m17x vs blu-ray

I now have a problem with playing blue-ray discs.

Basically i accidentily uninstalled powerdvd so, i re-installed the version on the CD that came with my m17x and now it does not support Blu-Ray. The version i uninstalled was the BD Edition 7.3 which seems not to exist and My Hive does not seem to have it....

Do i have to buy the ultra version 8 of powerdvd or can i get the original version from Alienware?

I wouldn't mind but the version that Alienware gave on the CD isn't what they installed when i got the machine... it's only the DVD basic version!

OB

 

does pwrdvd have an update on thier site?
maybe an additional driver to allow the playing of blu-ray?
just a thought.
other then that, i would think AW should and could provide the correct pgm otherwise....

 

try to connect customer service...good luck!

 

Yeah i will but, only Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm... Ho hum guess i will wait to Monday morning...

OB

 

Weird i just asked them the same question and got this...

"Please accept our apologies for the problems you are currently experiencing with your computer. I also noticed that the CYBERLINK POWERDVD BD 7.3 8CH BUILD link is missing from the My Hive Area.

In this case, please contact our Customer Service Team at 0800-279 975 in order to resolve this issue, their hours of operation are Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 20:00 GMT"

Ugh i cant be bothered, ill just get something else to play them

Tom

 

I just rang CS and spoke to a tech support guy who was very helpful. Seems that I was sent the normal DVD version of the support CD/DVD not the Blu-ray version.

They are sending me a replacement CD with the correct BD edition of power DVD on it.

OB

 

yay for OB and AW CS....good on yas both....

 

Oodle-Bear, May I ask a small favour, When you've got your new cyberlink disks for Blu-ray playback, are you able to connect your laptop to a AV Receiver via HDMI, if you are can you check what sound formats you can play back from a Blu-Ray disk, does the M17X allow the play back of Hi-Def Audio formats if it does which one's and can you advise if the audio is sent either bitstream or LPCM, sorry asking, I have asked Alienware to advise this but they won't answer because I don't think they know.

 

I'm really sorry but, I don't have any audio equipment and my Tv is a 28" Panasonic Quintrix, non flat-screen...

I don't have any equipment that can have HDMI connected to it...

If i had sure i'd help (",)

OB

 

Hi OB, No worries, thank you for letting me know.

 

Hi P.Laver, would this help at all?
DMI_and_Blu-ray_Disc_players

OB

 

Hi OB, Thanks for the link, it's not really what I'm looking for, the main reason asking is that nearly all the Laptop manufacture's are claiming 5:1 or 7:1 Hi Def audio, most laptops have a max of 4 maybe 5 speakers if your lucky with additional Sub which doesn't make 7:1. When I ask the question directly to the manufacture how they achieve 7:1 Hi Def audio they don't or won't answer the question Alienware included when I also ask what audio formats are capable via HDMI I get the same response, nothing. The only company to answer all my questions is Sony USA, Sony UK support is hopeless. The guy at Sony USA support admitted the Sony flagship laptop AR 71ZU will play DTS & DD audio from standard DVD's as intended but down mixes Hi Def audio from Blu-ray disks to stereo via HDMI he admitted this was problem but didn't know if Sony would ever release a fix, Sony can do for it £300 game machine (PS3) Hi Def audio from Blu-Ray disks all be it LPCM but not for a £1700 laptop. The bottom line is I don't paying for something that either isn't there are doesn't work as intended. Alienware was on the top of my list until they wouldn't answer my tricky questions unless I purchased a laptop. Since then I found company called Kobalt, I've asked them the same questions and Andrew has promised to find out the answers for me in the mean time I'm searching for someone with a M17X and AV receiver etc who can confirm what audio is really outputted via HDMI

 

I was having playback issues with my blu-ray drive, and it turns out there was a glitch in the powerdvd ultra 7/8 software that caused the player to display black screen and then crash.
(apparently Fox, Sony, Disney use BD-Java interactive menus that could not be read properly by the software)
Cyberlink recently released Retail/Online Patches to address this blu-ray issue, and there issues are resolved. OEM issues will have to be patched by Alienware- no telling when they will release the patches, if they ever do. Might want to consider upgrading to the full version.

The following updates are fixes for blu-ray title disc compatability issues.

Powerdvd ultra 7/8 has a bug in the software that prevents BD-Java titles- the interactive menu creates a glitch in the player resulting in inability to play movie/some special features/and black screen/prohibited!error (most newer releases from Sony, Disney, Fox) from playing back. Player crashes. Cyberlink aware of the issue, and will be issuing a patch (see below).

PowerDVD 8 Ultra Version 2021U Patch (Retail/Online version release 09/08)
Download update now


PowerDVD 7 Ultra Version 4407 Patch (Retail/Online version release 09/08)
Download Update now