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Posted By: locomotive Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 16th Jan 2015 8:43pm
Just bought a new laptop with Windows 8.1, only to find I can not play DVDs on it, any advice from the experts would be appreciated, thanks
Posted By: sonylegs Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 16th Jan 2015 9:11pm
http://www.videolan.org/
Posted By: snowhite Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 16th Jan 2015 9:49pm
Just downloaded this and it works on my laptop.Was having the same problem but seems to be solved now.
Thankyou.x
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 16th Jan 2015 10:35pm
if i remember right windows 8 does not come with a media player so you have to source your own

Vlan is an excellent player and will play more types of files than windows media player could.
Posted By: GeeMeister Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 16th Jan 2015 11:57pm
You’re not the first person to ask this, and you won’t be the last. The answer, basically, is that Windows 8 cannot play DVDs or Blu-Ray disks out of the box.
That is because the software technology for playing these disks isn’t free — Microsoft previously paid $2 for every copy of Windows sold, just for the right to use the patented technology needed to play DVDs . Considering the ever-increasing number of devices without optical drives, Microsoft decided it wasn’t worth paying for features many people can’t even use. Personally I use DAPlayer, 100% free blu ray software.
Posted By: BandyCoot Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 17th Jan 2015 1:16pm
I think windows 8.1 has taken me to my Peter Principle level of competence, everything is such a pain in the backside sort out, that is if you can sort it out. Bring back MSDOS5
Posted By: locomotive Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 17th Jan 2015 3:33pm
Thanks for the info, Vlan works brilliantly
Posted By: ManxCat Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 17th Jan 2015 10:29pm
I upgraded my windows 8 laptop to 8.1 pro version which gives you media centre. Also put in third party software to bring back a start menu.

All for £49.

Windows 7 gave you everything you needed and PCs came with disk drives. Now all Windows 8 gives you is a headache.

Apple Mac is the way forward.
Posted By: GeeMeister Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 17th Jan 2015 11:46pm
Download Classic Shell to give you the start button option & feel of Windows 7 then download the likes of DAPlayer or VLAN for free to give you a descent media player, no need to pay £49.
Posted By: Mark Re: Windows 8.1 Playing DVDs - 18th Jan 2015 2:34pm
Hopefully windows 10 will put it back on track again.

They always seem to do a good release and then a bad one.
When will they learn.
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