At least one Vista is.
High-quality DVDs will not operate on some Vista PCs
Microsoft has been forced to acknowledge that a substantial number of PCs running the new version of its Windows operating system will not be able to play high-quality DVDs.
The Vista system will be available to consumers at the end of the month. However, in an interview with The Times, one of its chief architects said that because of anti-piracy protection granted to the Hollywood studios, Vista would not play HD-DVD and Blu-ray Discs on certain PCs.
Dave Marsh, the lead program manager for video at Microsoft, said that if the PC used a digital connection to link with the monitor or television, then it would require the highest level of content protection, known as HDCP, to play the discs. If it did not have such protection, Vista would shut down the signal, he said.
The admission will be a blow to Microsoft, which is hoping that more users will turn to their PCs for watching films and other content.
Welcome to VistaMe! (ala WindowsMe!)
Now we know why Bill says he doesnt work there anymore.
All need to listen to Steve Gibson’s (w/Leo LaPorte) #73 and #74 podcasts. They discuss in depth the new AACS DRM system and have an inteview with Gutmann on the impacts of Vista incorporating this system. A “must hear” regardless of one’s bent.
-bb
Actually, shouldn’t that be more Welcome to XPMe! ?
You will need a Video Card that HDCP enabled connected to a display that’s HPDC enabled. There are people that are capable of running HD-DVD content of the Windows XP machines.
This is very old news! Everyone knows that DHCP will be needed to play back HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs on a PC. Don’t Blame Microsoft for this, it’s not exclusive to Windows, blame the movie studios!
I do however feel sorry for people who recently bought a graphics card or monitor that doesn’t have DHCP. In any case, I bet someone will find a way to play back these discs without DHCP pretty soon.
Don’t Blame Microsoft for this, it’s not exclusive to Windows, blame the movie studios!
Are you kidding. M$ is totally in bed with Hollywood on this one.
6. “Don’t Blame Microsoft for this, it’s not exclusive to Windows, blame the movie studios!”
I agree with 7’s comment. Microsoft is trying to get more and more into the living room. They are certainly not powerless entity you seem to make them out to be.
Also, I don’t feel sorry for anyone who consciously or unconsciously did not buy into a modern day trojan horse (aka HDCP, or what you’re referring to as DHCP).
I would expect a backlash from consumer either by making the average “idiot” more aware of what’s going on in the background because Microsoft will reveal to these “idiots” what has been in play for some time due to Vista’s limitations.
Also, I’d expect the average person to want to stay with XP even longer and/or reformat preloaded Vista machines with XP. To a lesser extent, other people will be looking at alternatives such as Ubuntu Linux. However, until the cool games & apps start getting ported / written to Linux, I don’t see this happening anytime soon. Suprisingly, the latest version of Symantec’s pcANYWHERE supports both Linux and Windows.
Sorry, I meant to say HDCP.
#7 What I am saying is that this issue will affect Windows, Linux, OS X, BSD, Solaris and any other operating system you can think of. Don’t blame Windows Vista for the fact that HDCP is needed to play back HD-DVD and Blu-Ray movies.
Actually – Linux users have the most to gain. All it will take is an open alternative to arise on that platform (and that will happen, sooner or later) and then you have no problems.
Of course then other companies will use that code.. and down goes the Movie Industries whole stupid experiment…
Hell, its already hard enough to play normal DVD video on win xp. If you build a PC with a DVD player, it won’t WMP wont play back a DVD until you manually install a mpeg2 codec. (correct me if i am wrong) WMP will tell you to go get a codec…if you look on M$’s site, they make it look like the only alternative is to purchase some software?! Even when there are free mpeg codecs available on line. Like DScaler from http://www.free-codecs.com
makes me angry angry.
One thing everybody’s failed to mention:
Even if the entire entertainment industry is trying to cram HDDVD/BR down our throats, some of us aren’t buying it. We’re not buying media, players, or any of that crap.
… maybe in 5-10 years…
w00t!
Total clueless question for anyone to answer (since I haven’t bothered looking up the details myself):
Wasn’t DVD Region encoding and -compliance something either the DVD consortium or the content providers demanded in order to manufacture players? And yet, it took about zero seconds for region-free players to hit the market.
So, what is to say that the hardware manufacturers won’t do the same with HDCP? Sure, the specs demand it, but can’t the player just say “screw you! I don’t care if the other devices in the chain are certified or not – here, have some content!”? Or, rather, How is the security chain set up? What happens if one device simply says “sure, I’m certified, and I’m sure all other devices after me are as well (not that I’m going to bother to check)” – will it still be passed the information?
This will be a problem for everyone. If you have a HDDVD player at home it will not work if you aren’t using HDCP capable display. Ask my neighbor. He returned his HDDVD player because of this.
If you think Microsoft is just towing the line, take a look at this article.
http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.html
And if you think you’ll be immune because you use Linux, think again.
MS wants to take over the content distribution channel.