Posted on 05/06/2012 3:10:12 PM PDT by CedarDave
The upcoming Windows 8 operating system (which you can download and preview now) is dropping the ability to play DVD content.
According to Windows engineering team member Steven Sinofsky (emphasis his), "Windows Media Player will continue to be available in all editions, but without DVD playback support. 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." In other words: If you want to watch that Bridesmaids DVD on your next plane trip, you're going to have to pay extra for software that will let you play it, even if your laptop already has a DVD drive. And don't think getting Blu-ray is an option — you can't play that straight from the box, either.
If you're left scratching your heads, the rationale behind dropping DVD support is simple: It's about the bottom line. Says Sinofsky, "traditional media playback scenarios, optical media, and broadcast TV, require a specialized set of decoders (and hardware) that cost a significant amount in royalties." Windows 8 will allow customers the option to install a Windows Media Center upgrade to allow DVD playback at extra cost, though Microsoft is not saying exactly how high that cost will be.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
The vast majority of blu-rays are available as a combo pack with a DVD copy, Blu-ray copy and a digital copy, all for about $5 more than a standard DVD. I have digital copies of every movie I’ve bought in the last year, and they were all part of the purchase, most for $20 for the combo pack during the week of release from Target or Amazon.
I have a laptop and a notebook that I want to put Xp on. Any ideas on how to remove System 7 and Vista?
This would be a very, very, very stupid decision by Microsoft.
So what? Aren’t there at least 2 dozen applications...half of them free...that will play DVD content beautifully?
I’ve tried VLC but actually prefer GOM. It seems a much nicer interface and it plays everything.
Interesting. I'll give it a try.
Thanks.
Heck, I’m still using Win98 on a couple of my computers at work. XP on my main computer at work, Vista at home, Win7 on my laptop. My Office version is 2003. I’m sick of the constant upgrades.
VLC Player, Rocks!
So if you don’t use it you don’t pay for it. Yeah, that sounds really unfair.
Umm... I didn't think there was anyone who wanted to see it now...
Win 2K actually felt more solid to me than the first release of XP. I'm on XP now, completely skipped Vista, and haven't bothered to migrate to Win 7 yet.
I do use and like VLC, but for a lot of things I like GOM Player better. Check it out.
It's a rule. Every other OS has to suck.
No doubt. Both WMP users will probably be upset.
Huh? My GOM doesn't have any ads.
Then I am dropping Windows 8 like a hot rock.
I have and use both. I like GOM better, but have come across a few files it won't play even after a codec search, and VLC will always play them. VLC does seem to have some bug where when you close it, it leaves an icon in your system tray and won't run again and play a new video till you close the app in the system tray.
>>Huh? My GOM doesn’t have any ads.
Good. Don’t update it or it will.
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