Windows Vista Media Center: Play Blu-ray and HD DVD Movies
If you’ve a VMC HTPC and a Blu-ray or HD DVD player, here is how to play HD DVD movies from Windows Vista Media Center.
Mike has made a step-by-step post:
- Play Blu-ray and HD DVD’s directly from Media Center.
- Native Media Center remote support.
- Backup my Blu-ray and HD DVD’s to hard disk.
- Play the backup from the folder on the hard disk.
- Not take extra steps in the backup process (i.e. creating iso files)
- Do this with as few programs as possible.
There are guides out there to help with this, like Revision3’s System. But their recommendations fell short of my needs because they suggested CyberLink PowerDVD 8. While this program is very nice, it does not support HD DVD, does not integrate with Media Center, does not integrate the Media Center remote (without the need for additional software, and would not play the backups directly from the folder.
So, leaving the nuts and bolts out of it, and assuming you already have all the hardware you need installed and configured correctly, below are my steps and recommendations. I make no guarantees, but the below steps worked perfect for me and met all of my requirements listed above.
1. Install SlySoft’s AnyDVD HD
2. Install ArcSoft’s TotalMedia Theatre
Two applications are all you need to get this job done. AnyDVD HD allow for the backup your DVD’s to your hard disk drive. TotalMedia Theatre provides full Blu-ray and HD DVD playback and fully integrates with Media Center out of the box. Because of this integration the remote works flawlessly. TotalMedia also has the ability to play the backup videos from thier folders.
Source:→ WGS
2 Responses | RSS comments on this post | Leave a comment»
No Pingback yet

Hi,
I use slysoft anydvd to rip my Blu-rays to the hard disk and then use a Media Center plug in called MCME (from http://www.lightningware.co.uk) that then allows me to mount them and automaitcally play them in Media Center using PowerDVD 9 and Virtual Clone Drive. All very seamless and all in MCE. Also works for DVD ISOs as well.
Cheers,
Gaz
hi there i currently use mikes guide which works ok but having 2 screens (one in another room) power dvd only opens on the main pc screen i have to drag it to the bigger screen.
does total media theatre play hd dvd discs ? By this i mean a hd dvd player connected to the pc (xbox 360 drive) will media theatre play the disc in media centre or do these files always have to be backed up to the pc ?
thanks
Macka