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Windows 8 Start screen/DVD hybrid

With the release of Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, Microsoft fabricated the determination to remove DVD playback, and forego the inclusion of Blu-ray playback. Whereas with Windows 7 you could slot a DVD into your computer and open it in Windows Media Player, that is no longer the case with Windows viii and Windows 8 Pro.

At that place is a very unproblematic reason for this: The codecs required to play DVDs and Blu-rays — primarily MPEG-2/4 for video and Dolby Digital for audio — cost money. For every copy of Windows seven sold, Microsoft has to pay MPEG-LA (a patent-holding consortium) $2. Microsoft doesn't requite the exact figure for a Dolby Digital license, only information technology's probably in the same ballpark. This cost is passed on to the consumer, whether you play DVDs or not. For Windows 8, with streaming services taking hold and optical drives dying out, Microsoft basically decided that it wasn't worth paying for the codecs.

If you lot do want to play DVDs on Windows viii or Windows 8 Pro, notwithstanding, in that location are two very piece of cake solutions.

Windows Media Center

Install Windows 8 Media Center Pack

If take purchased (or otherwise acquired) Windows 8 Pro, you can obtain Windows Media Center for free until January 31, 2013. All you lot have to practise is enter your electronic mail address and a free license key will be sent to you. After Jan you will have to purchase the Media Center Pack (information technology's unlikely to exist also expensive; $20 possibly).

If you merely have the vanilla version of Windows 8, you will demand to purchase the Windows eight Pro Pack, which costs $lxx. For that, y'all become a full version of Windows 8 Pro, Media Middle, BitLocker encryption, Remote Desktop, and a few other tidbits.

Once y'all have Media Center installed, you will exist able to play DVDs — just merely in Media Heart, non Media Player. Yous also gain the ability to scout and record broadcast Tv set, if y'all so wish. You won't, withal, exist able to play Blu-ray discs — for that, you'll demand a third-party player.

VLC media player

Install a third-political party role player

The other selection, of course, is to just install VLC — a free, open-source media player that will play all of your DVDs and unencrypted Blu-ray discs. VLC will also play encrypted Blu-ray discs, but that's across the scope of this story.

If you lot prefer commercial, closed-source software, there's always the infamous Cyberlink PowerDVD , which plays DVDs and Blu-ray discs — simply it'll set up you back effectually $50. Don't forget, though, that most modern computers are bundled with some kind of DVD/Blu-ray player — and if y'all bought a standalone Blu-ray drive, it almost certainly came bundled with some software.

Check out more Windows viii tips