[floppybootstomp]

I was watching an avi file of the film 'Avatar' and just a couple of minutes in thought it wasn't good quality so stopped watching. My daughter Sophie said it was such a good film I should buy the disk and watch it in top quality. So I decided I'd watch it in Blueray format but I don't have a Blueray player.

After taking measurements of HTPC setup realised didn't have enough room to house Blueray player so decided on Blueray drive for media PC. It arrived today, was bemused to find MS Media Center (within Vista) or in fact any MS software does not support Blueray playpack. Oh dear Mr Ballmer, is Microsoft still smarting from supporting HD-DVD and losing out? I think so but that's no excuse for MS not supporting a popular format, shame on them.

So I installed all the software that came with LG Blueray RW drive I bought (£65 from Ebuyer, btw) but their diagnostic software said my system wasn't up to par for Blueray video playback. The software includes something called Cyber DVD Player, btw, which can play Blueray format. I noticed my budget version of Nero also offered to play the Blueray disk I'd loaded.

My video capability on this PC is onboard graphics on a cheapie motherboard about three years old based around the Nvidia 8200 chipset with shared memory of 2Gb motherboard memory. So, not surprising it can't handle Blueray.

I have ordered a cheapie vid card from E-Buyer which should arrive tomorrow, cost £42, probably nor much good for gaming but does have 2Gb onboard memory and seems to meet all requirements for Blueray playback.

So we shall see what occurs tomorrow.

Thinking about this PC, all it's used for is audio and video playback and burning the occasional DVD/CD so I'm seriously considering using Linux Mint 12 KDE on it. I have Vista installed atm, mostly because I have the attitude 'I Paid for it so I'm damn well going to use it' but Vista is Soooooooooo slow, Mint 12 is very quick in comparison.

So whatdya all think? Will Linux suit my needs? I do know one disadvantage, Media case came with software including a remote control, that only works in Windows. If I used Linux I'd have to ditch remote control and rely on mouse.

But that's probably a minor inconvenience, all things considered.

Your views apreciated

[Abarbarian]

Had a quick look at Blu Ray on Gnu/Linux for you. It looks pretty complicated.

http://apcmag.com/how-to-play-blu-ray-in-linux.htm

http://supremetechs.com/tag/bluray-on-linux/

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=67420&page=42

And that's it -- certainly not simple, but this will change over time. Don't hold your breath, however, it took many years before DVD playback became fire and forget, and Blu-ray is still new by comparison. Note that HTPC boxes running Linux-based builds (like MythTV or XBMC) can also use MakeMKV to playback Blu-rays via plugins, that once set up, will allow you to just insert a disc and away you go. But maybe we'll look at that next time!

If you want to keep Vista and use a GNU/Linux on the pc Porteus is a pretty darn neat os that runs of a usb or can be frugaly installed. Using the boot cheats and a tiny bit of initial tweaking you can end up with a fast to startup and fast running os with persistence. I have been playing with it for a few months and it is good fun.

http://porteus.org/info/features.html

[V_R]

Rip it into a .mkv using make mkv, then if need shrink via handbrake. Play it via MPC-HC

Sorted.

?

[floppybootstomp]

I fitted the video card, disabled onboard graphics and I had Bluray playback with sound, looked pretty good to me.

I then installed the Nvidia drivers for the GT520 card and after that I have video playback but no audio. I'm using a TV as a monitor with DVI out from the video card to HDMI in on the TV and after installing Nvidia drivers the sound output somehow made the TV speakers default. For my audio out I'm using the optical S/PDIF output to a DAC then into a normal hi-fi audio amplifier, plain stereo.

All audio and video files playback ok with audio but a Bluray disk in CyberlinkDVD has no audio. I've messed with the player's settings but to no avail. I did get audio out briefly when I set the player's audio out to 'primary audio only' but then it just went away again. I looked at the Nvidia control panel and it had set the TV as the default audio out device. The only other option there was to 'disable audio' so I did but it made no difference. I wonder why video drivers have an audio facility. The motherboard chipset, incidentaly, is Nvidia.

I'm baffled. Only other things I can think to try are taking the analogue output from the onboard sound rather than the optical digital and bypass the DAC and go straight into the audio amp. Or I may take the Creative X-Fi audio sound card out of another computer and try that. Sure is a lot of kerfuffing about.

Have just found out The Creative card has no optical out so I'll have to forget that option.

One hour later:

When I installed the Nvidia drivers I ticked the 'recommended' box instead of custom setup and Nvidia audio drivers were installed. It saw the TV through DVI/HDMI cable and set it up as default audio playback device. However, uninstalling Nvidia audio drivers made no difference. So I got me's a trial copy of Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre 5 and after some tinkering I now have video and audio playback within that software.

I only have one Bluray disk atm, popped out yesterday early evening to local 2nd hand shop and bought 'Quantum Of Solace' for a fiver just to test the drive. I have Avatar extended edition and Das Boot both on Bluray ordered from Amazon, should arrive tomorrow. And that's it, three Bluray movies. The drive cost £67.50 and the Video card cost £42 a total of £109.50. Plus the cost of the movies, Avatar was £15 and Das Boot £6. I do wonder what possessed me, on reflection I don't think I should have bothered.

I have 29 official DVD's and comparing the two formats Bluray most definitely has the edge in terms of quality but I'm not convinced it's worth the extra expense. It's not as if when you're engrossed in a good film you suddenly notice the quality after all. I'd also overlooked the fact that Bluray is Sony's baby and I don't like Sony very much at all, had I realised that it would definitely have put me off, I won't even buy a Sony optical drive. My Bluray drive, incidentally, is an LG BH10LS38 and the video card is an Asus GT520 with 2Gb memory and no fan cooling, just a massive heatsink.

I don't regret buying the video card, that was a worthwhile upgrade but had it not been for the Bluray drive's ability to burn massive data disks I would be severely regretting my decision.

So, let me look on the bright side and look forward to watching Avatar. It probably won't be everybody's cup of Bovril but it does look to be the sort of movie I'll enjoy.

[floppybootstomp]

V_R: Noted.

[floppybootstomp]

Abarb: After some extensive info gathering it does seem that Bluray within Linux is hard work at this moment in time so I think I'll put that option on ice for a while.

Must admit Vista is a pain though, it's so slow, takes about a full five minutes to boot, not exagerating.

Actually, Linux Mint 12 KDE is not the fastest OS to boot, takes longer than any other distro I've tried so far. But it's still a helluva lot quicker than Vista.

[crazylegs]

Das Boot and Avatar on Blu-ray are stunning...You will enjoy Mr Flopp's

As VR has already mentioned Make MKV and handbrake are brilliant for ripping and converting to a decent size for storing on a HDD
I have all my library of Blu-rays on External HDD's and play them directly from my TV