Any good and cheap software blu-ray players?

[n111ck]

Want something that is cheap and doesn't require a subscription but will playback Blu-rays including the menus?

 

[Armageus]

Fairly sure VLC will actually play Blu-ray nowadays

 

[Glanza]

GitHub - Aleksoid1978/MPC-BE: MPC-BE – универсальный проигрыватель аудио и видеофайлов для операционной системы Windows.

MPC-BE – универсальный проигрыватель аудио и видеофайлов для операционной системы Windows. - Aleksoid1978/MPC-BE

github.com

MPC-BE should be able to play them, granted most modern players will like VLC & Potplayer, personal preference on which one to use. MPC-BE is my go to.

 

[n111ck]

VLC didnt work - will try MPC..

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Movie BD's aren't going to play because of encryption etc which is why you pay for those that do

 

[Armageus]

VLC didnt work - will try MPC..

There appear to be a couple of steps to follow:

Blu-Ray Support - The VideoLAN Forums

forum.videolan.org

Namely obtaining a "keys" file, installing a Java Runtime Environment, and setting the bluray drive region under tools->preferences->Input/Codecs->Access modules->Bluray

 

[Pooh]

Movie BD's aren't going to play because of encryption etc which is why you pay for those that do

+1

Can you rip them or do you really need the menus

 

[Pooh]

Just had a look at the videoLAN forum posts about this...

Life's too short - looks a bit fiddleicious

 

[Blackjack Davy]

+1

Can you rip them or do you really need the menus

You can rip with something like DVDfab but like the players its not free. DVD encryption is fairly simple and was cracked a long ago but with BD its hugely obfuscated and they change the keys regularly hence you need a paid product

 

[Armageus]

hence you need a paid product

MakeMKV is free

 

[darkblade]

MakeMKV is free

And can do UHD discs if you have the right drive.

 

[AssaTM]

I find it crazy that Blurays are still such an issue to play in 2023, it's like even the rights holders want us to go digital!