Blu-Ray region free playback on PC drive?

[Escape-To-88]

Hi all,

Me again, wondered if there are any internal region-free BR drives about? Or if it would require a firmware update or the use of specific software?

I use VLC for region-free DVD playback, but know it doesn't currently support BR. If anyone could advise that'd be great as have a lot of Criterion region A blu's that I'd like to play through my desktop.

Cheers

[huxley]

Don't know about firmware hacks but I have anydvdhd running on my media pc with tmt3.
No problems or annoying adverts or trailers.

[monel]

Anydvd should be great, I haven't used it for BRs but they were great for dvd issues in the past.

[sj33]

AnyDVD is great as it will completely strip any and all protections, but it's neither free nor cheap and you need to keep updating to the latest version.

If you don't mind being tied into PowerDVD or Total Media Theatre, this little freeware region changer app works a charm. Rather than defeating the protections, it just alters the region of the playback application.

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=149191

[Escape-To-88]

Cheers lads Seems easy enough

[mekanor]

AnyDVD will sort you out, but what are you going to use to play the blu-rays? I only ask because I got powerdvd bundled with my blu-ray drive, and it is without a doubt the single worst piece of software I've ever used. I could understand if once or twice I tried to watch a film and had an issue, but I kid you not, every single time I sat down to watch a movie, it would want to update the software and wont let you watch until the update is complete (which it attempted at dial up speeds) or it decided that I should have to put in my key again or that the region should be set to A so that when I tried to watch B locked movie it wouldn't let me.

Honestly, I don't even try anymore. It's less of a hassle to plug in the PS3. Stay as far away from powerdvd as you possibly can.

[sj33]

I don't think PowerDVD is so bad. The need to update is a side effect of the constantly-updating Blu-Ray protection schemes, and the above tool will solve any region problems you may encounter.

[Escape-To-88]

Hmm what are my options other than PowerDvd?

[monel]

Arcsoft media theatre or WinDVD? Never tried the first and the latter was only for dvds, again.

[charlesr]

Does MPCHC support Bluray discs?

[Baseley09]

You can use media player classic as your player though it requires one of the standard ones above to initialise as thus, not tried it personally:

http://stream-recorder.com/forum/play-blu-ray-discs-media-player-classic-t4991.html

For rips etc though I love mpc.

[Escape-To-88]

Yeah I'd like to know this as well actually, as MPC is my second go-to after VLC.

[sj33]

To an extent. It can play back Blu-Rays, supports all HD audio formats and even subtitles, but it doesn't support the menus etc - it just skips to the main feature, and you can browse other stuff using right click->navigate. I hate menus with a passion so I prefer using MPC-HC, but I can see why this would be a drawback for some.

More significantly, MPC-HC requires AnyDVD because of the whole protection lark.

[Escape-To-88]

Hmm ok sounds cool. I got hold of AnyDVD HD so that's no probs now - might plump for good 'ol Media Player Classic then.
EDIT: Just nosed at the link - does it require me to rip the BR first? As that would defeat the purpose surely, not after playing MKV's etc. as have enough of those! Or does it decrypt on-the-fly as it were?

[sj33]

It decrypts on the fly, it runs in the background in the system tray.