More bad news for Windows 8...

By Rickkins
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Rickkins

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Microsoft ejects DVD playback from Windows 8

Digital media playback in Windows 8 has fallen casualty to the savage economics of the PC industry and changing tastes in consumer viewing.

We knew Windows Media Center would be sold at extra cost in Windows 8, but Microsoft now says you won?t be able to play DVDs on Windows Media Player in Windows 8.

If you do want DVD playback, then it?ll be a case of shopping judiciously and picking a PC whose manufacturer has licensed the codecs from a third party.

The twist? Windows 8 customers will end up paying more than others, as PC makers will likely be compelled to license the required codecs themselves to enable DVD playback.

from http://www.theregist..._playback_dead/

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Grand Master

+Ryster Subscriber²

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I'd say cue the trolls, but what exactly is the past tense version of the word cue?

Let's just look at this though shall we.... your beloved XP didn't include DVD playback either. It was introduced in Windows Vista, an OS which you no doubt hated. It wasn't free, you paid for it in the cost of the OS as there was a license fee Microsoft had to pay.

Giving people back the choice of which DVD playback app they want to use, and lowering the cost of the OS as a byproduct is a good thing. (assuming of course it does result in a price reduction for the OS. If it doesn't, then BOOO to Microsoft :) )

Grand Master

+Ryster Subscriber²

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Every PC I have ever bought was bundled with 3rd party DVD playback software. So why would I pay more when I was getting it for "free" in the past?

Where has anybody said you'd have to pay for it? Perhaps you're unaware that there is a myriad of media players out there that DO still include DVD playback codecs, including the excellent (icon aside) VLC.

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nohone

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Where has anybody said you'd have to pay for it? Perhaps you're unaware that there is a myriad of media players out there that DO still include DVD playback codecs, including the excellent (icon aside) VLC.

I didn't say that anyone would need to pay for it. What I did say is that when you buy a PC, it always has DVD playback software bundled. If you want to use a free alternative from the web or the one that is bundled, go ahead. But to make it sound like the end of the world because people will be forced to pay more, like the linked article, is foolish.

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
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In my opinion they should be adding a Bluray codec not removing a DVD codec. But whatever.

Yes, let's increase the cost of windows for something less than 1% uses, that makes perfect sense... You know instead of making it an optional addon for those few that want it.

Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

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They'll never add a blu-ray codec for the simple reason they're taking it out of Windows (unless you want it via the media center pack and you pay for it or use one of the other players out there), OEMs don't want the cost anymore. It's not just MS, OEMs don't want to pay extra when they install Windows on a device that can't play back DVD/BD anyways (like a tablet or a netbook without a optical drive).

Besides, for those who want to use WMP still, after you install the DVD codec wouldn't it then support DVD playback again? Or have they actually locked it out of WMP in some form? In any case, when you buy a new PC with a dvd/bd drive you get the software you need, or even when you buy the drive yourself to make your own system it comes with the software as well. No real issue, and if the OS price goes down then I'm all for it.

Grand Master

giantpotato

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Nope... TONS of people use it for media center stuff. why do you think the HTPC market is pretty huge and is growing right now?

According to Microsoft only 6% of users use Windows Media Center. I would hardly say that's 'TONS'.

As for me, I literally use WMC every day to record tv so it'll be the first thing I purchase, and I can honestly say I don't care that I have to buy it separately. If software is worth purchasing I'll buy it, I have literally not found any software that can compare to WMC for ease of use in timeshifting tv.

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Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

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Nope... TONS of people use it for media center stuff. why do you think the HTPC market is pretty huge and is growing right now?

If it's Media Center and HTPC you want you can still get that, it's just something you'll have to install after the fact now instead of everyone having it installed by default even if they don't use it and having to pay for it regardless. I thought people around this forum hated bloatware? In that case them making something like Media Center optional for the niche that use it is best. Also I think they're probably going to slowly get off of Windows Media Player in favor of the new metro apps and whatever the new "zune" client software turns out to be for the rebranded service later this year.

Grand Master

Vice

Posted
Posted

Yes, let's increase the cost of windows for something less than 1% uses, that makes perfect sense... You know instead of making it an optional addon for those few that want it.

Windows will cost the same regardless. If you think removing this DVD Codec will affect the cost of the OS when it hits store shelves you're deluded. They'll pocket the difference as extra profit.

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Nope... TONS of people use it for media center stuff. why do you think the HTPC market is pretty huge and is growing right now?

No they don't, there are a lot of people using it, but it's, an extremely small sub percentage. Remember MS has telemetry from tens of millions of users.

Just because you use it does not mean tons use it or that it's the most super I portent thing in the world.

And the HTPC market isn't growing. Heck I use a HTPC and love it, but even as good and stable as it is I wouldn't recommend it to a regular user. Not with the good set top boxes out today, I'm still not sure if I'll replace the DVB-c card in mine with a DVB-s or just get the new awesome set top box from my provider, both options have their pluses. For anyone else though, it would be no doubt that I would recccomend the set top pvr box.

HTPCs are a enthusiast niche market, and not suitable for the average users, and it's a small and stable niche. The only growth in that market matches the growth, of the computer market as a whole, and is far less than the growth of the PVR market, which is really taking off.

And over here it doesn't matter anyway since WMC doesn't support most European cable networks and you can't manually configure them, I do believe they support canal digital satellite though. So I could use it for that, but I don't think I could switch away from MP and webepg anymore.

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Windows will cost the same regardless. If you think removing this DVD Codec will affect the cost of the OS when it hits store shelves you're deluded. They'll pocket the difference as extra profit.

Maybe maybe not, but MS is in it to make money. For the, and oem's the important thing is to reduce costs for oem's though, which this will do. After all the large majority of sold windows licenses are OEM copies, not full retail or upgrade licenses.

Grand Master

jakem1

Posted
Posted

In my opinion they should be adding a Bluray codec not removing a DVD codec. But whatever.

I agree. They should include it in WMC and only charge the users who want that functionality. I don't have a bluray drive, don't want a bluray drive and don't see why I should have to pay for the necessary codecs.

I don't have a problem with the decision MS have made. Everyone's always complaining about bloat and the price of Windows and this seems to be a sensible way of reducing one and lowering the other without causing anyone any pain.

Grand Master

PGHammer

Posted
Posted

VLC is always a good option ;).

And VLC works just fine in the Consumer Preview - it's what I myself use.

The codec problem is *not* Microsoft's fault. If anything, Microsoft is as big a victim as the customers.

Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

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Really though, WMC was MS's play for the living room through HTPCs, that's just not the case anymore. Now their living room play is clear and it's a bigger success to them than the whole WMC and MCE stuff has ever been, it's the Xbox. Though the Xbox doesn't have cable card and all that stuff what they're adding to it covers, IMO, the majority of consumers needs now and who knows what the next one will bring to the table?

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