Windows 8 drops DVD playback

[xxMATTGxx]

Windows 8 drops DVD playback, only available with paid Media Center upgrade

You might have heard that Windows 8 won't come with Media Center, but that's not the only missing multimedia piece of the puzzle. This week, Microsoft revealed that the new operating system won't have any kind of DVD playback, unless you specifically purchase Media Center or use third-party DVD software.

At the official Building Windows 8 blog, the company justifies the move by claiming that television and DVD use on personal computers is "in sharp decline," and says that it would have to spend "a significant amount in royalties" to offer support for optical media going forward. Microsoft says online media is the focus for Windows 8, and will include H.264, VC-1, MP4, AAC, WMA, MP3, PCM and (as announced earlier today) Dolby Digital Plus codecs, as well a variety of container formats to make that work, but oddly the primary use case for Dolby — those DVDs — won't be supported out of the box.

How do you play DVDs on a Windows 8 PC, then? Actually, it probably won't be very hard: if Windows 8 machines are anything like Windows 7 ones, every consumer PC that comes with an optical drive will probably have bundled DVD software. The other alternative is what the rest of the Building Windows 8 post is about: if you buy an add-on pack for Windows 8 (either the Pro Pack, or the Media Center Pack) via the new "Add Features to Windows 8" control panel, you'll get DVD support in Media Center as well as broadcast TV recording and VOB playback. Microsoft hasn't mentioned any prices for those add-ons quite yet, but says they "will be in line with marginal costs," which sounds promising.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/4/299...rs+(WinRumors)

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Not actually sure why they have done is really. I mean I guess we can all just install VLC and if we wish to play DVD's then that's how we would do it unless we forked out for the Media Centre Edition. Will this lower the cost of Windows 8? Who knows. Is this stupid? Probably but that depends how many people actually use their computers to watch DVD's - Not like it can't be done.

[Recursion]

... another moronic decision in the Windows 8 development process.

[peteyt]

Wait a minute aren't we supposed to be improving technology and giving people more options instead of limiting people's choices

[xxMATTGxx]

Wait a minute aren't we supposed to be improving technology and giving people more options instead of limiting people's choices

Well you could say more people have turned to streaming than sticking a DVD movie into their computer and start watching it. I don't really under the reason to be honest.

Taken this from an article:

Make no mistake about it: this decision is about the money. Specifically, it’s about the desire of OEM partners to want to keep costs down. In previous versions, technologies like the Dolby decoders that are part of Windows Media Center were included in premium editions. The decision to drop them completely from the base edition and make them a paid upgrade means those who want them will pay more, while OEMs will be able to cut a few bucks off the cost of each Windows license. Multiply that by millions of PCs and you see why big PC makers are content with this option.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/micro...rtainment/4944

[FlyingJesus]

I guess for every handful of people who see this and think "oh well I'll just download something else" there'll be one or two people like my mum who will instead think "WELL I'D BEST BUY THAT PART TOO", so they'll be able to fleece a few people for the whole lot while keeping their own base costs down. A minor annoyance I guess but nothing too sinister

[Chippiewill]

Whilst I could understand this for windows 9 when the DVD format will be properly dead, but this is just a dumb decision that'll confuse consumers.

[peteyt]

I hope we see a difference in the price of windows 8 then. Does anyone know when the pricing will be announced?

[xxMATTGxx]

I hope we see a difference in the price of windows 8 then. Does anyone know when the pricing will be announced?

Closer to the release date.

[peteyt]

Closer to the release date.

Just hope there is an evident price drop then. I'd hate them to just decide to not really lower the price much so they could sell a product at a similar price than they used to with less features which would make them more profit due to costing less.

[Richie]

I didn't think many people used their pc to playback dvds. I assumed those who buy dvds buy them and watch them on a dvd player anyway. Either way it was still handy when burning dvds for the playback feature to make sure everything is okay before sitting down to watch it