Pioneer Blu-ray burner still reads Blu-rays, but no longer plays them! DVDs still play, though!! (1 Viewer)

[Tony Bensley]

Just recently, I've noticed that while Blu-ray discs on my Pioneer Blu-ray burner are still recognized, I can no longer get them to play on that device. DVDs still work on that device, however. I'm worried that the laser that plays Blu-ray discs might be kaput, but isn't that the same laser that would also cause the Blu-ray disc title to display (In this case, via Leawo Blu-ray Player), in the first place?

It also occurs to me that the latest Windows 10 update might have messed up my Blu-ray playback. If so, how can this be resolved? I did also try a different cable wire, and different USB plugins, to no avail!

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

CHEERS!

Note the highlighted Blu-ray Disc that reads, but won't play! (Yes, I did try another Blu-ray, as well, with the same failed result!):

 

[David Norman]

If you open FILE EXPLORER can you see all the files on the Bluray?

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the update messed with your Player so uninstalling and reinstalling it might knock the cobwebs loose.

Have you tried to burn a new BD recently -- or successfully burned a BD since the last Windows update?
Possibly try copying the BD to a USB and seeing if it plays from the USB -- if it's the BDR laser that might tell you something if either the copy process fails or the USB fails to play too. Not sure if you have a BD player that could play the USB stick, but at least that might tell you that the copy process worked and narrow it down to the software and not the hardware

 

[jcroy]

Have you played any recently released bluray discs?

Leawo does not appear to be an officially licensed player. So it is dependent on getting hacked / reverse engineered player keys to operate.

In principle, a more recently manufactured bluray disc with an updated mkb list, might have revoked the hacked/stolen player key which Leawo has been using. Once a particular key is revoked, it essentialy turns the bluray player into a brick.

 

[jcroy]

If the current Leawo key has been officially revoked, there isn't much that can be done until Leawo gets a new hacked key to operate with.

Only other option is to use another software bluray player which still has a valid key which has not been revoked, such as an officially licensed bluray player softare program like powerdvd.

 

[jcroy]

Otherwise, I can't think of any other easy ways to get around key revocation.

It is mostly really hard nasty ways left, such as hacking the computer bluray-r drive's firmware to ignore reading the mkb blocks on bluray discs.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Thanks for your great responses!

First, I should clarify that I have never had the occasion to even try burning a Blu-ray disc.

Second, both Blu-ray discs have played successfully via Leawo Blu-ray player, in the past. In fact, one of them is part of last year's LAUREL & HARDY: THE DEFINITIVE RESTORATIONS 4 disc Blu-ray set. When disc 3 failed to play again this morning, I tried their Region Free Network Blu-ray THE FLYING DEUCES (1939), which is a 2015 release. Again, same failed result.

Annoying as this is, a revoked key would be preferable to the blue laser that reads the Blu-ray having failed on my device, as I cannot afford to replace this. Considering it does read on Leawo, this does seem unlikely, thankfully.

Yes, the Blu-ray files do open in Windows, which in hindsight, I should have checked first! Thank you for that helpful tip, David!!

Most importantly, the video files do open in Windows! Therefore, the issue is most likely software/key related. Hopefully, I can figure out how to resolve this!

CHEERS!

 

[jcroy]

At this point if I'm not willing to buy an official licensed software bluray player (such as powerdvd), then I would likely wait for Leawo to release an updated version with a new hacked key.

 

[Tony Bensley]

At this point if I'm not willing to buy an official licensed software bluray player (such as powerdvd), then I would likely wait for Leawo to release an updated version with a new hacked key.

Unfortunately, my issue may be that I use the older 1.9.6.1 version of Leawo Blu-ray Player, as this is the latest edition that still has the snapshot feature, which I need for posting screenshots on my Laurel & Hardy Facebook group page. If Leawo no longer updates the keys for their older versions, I may be out of luck, UGH!

 

[Tony Bensley]

At this point if I'm not willing to buy an official licensed software bluray player (such as powerdvd), then I would likely wait for Leawo to release an updated version with a new hacked key.

Apart from buying something like powerdvd or anydvd (Are they also by limited time subscription, now?), it is my understanding you have to first rip a whole mts video file before taking screenshots from it. If so, that's way too much effort and a strain on the hard drive for the sake of taking screenshots. No thanks!

CHEERS!

 

[David Norman]

As it so happens, I just had to redo my HDD and never reinstalled my Leawo Free Player.

I just downloaded the Free Player (no need to burn stuff), but I like to have to the ability to check a disc on my computer.
Worked just fine on a USB Iso I had sitting around and a couple BD's.

Not sure if yours is the Free Player or an old software package you bought at one time, but I think I'd still try to uninstall and reinstall your current player or possibly try one of the newer players.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have a Pioneer BD burner, too, and use the Leawo player app via Windows 10. Mine is still working, and my PC is up to date with Windows updates.

 

[Tony Bensley]

As it so happens, I just had to redo my HDD and never reinstalled my Leawo Free Player.

I just downloaded the Free Player (no need to burn stuff), but I like to have to the ability to check a disc on my computer.
Worked just fine on a USB Iso I had sitting around and a couple BD's.

Not sure if yours is the Free Player or an old software package you bought at one time, but I think I'd still try to uninstall and reinstall your current player or possibly try one of the newer players.

It is the free player, and I already did the uninstall/reinstall thing, which unfortunately did not resolve the BD playback issue.

Are you saying that Blu-ray discs ARE playing on your current Free Leawo player? I don't have the latest free player downloaded since it lacks the snapshot feature, which I need, plus it also kept crashing. The version I've been using is 1.9.6.1, which is I think, from 2019, and is the most recent to still have the snapshot feature.

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

I have a Pioneer BD burner, too, and use the Leawo player app via Windows 10. Mine is still working, and my PC is up to date with Windows updates.

Nevertheless, at this point, I do wonder if it was the recent Windows 10 update I downloaded that fugged up Blu-ray playback on my PC Laptop, for some unknown reason? I think the last time I played a BD preceded that update, but I'm not 100% certain of that.

I also use the older Leawo 1.9.6.1 version, as the newer one geared for 4K playback kept crashing on my now nearly 8 year old Acer PC Laptop, and also lacked the snapshot feature, which I use a lot. I'm hoping that this isn't some pass key issue that has developed with older Free Leawo Blu-ray software editions that will end up remaining unresolved because, old Leawo version!

 

[David Norman]

It is the free player, and I already did the uninstall/reinstall thing, which unfortunately did not resolve the BD playback issue.

Are you saying that Blu-ray discs ARE playing on your current Free Leawo player? I don't have the latest free player downloaded since it lacks the snapshot feature, which I need, plus it also kept crashing. The version I've been using is 1.9.6.1, which is I think, from 2019, and is the most recent to still have the snapshot feature.

CHEERS!

Sorry I missed that you'd already tried the re-install.

I just installed 2.2.0.1 -- didn't check for the screen shot ability, but the download page said it had that capability. I also only played a few minutes of teh BD -- FWIW this computer was a DIY Desktop probably from 2013-2014 at the latest -- pretty middle of the road processor for then and still only 4GB Ram.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Sorry I missed that you'd already tried the re-install.

I just installed 2.2.0.1 -- didn't check for the screen shot ability, but the download page said it had that capability. I also only played a few minutes of teh BD -- FWIW this computer was a DIY Desktop probably from 2013-2014 at the latest -- pretty middle of the road processor for then and still only 4GB Ram.

I suppose I could try downloading the new version, if for no other reason than a process of elimination as to the cause of my BD playback problem.

Thanks for your helpful input!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Sorry I missed that you'd already tried the re-install.

I just installed 2.2.0.1 -- didn't check for the screen shot ability, but the download page said it had that capability. I also only played a few minutes of teh BD -- FWIW this computer was a DIY Desktop probably from 2013-2014 at the latest -- pretty middle of the road processor for then and still only 4GB Ram.

I suppose I could try downloading the new version, if for no other reason than a process of elimination as to the cause of my BD playback problem.

Thanks for your helpful input!

CHEERS!

I just downloaded the latest 2.2.0.1 version, and lo and behold, IT WORKS, and it DOES include snapshot! (Which I have already used, BTW!)

To achieve some kind of play-ability, I reinstalled Java, as suggested by the Leawo software. However, I cannot get the proper selected title to play on the Blu-ray menu of the disc I currently have in my External Blu-ray drive, so I had to access the Leawo generated visual side menu, instead. At least, it's (fairly) workable!

Thank you again, for your helpful input!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Apart from buying something like powerdvd or anydvd (Are they also by limited time subscription, now?), it is my understanding you have to first rip a whole mts video file before taking screenshots from it. If so, that's way too much effort and a strain on the hard drive for the sake of taking screenshots. No thanks!

CHEERS!

Despite having previously tried reinstalling the Media Suite 10 software that came with my Pioneer BDR-XD05B Blu-ray Burner without being able to play back Blu-ray Discs, when I attempted this again tonight, I finally ran across an option for downloading the AAC Certificate update required for Blu-ray Disc playback, and it worked!

What prompted this latest attempt was a compatibility issue between Leawo Blu-ray Player, and my DRACULA (1931) Universal Blu-ray Disc Menu. For some unknown reason, if I have to access a title on the alternate Leawo interface for THAT specific disc (Which appears to be everything except the main feature!), playback would freeze within a couple of minutes, and the only way out was to terminate it, via Task Manager!

CHEERS!

EDIT: I should add that the Universal Blu-rays are kind of a strange beast in general, insofar as playback is concerned.