Playing Blu-Ray discs in Windows 8 using VLC media player

Blu-ray discs don't play natively in Windows 8, and as a result you'll have to install software to play blu-ray discs if you have a blu-ray drive connected to your Windows 8 system. Below are instructions on how to setup VLC (aka VideoLAN) for free blu-ray disc playback. There are instructions on how to do this scattered across the Internet, but they tend to leave a few things out as well as not clarify what versions you need under certain system configurations.

If you are using the 64-bit Windows 8 OS then download and install the 64-bit version of VLC:
Index of /pub/videolan/vlc/last/win64/

If you are using the 32-bit Windows 8 OS then download and install the 32-bit version of VLC:
Download VLC media player from SourceForge.net

(Using the 32-bit VLC software to playback blu-ray on the 64-bit OS doesn't work at the time of this posting).

Hold down the Windows key and press R to open the Run window. In the run window type: %appdata%
In the directory that opens create a new folder titled: aacs
go to the VLC Blu-Ray website
Download the KEYDB.cfg file and save it in the aacs folder you created earlier

If you are running the 64-bit Windows 8 OS then download the 64-bit libaacs.dll file
and save it in the in the VLC directory.
(On my system that's E:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC because I have an ssd and hdd, and I installed the 64-bit VLC to my hard drive which is E:\. For most people it would be C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC)

If you are running the 32-bit Windows 8 OS then download the 32-bit libaacs.dll file
and save it in the VLC directory.
(For most people this will be C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC).

Now launch VLC, select the Media tab, Open Disc, click the blu-ray button and your blu-ray (assuming you put the disc in your drive ) (Leave No Menu checked - currently VLC blu-ray playback doesn't support menus).

If your video loads up with menu bars at the top or bottom (or it opens two video windows) then right click on the video, select Video , then change Video track from Track 2 to disabled. The video window will close, but the VLC media player window will still be open and displayed. On that window click on the video tab, select Video Track, and then select Track 1. Double-click on the video, and your blu-ray video should be running full screen. (Hopefully VLC will patch the video track bugs).

There you go free blu-ray disc playback.

 

Isn't this just a codec issue? Windows Vista and 7 wouldn't even play DVDs (in Windows Media Player) at first unless you had the proper codec

Of course, VLC is generally far favored over Windows Media Player by most. But for anyone not interested in alternative media players, or at least not interested in VLC, here is a codec pack that should cover all you bases:

Mega Codec Pack: Download K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 9.60 - Download - FileHippo.com

Full Codec Pack: Download K-Lite Codec Pack 9.60 (Full) - Download - FileHippo.com

*Note - you can opt out of installing the media player that comes with K-lite. The difference between the two is that the mega packs more codecs; if you want to save some space and don't think you'll need THAT many codecs, go with the full.

 

Yes, it could be classified as a codec issue, and installing the right codec could make blu-ray discs play correctly in other players. However, I've see a lot of video files that played worse after installing codec packs. As a result I've taken a minimalist approach to codec in the last few years, and only install specific individual codec that are known to make a particular troublesome file play correctly. I have a preference towards Media Player Classic Home Cinema over VideoLan. I like how MPC-HC can be configured to use only particular codec and filters you tell it, and with a hierarchy of what order it should load and try them. However since I haven't seen any instructions on how to make MPC-HC play blu-ray discs in Windows 8 I have VLC playing the blu-ray discs.

 

Fair enough! VLC comes with a more "essential" collection of codecs (does it have audio codecs, as well?), and is a pretty robust player. I've had minor issues with it in the past when it came to streaming something directly via the player, whether I entered a valid URL or even just a directory on my local drive. Maybe that's been patched since, though (or maybe it was just me )

 

Thanks for the guide Avid Gamer.

 

The stable version of VLC is 32-bit only, so instead of putting the 64-bit version of libaacs.dll in the VLC program folder ('Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC'), use the 32-bit version. Also, for this to work, when creating the
'aacs' folder to put the KEYDB.cfg keyfile in, you MUST create it in 'Users/%USER%/AppData/Roaming', not 'Users/%USER%/AppData'.

So far, with AACS-protected Blu-Ray discs, it works fine. for bd+ protected or other not supported blu-ray movies, i use UFUSoft Windows 8 Blu-ray Player.

 

I think some knew that and some found out the hard way about BR playback. I use Windvd Pro 11 and that plays dvd/bluray movies for me. I like to have a full feature menu not a stripped down version and I played dvd movie in VLC and that doesn't do the movie any good service. If one wants to play dvd/bd movies and have fun watching it get the software WinDVD or PDVD to have a more enjoyable viewing pleasure instead.

 

You have to wonder why they would name a windows software "Mac"go?

 

Because at the very beginning, Macgo Blu-ray player aims to solve the "a bag of hurt" for Mac, then it becomes the first Blu-ray player software. After a period of time, Windows is also supported as good as Mac. Until now, it's also a good choice for Win 7 or 8 users, just lack of the feature of Blu-ray menu.

 

I know this is an old post, but tried it for as Surface Pro 3 with Win 8.1 and got errors that could not access disc when I tried to play a commercial Blu-Ray disc. I tried the aacs folder directly in appData as well as the Roaming folder. If the process or versions of the required files have changed since this post can you direct me to the right ones?

Thanks in advance.

 

Those files need to be updated regularly to allow it to work. Not always compatible, and not easy to find. It's really not a legal way to do it. Best to just fork over for a real player.

 

As HTwingNut says go and buy a proper Bluray player software...

 

Total media theater is the best i have come across, much better than powerDVD.

 

TMT no longer being sold.

 

aw man! such a good piece of software!

 

That is in the eye of the beholder...and if it was so good it would still be sold...but guess not....

 

well, the version i used TMT5 IIRC was good and better than powerDVD as it would still playback HD-DVDs when that format gave up the ghost.

 

That may be true for you but if it is no longer on sale that would indicate it couldn't compete with WinDVD and PDVD for market shares and that will make or break....the software.

 

Yeah, PDVD is pretty much the standard nowadays. I sampled all of the top player way back when I bought my HDX and I couldn't get any of the others to even play. They're now up to version 14 but I'm still on v12 (I started with v9).

No use for the new features so I'll wait until they update to 4K blu-ray before I upgrade.The only negative with PDVD is that it is so expensive.

 

Unfortunately, Blu-ray player apps are pricey and simple stuffs are charged so high. Other thing you can do is to use Handbrake (but it takes time) or a paid tool: BDMagic.

 

Too much time and money wasted there just to buy the software player and watch the movie.

 

Why not download a BR Player directly? Cyberlink PowerDVD or Macgo Win BD Player.