Want to Play DVDs in Windows 8? Then Pay Up!
Microsoft is incredibly excited about Windows 8.
In fact, it is so excited about its new operating system that it is compelled to promise that the new operating system will "delight media enthusiasts around the world". However, DVD and Blu-ray playback support is not going to be part of that pleasure unless you shell out a few extra bucks.
Déjà vu. Remember the outcry when Microsoft announced in 2006, shortly before the release of Windows Vista, that the spanking new operating system and its Windows Media Player would not support DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray playback out of the box? Well, the same is happening with Windows 8. Back in 2006, Microsoft argued that the it was worried about unsigned drivers and copy-protection concerns that may have put it in the line of fire of Hollywood. In the end, Hollywood had argued for years that Windows was the Pandora's Box of digital evil.
This time around, the justifications provided by Microsoft are not about copy protection anymore. However, Microsoft is still dancing around the actual reason why DVD playback will be cut. My personal favorite? DVDs just don't sell anymore and are in an unstoppable decline, so there is no reason to support DVDs in Windows anymore. Granted, I cannot remember the last time I watched a movie on a PC, but there are still plenty of people who, for example, enjoy DVD playback on a notebook on an airplane. Tell them that DVDs optical media sales are in a decline and that would be the reason to cut DVD playback from Windows and you are sure to get an earful.
Of course, the real reason is mentioned in the post as well. It's about the cost of decoder licensing that Microsoft wants to recoup. You can still get DVD playback, but you will have to pay extra - as you did for Windows Vista if you wanted that feature in the Windows Media Player - and acquire the Media Center Pack or the pro pack to end up with Windows 8 Pro "with Media Center". There was no information how much those extras will cost, but if you want to avoid them, you also have the option of choosing third party media software solutions, which have now an opportunity to market themselves in a much more efficient way.
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Douglas Perry was a freelance writer for Tom's Hardware covering semiconductors, storage technology, quantum computing, and processor power delivery. He has authored several books and is currently an editor for The Oregonian/OregonLive.
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mobrocket i see this as a good thingReply
anytime u can make a market for 3rd party developers on windows, u get better products
for example : web browsers -
math1337 It takes around 3 seconds to download a free DVD player(such as VLC). I having media center built in is like IE: Bloated, slow, and mandatory.Reply -
There are plenty of plug-in replacements for the microsoft DirectShow codecs that are based on Open-Source solutions and are free.Reply
This is a non-issue. -
wiyosaya In my opinion, these days a built-in decoder, which seems to have never been in Window$, is not really needed. Many AV devices like TVs, Blu-ray Players, and such, are able to either directly stream content from the internet, or use a Window$ machine as a media server to directly show media and thus bypass Window$ having a decoder available. Streaming directly to AV devices seems to be the main mode of viewing media these days.Reply
So here is another case where licensing fees may be doing more to kill the "decoder" market than they are fostering income for the decoder makers. -
Crush3d So, if I'm understanding this correctly, it's not Windows 8 that is limiting DVD usage.. it's Windows Media Player..Reply
There are plenty of free-use programs out there, such as VLC mentioned above..
So.. who cares? -
the_crippler .....aaaand Microsoft continues to make sure the every/other rule continues to apply to their OS releases.Reply
XP worked just fine for me for many, many years, as 98 did before it. I intend to keep making use of 7 until another good version is made. -
zaho0006 Anyone suggesting optical media is dead should look around them once in a while, if this was true why is there a redbox on every corner?Reply