is much cheaper to just use/buy a stand alone Blu ray player to watch a physical disc.
 

wallyncc219

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VLC media player is a free software that carries nearly all codecs written, as for reading blue ray, you will need the bd drive the others have described.
 

Stan

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Sam Posten said:
They (he?) is not understanding what you are saying Matt. Taco: You do not have a Bluray drive in your computer, hence you cannot play Blurays on it. You can add a bare Bluray drive and then software like PowerDVD to it to make it work. You need both hardware and software. To be clear: Bluray uses a different kind of laser (BLUE! as opposed to DVD's Red) that is needed to physically read the disk. You cannot read a Bluray in a regular DVD drive. Add something like this for easy and cheap playback: http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Techn...f=sr_1_11?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1332424753&sr=1-11 You can buy more or less expensive ones, but I have this one and can vouch it works great. Also, you can't just put a usb cable between a Bluray drive like what you could buy from Panasonic or Sony at Costco and your home computer. It doesn't work that way.
As Sam says, this is a hardware issue. Nothing will allow you to play Blu-Ray discs except for a Blu-Ray drive.

Kind of like putting a DVD into a CD player, not going to work, totally different formats. Red, green, purple lasers, whatever, they're all different.
 
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