AfterDawn: News

Microsoft removes native DVD playback support from Windows 8

Microsoft has subtly noted today a fact that might upset some users.

Last month, the company noted that Windows Media Center would be an extra-cost option for Windows 8 buyers, and that it will also require Windows 8 Professional.



In their blog post today, the company had this to say: "Acquiring either the Windows 8 Media Center Pack or the Windows 8 Pro Pack gives you Media Center, including DVD playback (in Media Center, not in Media Player), broadcast TV recording and playback (DBV-T/S, ISDB-S/T, DMBH, and ATSC), and VOB file playback."

If you caught it in there, DVD playback is no longer supported via Windows Media Player, even if you pay up for the Media Center.

Windows Media Player will be included with all versions of Windows 8 but "for optical discs playback on new Windows 8 devices, we are going to rely on the many quality solutions on the market, which provide great experiences for both DVD and Blu-ray."

The Media Center upgrade is expected to cost $9.99.

As a hint from the AfterDawn staff, here is the link to VLC 2.x for all your media playback needs: VLC for Windows

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 4 May 2012 19:24

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• 22 comments

• SoTired

  Windows 7 is awesome.
  
  This announcement guarantees that I'll be skipping this upgrade.

  4.5.2012 19:39 #1

• Blessedon

  "As a hint from the AfterDawn staff, here is the link to VLC 2.x for all your media playback needs:"
  :)...real subtle there Yoskowitz!
  Yes, VLC eats Windows Media Player's lunch. Like SoTired, I'll keep 7...and XP on the partition as it still has it's uses.
  

  4.5.2012 19:48 #2

• neil2047

  Well I was going to upgrade to windows 8 but if this is true I wont be! seems like microsoft is giving less and less value for our hard earned cash! If Im paying over a hundred quid for an os I expect basics like dvd playback ! I was pretty angry with w7 basic when you couldnt customize even your desktop yet had stupid gadgets! If they indeed do remove dvd playback tell em to shove it! anyone agree??

  4.5.2012 20:01 #3

• scorpNZ

  No great loss nobody i know uses wmce anyway,as for just the stand alone windows media player a codec pack solves that issue klite anyone
  

  AD Guides: http://www.afterdawn.com guides/
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  4.5.2012 20:18 #4

• JST1946

  I don't much care for windows 7 and I sure as hell don't need windows 8.I only used Windows Media Center once in the last 6 years so who really cares.

  4.5.2012 21:50 #5

• Jeffrey_P

  Do people really use Windows Media Center?
  
  I'm not sure VLC supports Blu-ray.
  
  I wouldn't waste another dollar on DVD's. DVD's are going the way of VHS.
  
  There is other options for play back so it makes no difference to me.
  
  Windows 8, the new Windows Vista!
  
  Jeff

  4.5.2012 21:58 #6

• nonoitall

  Not really a huge deal breaker in and of itself, but yet another nail in Windows 8's coffin.
  

  me on the Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
  me on YouTube

  4.5.2012 23:19 #7

• snardos

  I use Windows Media Center on occasion. The only thing I use it for is to watch OTA HDTV. It works well with my tuner, gives me a good guide, and it is already installed on my computer so I didn't have a reason to go looking for other software. I definitely won't pay money for it though. I will also stay with Windows 7 and maybe "upgrade" when Windows 9 or 10 comes out unless 8 turn out to be amazing.

  4.5.2012 23:32 #8

• Clam_Up

  Microsoft has such a refreshing sense of humor. Surely they're joking that only professional-level users would ever have a need to watch DVDs. I'm sure after its release they'll let us all in on the punchline.
  
  We're ALL professional consumers! get it? get it? yuk yuk yuk
  

  4.5.2012 23:47 #9

• xnonsuchx

  Probably doesn't matter for most people since most computers usually come with a separate DVD/BD player or disc burning software that already has a codec anyway. Still seems kinda odd, though!

  5.5.2012 06:07 #10

• KillerBug

  Who cares? VLC is better anyway. Media Player can't even skip the commercials at the beginning of the disk. I actually wish Windows 7 Media Player/Center had no DVD support...that way, it wouldn't occasionally try to change the settings away from VLC without my permission.
  

  
  

  5.5.2012 10:14 #11

• nbfreak2

  Not impressed with windows 8 so far anyway...
  

  5.5.2012 11:18 #12

• Clam_Up

  I wonder if Microsoft would be dropping disc support if their HD DVD had won over Blu-Ray.
  

  5.5.2012 11:51 #13

• LordRuss

  Here comes the nickel & dime-ing that was the 12 different versions of Windows all these years... Yet they'll still maximize the minimum by garnering a full price per unit at sales time.
  
  I'm with everyone else, I'll stick with 7 as well... Until such time as people needing me to fix their computer have forced my hand. Then I'll go kicking & screaming.
  
  Originally posted by Jeffrey_P: I'm not sure VLC supports Blu-ray. I've navigated VLC to the appropriate BDMV folder of most bluray disks & have had no problem whatsoever getting it to play... So I can only assume that VLC is at least 'capable'.
  
  Hope that helps.
  
  
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  5.5.2012 14:35 #14

• Bozobub

  People, you should NOT be surprised that M$ is "unbundling" some features from the OS; they're getting sued pretty regularly (and successfully) for having too many features included! Do none of you remember the whole IE integration debacle..? I'd guess THEY do.
  
  Furthermore, I'm sure they're quite aware that there's both paid and free solutions for DVD playback out there that are quite superior to WMP/WMC. Why reinvent the wheel, especially for a format that is on the verge of obsolescence?
  
  Last, removing native DVD playback support does not impact Blu-Ray at all, Clam_Up. Different balls of wax entirely.
  
  P.S. - MPC-HC eats VLC's lunch.
  
  Edit --> This post should not be construed in any way, however, as support for Windows 8 in general. I agree that it has "Vista cooties" all over it. =;p

  5.5.2012 14:39 #15

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by Bozobub: People, you should NOT be surprised that M$ is "unbundling" some features from the OS; they're getting sued pretty regularly (and successfully) for having too many features included! Do none of you remember the whole IE integration debacle..? I'd guess THEY do.
  
  Furthermore, I'm sure they're quite aware that there's both paid and free solutions for DVD playback out there that are quite superior to WMP/WMC. Why reinvent the wheel, especially for a format that is on the verge of obsolescence?
  
  Last, removing native DVD playback support does not impact Blu-Ray at all, Clam_Up. Different balls of wax entirely.
  
  P.S. - MPC-HC eats VLC's lunch.
  
  Not to be too argumentative... But...
  
  I would still consider this to be a money making venture on M$ side rather than an avoidance of lawsuits. Don't get me wrong; that's a great observation, but highly unlikely as they are still offering Media Center in the more advanced version of 8.
  
  As for DVD playback being incorporated with bluray, well to most that's obvious they're 2 different formats, so your comment is a bit lost 'on me' & not worth a debate (just mentioning) - I'm just saying that for something as simple as you stated as being already a freebie download anywhere else on the net, "what's M$'s problem"? A question that I may be paraphrasing for the rest of the crowd.
  
  As for MPC-HD standing above VLC... OOoooo... More readily available codecs, higher frame rates on slower processors... yeah I've had a bit better luck there.... BUT....
  
  Absolutely less functional advanced options over - video - audio Inputs & Outputs... and the ability to repair multiple video sources in certain cases of minor glitches that would stop most files from ever playing in most systems.
  
  IMO, VLC kinda eaks out over MPC, but most of the time by a few well groomed super model hairs... wink, wink...
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  5.5.2012 15:25 #16

• Clam_Up

  Originally posted by Bozobub:
  Last, removing native DVD playback support does not impact Blu-Ray at all, Clam_Up. Different balls of wax entirely. From the article:
  Quote:for optical discs playback on new Windows 8 devices, we are going to rely on the many quality solutions on the market, which provide great experiences for both DVD and Blu-ray. Microsoft is apparently planning to remove support for all optical media, including Blu-Ray. It's just hard for me to believe that Microsoft would be so quick to dump support for a product they would've actively marketed in HD-DVD had they been victorious over Blu-Ray.
  

  5.5.2012 17:37 #17

• Jeffrey_P

  Originally posted by LordRuss: Here comes the nickel & dime-ing that was the 12 different versions of Windows all these years... Yet they'll still maximize the minimum by garnering a full price per unit at sales time.
  
  I'm with everyone else, I'll stick with 7 as well... Until such time as people needing me to fix their computer have forced my hand. Then I'll go kicking & screaming.
  
  Originally posted by Jeffrey_P: I'm not sure VLC supports Blu-ray. I've navigated VLC to the appropriate BDMV folder of most bluray disks & have had no problem whatsoever getting it to play... So I can only assume that VLC is at least 'capable'.
  
  Hope that helps.
  
  I assume you mean if the Blu-Ray has been ripped.
  
  Tried XBMC... It also has trouble playing original Blu-Rays.
  
  Last time I checked only a couple developers have a license to play original Blu-ray disks on a PC. You also need an internet connection so the thing can phone home.
  
  Rip away!
  
  Jeff

  5.5.2012 17:51 #18

• phobet

  Originally posted by SoTired: Windows 7 is awesome.
  
  This announcement guarantees that I'll be skipping this upgrade. I hear ya.
  
  They should call this "Windows Vista version 8".
  

  5.5.2012 18:19 #19

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by Jeffrey_P:
  I assume you mean if the Blu-Ray has been ripped.
  
  Tried XBMC... It also has trouble playing original Blu-Rays.
  
  Last time I checked only a couple developers have a license to play original Blu-ray disks on a PC. You also need an internet connection so the thing can phone home.
  
  Rip away!
  
  Jeff Ooooooo... Yeah... Sorry about that. i completely forgo about the whole DRM handshake, 'thing'. I indeed WAS talking about AVCHD formatted content.
  
  Suppose I should have stayed in context there.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  6.5.2012 12:15 #20

• ZippyDSM

  I like MPC more tho use VLC as a backup player.
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  6.5.2012 18:54 #21

• ThePastor

  I would second the MPC over VLC debate.
  But I'm sure it's a personal thing. I'm certain they both perform great.
  For me, my Media Player needs are small. Basically I need to occasionally preview a file to see if it is what it is.
  I rarely watch an entire file on my PC.
  MPC-HD does this quite well. It loads very quickly and has a small, clean UI. For me, quickly loading and unloading is the ticket.
  
  I watch nearly all vids through XBMC and this almost never has a problem at all.
  

  Oh, Im sorry... Did the middle of my sentence interrupt the beginning of yours?

  11.5.2012 17:19 #22