[cstroman]

I know there are some threads from the middle of last year listing some but alot has changed from then until now.


But as of early 2010, what are the players/streamers that can play BD ISO files or BD Rips with all the protection removed? If possible from a network, even better but at least from a connected USB memory stick, drive, etc.


The reason this is important for me is that I have an older HDTV Ready TV. It receives it's HD through component, which BD's and their players don't support because it doesn't have the copy protection crap like HDMI does. So a stand alone BD player won't work.


So I could rip my BD's to an ISO (stripping the copy protection) or other BD file and then I could play it through an appropriate player/streamer with component outputs to my HDTV.


Also if possible please list how it supports BD iso's or files (ie. BD Lite, full BD menu support, etc.) and also list those that for sure do NOT support BD rips.


Thanks in advance.

 

[gravy]

I have used:


WDTV

WDTV Live

Asus O!Play

HTPC

Dune 3.0 Base


WDTV Live will play ISO (main feature only) of DVD, and M2TS files of BD folders.

Asus O!Play will play DVD ISO with menus, main feature of BD ISO, M2TS files.

HTPC plays everything, mounted on virtual drives, M2TS files.

Dune 3.0 Base plays everything, including full-menu BD ISO & DVD ISO. I have both folders and full ISO. It had no issues with anything I gave it.


Dune also plays BD ISO with full HD audio, which was the final selling point. I have been able to get TrueHD from the WDTV Live, but not DTS-MA. Dune has played everything flawlessly, over a network - even the files that made the WDTV & Asus stutter.


I am just now getting into setting up My Movies, but for basic playing of all media I currently have, the Dune is the best one for me. Interfaces are great, but once you're playing the media, it doesn't matter as much. The interface is fast, and I was able to add my network shares easily.


I have become used to a basic list of files, and Dune can't be beat (right now). I just wanted to be "done" (like that will ever happen), and for me, this was the "holy grail."

 

[BobSalita]

Good info at http://www.iboum.com/ and http://www.iboum.com/sort/media-play...ison-table.php

 

[blackssr]



Quote:
Originally Posted by gravy /forum/post/18238370


I have used:


WDTV

WDTV Live

Asus O!Play

HTPC

Dune 3.0 Base


WDTV Live will play ISO (main feature only) of DVD, and M2TS files of BD folders.

Asus O!Play will play DVD ISO with menus, main feature of BD ISO, M2TS files.

HTPC plays everything, mounted on virtual drives, M2TS files.

Dune 3.0 Base plays everything, including full-menu BD ISO & DVD ISO. I have both folders and full ISO. It had no issues with anything I gave it.


Dune also plays BD ISO with full HD audio, which was the final selling point. I have been able to get TrueHD from the WDTV Live, but not DTS-MA. Dune has played everything flawlessly, over a network - even the files that made the WDTV & Asus stutter.


I am just now getting into setting up My Movies, but for basic playing of all media I currently have, the Dune is the best one for me. Interfaces are great, but once you're playing the media, it doesn't matter as much. The interface is fast, and I was able to add my network shares easily.


I have become used to a basic list of files, and Dune can't be beat (right now). I just wanted to be "done" (like that will ever happen), and for me, this was the "holy grail."

+1,000,000 ... You took the words right off my keyboard.

 

[dwisniski]

The AC Ryan PlayOn! with updated firmware can play the main feature of BD rips, and full menu support for DVD rips. No HD audio though...(which is fine for my needs)

 

[gravy]

That's awesome to hear. We are not alone. Also, I can commend Dune again after speaking with them at length. If there is a "better" solution, I am not aware of it.

 

[blackssr]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dwisniski /forum/post/18239203


The AC Ryan PlayOn! with updated firmware can play the main feature of BD rips, and full menu support for DVD rips. No HD audio though...(which is fine for my needs)

The AC Ryan is just like the numerous other crippled players on the market...it falls short on the most important feature that anyone serious about movies require.. Hidef audio...I hated my AC Ryan and dumped on ebay for 1/2 price because of the audio issue as well as the poor performance over LAN when dealing with high bitrate files. Stuuuuutttttterr.

 

[bx10]

The popcornhour A110 is a good candidate. So is the A200 if you need BD menus. The main knock on the A200 was some problems with playing back from M2TS which the A110 handles just fine. I have two A110s playing back from a purpose built Opensolaris NAS and have had zero issues with playback stutter or in handling HD audio (DTS MA or TrueHD), even when both players are accessing different HD movies simultaneously.


I have the NAS hooked up over wired ethernet to both popcornhours. Both popcornhours are running HDMI (component does work) with embedded audio to Integra pre-processors. The interface I run is called YAMJ and the server software is NMT server NMT Server .

 

[Brajesh]

The PopBox, due out this month, should also plays BD ISO's with a lite menu. I say 'should' as it isn't out yet and I'm only going by what was promised in their Twitter post.

 

[GotHDTV?]

The Egreat EG-R1 can do BD ISOs, but it will not play the menus. It has it's own menu. As for the audio from it, it will do DTSHD-MA (and any DTS), but not TrueHD (but will play other Dolby Digital stuff). It probably the cheapest of the bunch that can play BD ISOs (there is a seller out there for $99). It also has full menu support for DVDs.


I also have Dune Prime 3.0 and I think it suits my needs the best (the EG-R1 is for my bedroom).

 

[mickey79]

I'm in a very similar boat.


I have the WDTV HD Live media player which I bought around Christmas last year. Works great & I love it. PQ is awesome. But now I'm beginning to miss the shortcomings in the unit.


For one, I never thought I'd be playing DVD ISO's on the unit, but I am ... and no support for menu is beginning to bug. Secondly, I figured I'd live without the BD-ISO Menu support ... but with my full BD-ISO collection increasing by the day, the lack of menu support is beginning to suck. Lastly, I will be upgrading to a Receiver capable of decoding both DTS-HD & TrueHD. While the unit delivers DTS-HD, I know that TrueHD will be missed.


Which leads me to a possible upgrade. I know I will have to spend more then the $110 I spent on the WDTV Live to get all these features ... but Dune seems to an expensive solution; I'm wondering if there's anything else that can work for my needs.


Basically these are the three main features Over & Above what WDTV Live offers that I'm looking for (In order of Priority):

• Full BD-ISO Support with Menus

• Full DVD ISO Support with Menus

• Support for DTS-HD & TrueHD

I could potential live without the 3rd feature there; but the first two are becoming critical.


Thanks!!

 

[Brajesh]

The Dune is my fallback if the PopBox doesn't deliver. We already suspect the Boxee box won't bitstream hd audio.


This is off-topic, but does the Dune support USB hubs? Can I string along a bunch of external USB drives via a hub and have the Dune create a single movie index?

 

[citrixguy]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cstroman /forum/post/18237648


I know there are some threads from the middle of last year listing some but alot has changed from then until now.


But as of early 2010, what are the players/streamers that can play BD ISO files or BD Rips with all the protection removed? If possible from a network, even better but at least from a connected USB memory stick, drive, etc.


The reason this is important for me is that I have an older HDTV Ready TV. It receives it's HD through component, which BD's and their players don't support because it doesn't have the copy protection crap like HDMI does. So a stand alone BD player won't work.


So I could rip my BD's to an ISO (stripping the copy protection) or other BD file and then I could play it through an appropriate player/streamer with component outputs to my HDTV.


Also if possible please list how it supports BD iso's or files (ie. BD Lite, full BD menu support, etc.) and also list those that for sure do NOT support BD rips.


Thanks in advance.

The AC Ryan playon can handle the main movie, and full support for dvd iso's.

 

[cstroman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mickey79 /forum/post/18247726


I'm in a very similar boat.


I have the WDTV HD Live media player which I bought around Christmas last year. Works great & I love it. PQ is awesome. But now I'm beginning to miss the shortcomings in the unit.


For one, I never thought I'd be playing DVD ISO's on the unit, but I am ... and no support for menu is beginning to bug. Secondly, I figured I'd live without the BD-ISO Menu support ... but with my full BD-ISO collection increasing by the day, the lack of menu support is beginning to suck. Lastly, I will be upgrading to a Receiver capable of decoding both DTS-HD & TrueHD. While the unit delivers DTS-HD, I know that TrueHD will be missed.


Which leads me to a possible upgrade. I know I will have to spend more then the $110 I spent on the WDTV Live to get all these features ... but Dune seems to an expensive solution; I'm wondering if there's anything else that can work for my needs.


Basically these are the three main features Over & Above what WDTV Live offers that I'm looking for (In order of Priority):

• Full BD-ISO Support with Menus

• Full DVD ISO Support with Menus

• Support for DTS-HD & TrueHD

I could potential live without the 3rd feature there; but the first two are becoming critical.


Thanks!!

In looking a the list linked above for the options you want you are looking at:


A Dune Player $300+ and very stable.

HDX-BD1 $220 but has some bugs still.


Both the above do the first two items and I think the last item is also included in the Dune and works "with some bugs" on the BD1.


So I guess it's either fork out $200 plus now to get those features now and keep current with firmware updates, or wait 6 to 12 months until other players come out with those features standard.

 

[Brajesh]

The The AC Ryan playon can't bitstream hd audio however.

 

[Kurtz9]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mickey79 /forum/post/18247726



Basically these are the three main features Over & Above what WDTV Live offers that I'm looking for (In order of Priority):

• Full BD-ISO Support with Menus

• Full DVD ISO Support with Menus

• Support for DTS-HD & TrueHD

I could potential live without the 3rd feature there; but the first two are becoming critical.


Thanks!!

Heh...those are exactly the 3 things I require in a player too... (Pandora would be nice but nobody seems to care but me).


From my research the Dune is the only thing that does it reliably via network currently.


The HDX-BD1 does it all locally, not so much network right now.


I'd really been hoping for a $200-ish unit that did what I want.. the HDX seemed like exactly it... but unless they unfsck the networking (or the Boxee box shocks everyone and does HD Audio streaming and BR-ISO with menus) I'm probably gonna have to suck it up and drop 350 on the dune

 

[mickey79]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurtz9 /forum/post/18252066


Heh...those are exactly the 3 things I require in a player too... (Pandora would be nice but nobody seems to care but me).


From my research the Dune is the only thing that does it reliably via network currently.


The HDX-BD1 does it all locally, not so much network right now.


I'd really been hoping for a $200-ish unit that did what I want.. the HDX seemed like exactly it... but unless they unfsck the networking (or the Boxee box shocks everyone and does HD Audio streaming and BR-ISO with menus) I'm probably gonna have to suck it up and drop 350 on the dune

Wait ... so you're saying HDX-BD1 does all that as long as the videos/files are on a connected external USB drive? Cause I don't use the Network at all and don't need any network support. All my videos/files are on USB connected external hard drives.

 

[cstroman]

Yes the HDX-BD1 does do all of that now if the source is directly connected to the box (HDD, Thumbdrive, etc.).


It SHOULD do all that as well over a network and that is the buggy part they are currently working on.


If you want to see how the HDX-BD1 works with local BD files, etc. here is a link to a website that ran a bunch of tests (the previews and reviews of the BD1 are on the right):

http://macammacamada.com/


EDIT: here are another couple of videos of BD iso rips (one with MJ's this is it and the other district 9:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuIDBe2-t44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l165z5FZTAc