Blu-ray help required please

Pawnless Endgame

Pawnless Endgame

Pawnless Endgame

Soldato
Joined
10 May 2004
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Sunny Stafford
I've just bought Corel WinDVD 2010 (with blu-ray support) and Tinkerbell film.. yeah don't laugh! :-) When I try to play the disc though, I get "your display environment does not support protected content playback" error message from WinDVD. It even happens with DVDs yet Media Player Classic and WMP still plays DVD discs ok. I've updated graphics driver and WinDVD software to no avail. Any advice? My system specs are in my sig - an OcUK pre-built. Thanks.

P.S. Yes I know Google is your friend and I've tried. Main answers are suggesting that affected users are using a secondary display, but in my case, I only have the 1 monitor attached (a Viewsonic 1600x1200 20.1").
 
The culprit might be that even though I only have 1 monitor connected, the ATI HD 4850 has 2 possible outputs. Is there a way in Windows / Catalyst to configure the HD 4850 so that it only has 1 logical output?
 
Vista / 7 uphold the DRM (HDCP) media companies keep pushing. Some graphics cards (newer ones) support HDCP over DVI as well as HDMI.

This means every content provider gets to individually choose whether to:
1) Allow you to view the content by any means
2) Lower the resolution for unencrypted streams (everything but HDMI, sometimes DVI (depends on card))
3) Disable output to unencrypted streams entirely (everything but HDMI, sometimes DVI (depends on card)).

Most do the latter.

In short, you can't legally watch it without using HDMI or DVI with a graphics card that supports HDCP over DVI.

This is why apple don't support bluray iirc.
 
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Damn, so I've just bought a brand spanking new BD-ready computer, then splashed out on WinDVD, only to find now that I'm screwed! Is HDMI a certain standard for a monitor (HD-ready) or do you have to use a monitor/TV combo? Darn expensive exercise this is becoming.
 
Monserrat said:
Damn, so I've just bought a brand spanking new BD-ready computer, then splashed out on WinDVD, only to find now that I'm screwed! Is HDMI a certain standard for a monitor (HD-ready) or do you have to use a monitor/TV combo? Darn expensive exercise this is becoming.
Click to expand...

You can watch it through DVI if you have a graphics card that is suitable. Hm weird that you seem to be having an issue with a 4xxx series....I would have thought that should be fine. I do not have a list of cards that support it for you unfortunately. I'd imagine any of the last 2 generations would (possibly more, but as I don't know I cant be certain). You may be able to find out more googling.

It basically requires end-to-end encryption. From the drive to graphics card, down the cable. A lot of standard monitors have HDMI now as well as DVI.

HDCP wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDCP

Edit: If all else fails there are ways around this BS (though very illegal in the UK). I'm sure you'll find them without too much difficulty ;)
 
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Thanks Hoodlum & Neil :-) Yeah I think my bottleneck must be my Viewsonic monitor. The model number is VP2030, 1600x1200 @ 75 Hz with DVI connector. Perhaps the res is too low a spec, especially that I got it 4 years ago? It's only 20.1", so I guess a 24" 1920x1080 will be the next thing on my shopping list.
 
I have a ATI 4850 / blu-ray drive and it plays commercial blu-ray via HDMI to my HDMI TV but won't play these blurays via my DVI monitor - says use VGA or get a new monitor effectively!

Mel
 
I've just googled for images of an HDMI cable. Does it look like this? My ATI HD 4850 doesn't have a slot for this. It's just 2 x DVI.

hdmi.jpg
 
bledd. said:
install anydvdhd, should solve it from what I've read.
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Yep should work. It is highly illegal to remove the copy protection under UK law. Legal precedent for the EU was set in Germany where anydvdhd is banned, also.
Mel_P said:
I have a ATI 4850 / blu-ray drive and it plays commercial blu-ray via HDMI to my HDMI TV but won't play these blurays via my DVI monitor - says use VGA or get a new monitor effectively!

Mel
Click to expand...

They (content providers) almost all downscale the resolution for VGA too so that isn't really a solution either. I find it pretty retarded you have to break the law to watch a movie you bought.
 
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Hoodlum said:
They (content providers) almost all downscale the resolution for VGA too so that isn't really a solution either.
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Realise that - it's just the message I get when I try to play blurays with my "bog-standard" several years old LCD iiyama with DVI connection. I have to connect to my TV for Blurays to play.
 
As others have said the problem is your monitor does not support HDCP encryption over its DVI port. Blu-rays will not playback if the connection between your graphics card and monitor isn't secure, ie. no HDCP encryption. You have two solutions:
1) Buy a new 1920X1080 monitor with HDMI or DVI supporting HDCP
2) AnyDVD :).
 
Ahhhh oki - so my ATI 4850 is actually ok with just DVI ports, as long as my new monitor is DVI/HDCP? If it is 'DVI supporting HDCP', then what will the cables look like? White DVI at both ends? Sorry I'm sounding a daftie here, but please let me assure you guys that I have been on helpdesk (1st line support) for 7 years so I know my stuff... but this blu ray is a new technology to me.
 
Monserrat said:
Ahhhh oki - so my ATI 4850 is actually ok with just DVI ports, as long as my new monitor is DVI/HDCP? If it is 'DVI supporting HDCP', then what will the cables look like? White DVI at both ends? Sorry I'm sounding a daftie here, but please let me assure you guys that I have been on helpdesk (1st line support) for 7 years so I know my stuff... but this blu ray is a new technology to me.
Click to expand...

Cables are the same, basically need a monitor that supports HDCP decryption (as meatball said). From what you've said your drive, graphics card and software (windvd) should be fine. Real pain in the ass I know.
 
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