Nero Showtime now with Blu-ray Support

[wdgoldstein]

Just released Nero 7 Ultimate Enhanced free upgrade Ver. 7.8.5.0 now can play Blu-Ray disks with Nero Showtime. No word as yet on HD-DVD but you BD guys now have an alternative to PowerDVD 7.X .

Hope it works. I don't have a BD drive to test on.

[TM2-Megatron]

Nero's been saying they'll add in Blu-Ray and HD-DVD video disc authoring to some future version... though I don't have a burner for either, it would be cool if this was the version they added it to. It if it had a Blu-Ray/HD-DVD version of Nero Vision, then perhaps someone here with AnyDVD HD could try making a backup of a ripped Blu-Ray using it... though it would probably have to be a single-layer original. I doubt Nero would have something like Recode for the HD formats so soon.

[wdgoldstein]

The program download is VERY slow (must be a very busy server) but the Help files I downloaded for Showtime lists that it supports HD-DVD as well as BD. Hopefully it will. This can't be any worse than PowerDVD Ultra 7.X. I may never find out though as d/l speed is only 9.38kb/sec. on a 175MB file :-(

[TM2-Megatron]

Try downloading from FileHippo.com, it seems to be much faster.

Only took me about 10 minutes... MD5 checksum was fine.

[wdgoldstein]

Try downloading from FileHippo.com, it seems to be much faster.

Only took me about 10 minutes... MD5 checksum was fine.

It appeas that the file available there is the "Trial" version which does NOT include the BD/HD plugin. The Update file is suppossed to. Trying to d/l again from Nero site and getting much better speed now. Will report back once I have it installed and tested on HD/DVD

[mick2006]

Does this new version of nero actually play back a store-bought blu-ray disc, or just authored blu-ray content (for example video shot with a hi def camcorder and then authored onto a blu ray disc)? Also, those out there trying this new version of nero, are there any hiccups such as with PowerDVD?

[TM2-Megatron]

It appeas that the file available there is the "Trial" version which does NOT include the BD/HD plugin. The Update file is suppossed to. Trying to d/l again from Nero site and getting much better speed now. Will report back once I have it installed and tested on HD/DVD

Are you sure... does it say that on Nero's website? I have no way of testing at the moment, as I have no Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drives however Nero's instructions for people who bought Nero 7 (or upgraded from 6) online were always to download the Trial, and put in your own serial number during the installation process. You'd think that the trial would include locked versions of the BD/HD plugins, that are unlocked by a fully registered serial number.

In any case, whenever I've updated to a new version up to now, I've always completely uninstalled the existing one and downloaded the trial.

[James]

Just released Nero 7 Ultimate Enhanced free upgrade Ver. 7.8.5.0 now can play Blu-Ray disks with Nero Showtime. No word as yet on HD-DVD but you BD guys now have an alternative to PowerDVD 7.X .

Hope it works. I don't have a BD drive to test on.

Where did you read this? I can't find a hint on the Nero site claiming BD or HD DVD support for Showtime.

[kyrunner]

And this is what it says when I try to play a hd DVD,To perform the requested action,the blue ray/hd DVD video plug-in required.the plug in will enhance your nero application with the folling technologies,hd DVD-video playback,bd-av 2.playback/recording,mpg-2,and so on then it has a purchase.button on the bottom does anyone know witch plug in I need.

[zebadee]

Hi :)
This is what mine says about supported formats.:agree:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/322/sshot135hc6.png (http://imageshack.us)

Plus there's this ShowTime Features: (http://www.nero.com/nero7/eng/Nero_ShowTime_2_Features.html)

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4707/sshot136gd5.png (http://imageshack.us)

See here also: (http://www.nero.com/nero7/enu/sysrequ_bd_hd_dvd.html)

[zebadee]

And this is what it says when I try to play a hd DVD,To perform the requested action,the blue ray/hd DVD video plug-in required.the plug in will enhance your nero application with the folling technologies,hd DVD-video playback,bd-av 2.playback/recording,mpg-2,and so on then it has a purchase.button on the bottom does anyone know witch plug in I need.

Hi :)
The plug in they refer to doesn't appear to be present currently. If it is I can't find it.
Only Plugins listed.See here: (http://www.nero.com/nero7/eng/DVD_Video_Multichannel_Plug_in.html)

[kyrunner]

I can not find it either if you find it post back thanks

[wdgoldstein]

What the hell goes on here. One area of the website says the upgrade to enhanced is free. Another says it included BD author and Play. Another area (comparison chats) shows BD as being included. Yet another chart (posted in this thread) shows compatability with HD-DVD.

Now download the update and it tries to sell you BD & HD support with a plugin that is not available (shades of WinDVD 8 Platimum). The program is suppossed to be the "Ultimate Enhanced" version however the word enhanced is missing from any screen within the program.

Is is possable for any company today (excepting of course Slysoft) to tell the truth about their product and lable it correctly?

Besides that who ever heard of an install program requiring that EVERYTHING including Windows Explorer (the actual shell for the OS) be closed down to install. What a bitch!!!

[TM2-Megatron]

As Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are still fairly new things for computers, I imagine it's just taking Nero some time (as it is with everyone, unfortunately) to work out the details. None of the literature so far has said that the plug-in for HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will cost extra... perhaps it will be posted (hopefully sooner rather than later) as a free downloaded, and eventually built into future versions (probably starting with 8, though, which'll mean an paid-for upgrade anyway).

[wdgoldstein]

As Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are still fairly new things for computers, I imagine it's just taking Nero some time (as it is with everyone, unfortunately) to work out the details. None of the literature so far has said that the plug-in for HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will cost extra... perhaps it will be posted (hopefully sooner rather than later) as a free downloaded, and eventually built into future versions (probably starting with 8, though, which'll mean an paid-for upgrade anyway).

They are advertising this support NOW not in the future. It is on the main page of their website. If you ain't got it don't claim you have !!! They are strutting around claiming they have the biggest balls on the block while the only thing in their pants are a couple of pairs of balled up socks.

[Webslinger]

They are advertising this support NOW not in the future. It is on the main page of their website. If you ain't got it don't claim you have !!! They are strutting around claiming they have the biggest balls on the block while the only thing in their pants are a couple of pairs of balled up socks.

Nero Showtime can't even play DTS yet. So who wants to use Showtime to watch movies? I don't see DTS support being advertised anywhere.

[wdgoldstein]

Now the Nero Website is saying that Nero 7 Premium Reloaded (not ultimate enhanced) is the latest version included BD with HD available w/plugin available at the nero store (NOT). Can't they make up their minds? D/L File name is identical with the earlier enhanced ver.

[TM2-Megatron]

Nero Showtime can't even play DTS yet. So who wants to use Showtime to watch movies? I don't see DTS support being advertised anywhere.

Well, it's a reasonable option for a lot of people. Who would want to pay $60 or $70 for the bug-filled HD version of PowerDVD if you happened to have Nero, and Showtime included Blu-Ray and HD-DVD capability (assuming it isn't a paid upgrade). Personally, I'm still using the stereo-only OEM version of PowerDVD 6 for watching DVDs... most of the time I'm only using headphones anyway, so I hardly need multichannel sound.

Hopefully Nero 8 includes some serious advancements in Showtime's abilities, as well as supporting HD-DVD and Blu-Ray playback out of the box. By that time, I may even have a Blu-Ray drive on my computer.

[Webslinger]

Well, it's a reasonable option for a lot of people. Who would want to pay $60 or $70 for the bug-filled HD version of PowerDVD if you happened to have Nero, and Showtime included Blu-Ray and HD-DVD capability (assuming it isn't a paid upgrade).

For movie playback software, not offering DTS support is pretty pathetic. Keep in mind a lot of people use Anydvd for HTPC purposes. If it's a licensing issue, I'll gladly pay $20 more for DTS support, provided Nero Showtime can get HD-DVD and Blu-ray playback working without all the bugs and limitations in Powerdvd and Windvd.

most of the time I'm only using headphones anyway

When I travel, so do I; I use my Medusa 5.1 channel surround headphones . . . I want access to my DTS movie soundtracks. That's why I don't use Showtime. If I ever find a good set of 7.1 channel surround headphones, I'll probably switch.

[TM2-Megatron]

5.1 on headphones? Seems like kind of a waste... even more than with full speakers, I've found quality to be more important than quantity when dealing with headphones... and a particularly good set of ordinary stereo headphones costs hundreds. I don't see how they could make 5.1 headphones good while being at all affordable. Personally, I'd rather listen to mono or stereo on a high-quality set of headphones than a simluation of 5.1 on average or lower-quality ones. I'd rather listen to a mono or stereo signal on regular high-quality headphones, myself. What kind of plug do those things use, anyway... optical TOSlink or something?

That said, while at the Sudbury Science Centre back on a juniour high trip, we got to try a quite exceptional type of directional sound technology... much more effective than even the most modern 5/6/7.1 setup. And that did use a type of headphone-sort of thing... though I can't remember what it was called.

[Webslinger]

5.1 on headphones? Seems like kind of a waste... even more than with full speakers, I've found quality to be more important than quantity when dealing with headphones... and a particularly good set of ordinary stereo headphones costs hundreds. I don't see how they could make 5.1 headphones good while being at all affordable.

At home most HTPC users are probably using very expensive speaker setups (in general, at home, a good 6.1 or 7.1 surround system will kill 2 channel speaker setups).

These headphones aren't super cheap--but they aren't music reference headphones either like the hi-end stuff that Sennheinser makes. The sound in each channel is clear, and I can hear the separation. I've tried $1000 headphones with movies. I still prefer the Medusa 5.1 surrounds. Much better experience (there is a little hiss at time in the rears if the volume is too high or during some quieter moments, but otherwise, they are very decent for the price; you can find them for 120-180 U.S., so they aren't that pricey--but clearly they aren't super hi-end either).

http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/review/2005/08/23/Speed-Link-Medusa-5-1-Surround-Headset/p1

I'd rather listen to a mono or stereo signal on regular high-quality headphones, myself.

Only with 2 channel music . . .

What kind of plug do those things use, anyway... optical TOSlink or something?

The portables are USB, and the other ones plug into its own proprietary amp that then plugs into your soundcard. I have both sets:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/07/14/headsets_gamers_can_love/page3.html

http://www.altgamer.org/?p=311
http://www.upgradeadvisor.com/content/home_edition.aspx
http://www.geekextreme.com/content/view/10586/20/

Regardless, no movie playback software should be forcing me to listen to inferior soundtracks.

[TM2-Megatron]

At home most HTPC users are probably using very expensive speaker setups (in general, at home, a good 6.1 or 7.1 surround system will kill 2 channel speaker setups).

I wouldn't argue with multichannel for home use. I don't have my computer hooked up to the TV for watching DVDs (it's hardware really isn't that great, though my soundcard does have Dolby and DTS decoding), I do use a Denon AVR-4806CI receiver... and I'd never consider switching back to stereo sound (though I do when the original source material was in mono or stereo, and I have a choice about it in the tracks; like aspect ratios, I prefer watching something the way it was originally intended to be seen/heard).

But on the move, a mere 2 channels on headphones has never really bothered me, as long as the headphones are high-quality. Half the time I'm listening to music anyway, which I hate listening to in a simulated multichannel unless it's an actual DVD-A or SACD and realy meant to be heard that way. Unfortunately, though, there are no portable SACD or DVD-A players... there should be, IMO, then I may invest in multichannel headphones.

[Webslinger]

there should be, IMO, then I may invest in multichannel headphones.

Hmm . . . I'm not sure I would recommend these ones for audiophiles. I prefer e-shures or Seinhennsier cans for 2 channel music sources. I mostly use these Medusa ones for gaming and for movies when I travel. They're pretty decent for the price. Not sure that I would recommend them for music . . .

[kyrunner]

installed the new update now my nero disccopy gadget is gone on the vista side bar.and its no where to be found in my gadgets anyone know where I would look for this at.

[Webslinger]

installed the new update now my nero disccopy gadget is gone on the vista side bar.and its no where to be found in my gadgets anyone know where I would look for this at.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=213547

[Octavean]

Nero Showtime can't even play DTS yet. So who wants to use Showtime to watch movies? I don't see DTS support being advertised anywhere.

For what its worth, this screen shot shows Nero Showtime with a "Blu-Ray" logo and a “DTS” logo:

http://www.nero.com/nero7/img/bdav_pic_3_big.png

[zebadee]

Hi :)
re: For what it's worth.
Not a lot really.
In practice if you have DTS or BD or HD. When going to play that format it tells you that you need a plugin. (See attached)
Click on buy now & you're taken to a webpage with plugins. All of which are already included if you have Nero 7 Full (Reloaded/Ultra).
There's no DTS or BD or HD plugin whatsoever.

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/1599/sshot137nm3.th.png (http://img364.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sshot137nm3.png)http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/4982/sshot138fi4.th.png (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sshot138fi4.png)http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/2171/sshot139ir7.th.png (http://img364.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sshot139ir7.png)

Webpage taken to if you click buy: (http://www.nero.com/eng/catalog.html)

[zebadee]

Hi :)
If using PowerDVD 7.

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/8295/sshot140ky5.th.png (http://img95.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sshot140ky5.png)

Says it all really. :D

[Webslinger]

For what its worth, this screen shot shows Nero Showtime with a "Blu-Ray" logo and a “DTS” logo:

http://www.nero.com/nero7/img/bdav_pic_3_big.png

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.

[kyrunner]

anyone ever figure out about the hd dvd and blu-ray plugin

[Octavean]

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.


I’m going to e-mail them. It takes a dog’s age before they respond but I want to hear this from the horse’s mouth. The last time I e-mailed them on the subject of HD DVD / BD playback this was the “eventual “ response:


Dear valued customer,

thank you for your email and your interest in our software.

1. & 2.) Playback of HD DVD and BD movies will be possible with Nero ShowTime in one of the upcoming versions of Nero 7.5. Unfortunately we currently don't have any information as of when exactly this feature will be included.

3. & 4.) Burning of data HD DVDs and BDs is possible with the current version of Nero 7.

5. & 6.) The functionality to create and burn HD DVD and BD movies in high resolution will be added to Nero at a later date. We curently have no information about if this will be added to Nero 7.5 or only to a later version of Nero.

Should you have any other request, please don't hesitate to contact us again.

Best regards


BTW, as I understand it, Nero Home for example has HD DVD disc format support but this refers to HD DVD data burning specifically.

I suspect that in the labs they have much of this already worked out but a poor implementation that “leaks” protected intellectual property could cost them more then their pride and reputation,….which could add additional delays.

So a screenshot is one thing but an actually available product that you can put to use is quite another.

Once that plug-in is up though their servers are going to get pounded,……hard!

[khlb]

installed the new update now my nero disccopy gadget is gone on the vista side bar.and its no where to be found in my gadgets anyone know where I would look for this at.http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=213547

I had no previous installation of Nero 7 before I installed 7.8.5.0 and yes the gadget installed itself correctly. Perhaps uninstall of the former 7.7.5.1 - with help of a Clean Tool will help.

http://www.nero.com/nero7/eng/Utilities.html

[mick2006]

Has anyone actually been able to play a blu ray title yet with this new update, and as for the HD DVD support I certainly don't see the plug in either on their site. They say it is available in their store, but it isn't.

[Octavean]

Has anyone actually been able to play a blu ray title yet with this new update, and as for the HD DVD support I certainly don't see the plug in either on their site. They say it is available in their store, but it isn't.


Good question,......

[wdgoldstein]

Has anyone found out yet how to install the Dick Copy Gadget after installation of 7.8.5.0. In my case I uninstalled the OLD version before install of the latest and it is not available in the Gadgets available window.

[kyrunner]

Has anyone found out yet how to install the Dick Copy Gadget after installation of 7.8.5.0. In my case I uninstalled the OLD version before install of the latest and it is not available in the Gadgets available window.
same here I can't get the disccopy gadget back either,plus when I go to watch a HD-DVD asking me for a plugin thats not their.so your guess is as good as mine.maybe send nero a email and ask them and post back to us.

[wdgoldstein]

Support request filed same day as release. No answer as yet.

[overmind]

i tried playing a blu ray disc with the latest Nero Showtime and got a message saying that Nero Showtime doesn't support Blu ray or HD-DVD discs as of yet. It seems a bit of false advertising on the Nero website to me.

[roog]

Nero 7.8.5.0 does not work with an original blu-ray disc with AnyDVD HD enabled. Tried the backup as well. Does not work with AnyDVD HD disabled either.

Except for burning with verify, I hate Nero. CloneDVD2 Dudes/Babes, please add verify to the burn option!

[SuperGoof]

i tried playing a blu ray disc with the latest Nero Showtime and got a message saying that Nero Showtime doesn't support Blu ray or HD-DVD discs as of yet. It seems a bit of false advertising on the Nero website to me.
Actually it does not advertise playback of commercial Blu-ray titles anywhere (it does so for HD-DVD though). It only says it supports creation and playback of discs in BDAV format. This is the format developed primarily for use in digital recorders, camcorders etc. The format used to distribute movies is called BDMV.

I don't really understand why people are so excited about Nero ShowTime and its alleged yet non-existent support of Blu-ray. Despite the presence of a few bugs PowerDVD is indeed a very good player. Definitely better than any alternative currently on the market.

P.S.: BTW, plug-in is already available for some countries - http://www.nero.com/ena/Blu-Ray_HDDVD_Video_Plug_in_InfoPage.html. Price is USD 29.99.

[zebadee]

Hi :)
Nero myth continues re BD/HD/DTS. A newsletter sent out refers to these plugins (BD/HD).

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/1778/sshot151zn8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Click on link for more info takes you here: (http://www.nero.com/nero7/eng/index.html)

UPDATE: Discovered plugin at online shop.

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/1247/sshot152kf7.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/2609/sshot153in0.png (http://imageshack.us)

[wdgoldstein]

The upgrade is NOT available to US residents. If anyone tries this please report on if it works any better than PDVD 7.X

[Webslinger]

The upgrade is NOT available to US residents. If anyone tries this please report on if it works any better than PDVD 7.X

DTS 5.1 support only, which is somewhat limiting . . .

http://www.nero.com/ena/Blu-Ray_HDDVD_Video_Plug_in_InfoPage.html

"DTS® Digital Surround 5.1 Decoding"

Odd that the pricing is listed as $29.99 U.S., but the product is not offered for sale on the U.S. website

[wdgoldstein]

Really weird. Using the above link I can "Add to cart" but there is NO link for checkout. How does one actually purchase a product from this website?

[Webslinger]

Really weird. Using the above link I can "Add to cart" but there is NO link for checkout. How does one actually purchase a product from this website?

You can't buy it yet if you're in North America.

[zebadee]

Really weird. Using the above link I can "Add to cart" but there is NO link for checkout. How does one actually purchase a product from this website?

Hi :)
On seeing your post 'Not available in USA'.
I tried a work around. I'm based in UK so I was able to go through the whole process (unfortunately I don't have either BD or HD). Until I had to select country. See attached.

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/3919/sshot154ry0.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/1348/sshot155my7.png (http://imageshack.us)

So for whatever reason although listing. It's not available for you yet. Weird!

[wdgoldstein]

Oddest thing is that like WinDVD they are eliminating the largest market in the world for the product. I suspect it is a licensing issue that will hopefully get fixed soon. If not the workaround will be found on the torrents. Strange when one is willing to PAY for software one ends up having to get a ripped copy due to licensing problems.

It appears that some of us are just too far ahead of the curve when it comes to HD-DVD. I now have over 50 rips I can't burn due to lack of available burners (None at present), expensive SL media only no DL, no duping software, no usable (non-buggy) player software, etc.

In the BD camp there are a bunch of burners, even more expensive media though both SL & DL are available. Though the software issues are the same.

[d.chatten]

I have just managed to purchase the Nero Blu-Ray/HD-DVD Plugin, but, there seems to be a problem, in the Nero InfoTool it says that my current version of Nero doesn't support Blu-Ray playback but it does support HD-DVD playback.

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8797/neroprodsetbl6.jpg

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1383/nerohddvdgs7.jpg

http://img400.imageshack.us/img400/6357/neroblurayxs6.jpg

[wdgoldstein]

Could you tell me where you are located? If in the US how did you purchase?

On the practicle side is there a seperate download or just a place to enter the license number?

[Rathbone80]

Bought the Plugin, but Nero Showtime crashes when using AnyDVD HD. :mad:

[d.chatten]

Could you tell me where you are located? If in the US how did you purchase?

On the practicle side is there a seperate download or just a place to enter the license number?I am located in the UK and when you purchase the plugin you receive an e-mail that contains a license number that you insert into the product setup under the license section.

I have also just noticed that Blu-Ray playback isn't supported yet and you can confirm this on th Nero website.

[wdgoldstein]

Bought the Plugin, but Nero Showtime crashes when using AnyDVD HD. :mad:

Hope this is a bug and not a way to kill AnyDVD/HD. It would not be too hard to check memory for AnyDVD/HD and kill their program if it is loaded. Then again I suspect the SlyGuys and Babes can deal with that.

Now if I could only get that to play with :-)

[Octavean]

Why exactly is it an issue that they don’t currently sell the plug-in in the USA?

When ordering can you not simply say that you are from some other area (as long as the region code is the same for the HD DVD and BD discs). How would they know? Its not like they are shipping it to your door.

That said, I don’t think I want to try this. I’ll just wait for it to be made available in the USA :agree:

$29.99,....not too bad,....

[Rathbone80]

Actually it is not a real crash. It is an error message which says Showtime cannot read the disc. When I disable AnyDVD it works with my HDMI connection. But when I want to watch HD-DVD over VGA connection same message appears. It seems as if the HDCP workaround does not work yet with Showtime. PowerDVD works with AnyDVD HD with VGA.

[wdgoldstein]

Why exactly is it an issue that they don’t currently sell the plug-in in the USA?

When ordering can you not simply say that you are from some other area (as long as the region code is the same for the HD DVD and BD discs). How would they know? Its not like they are shipping it to your door.

That said, I don’t think I want to try this. I’ll just wait for it to be made available in the USA :agree:

$29.99,....not too bad,....

I tried but there was no Checkout button.

[Octavean]

I tried but there was no Checkout button.

how far did you get?

I had “America Somoa” as a region without even knowing it :)

[wdgoldstein]

how far did you get?

I had “America Somoa” as a region without even knowing it :)

I went in from the UK website and clicked add to cart but there was no check out or cart button available from there. If someone can add the product to their cart and send a link for the checkout I can enter my info and make a purchase...maybe.

[TM2-Megatron]

It's funny how they say "Get Into High Definition With Nero's Latest Free Update" and then try to make you pay for the BD/HD-DVD plug-in... funny, but not particularly amusing.

I don't care enough to actually pay for this thing. All those other stupid plug-ins that were extra purchases for Nero 6 came included with Nero 7... hopefully this one should come included with Nero 8, which shouldn't be all that far away given we're already at 7.8.5.0

And if it doesn't, I still probably won't care enough to pay $20 (though closer to $25 CDN) for this extra on top of $80 for Nero itself. I smell a rip-off going on around here.

[James]

Bought the Plugin, but Nero Showtime crashes when using AnyDVD HD. :mad:
I just tried the HD-DVD plugin for ShowTime and tried it with AnyDVD HD. Worked fine, played Aeon Flux US over DVI (non HDCP Apple Cinema Display).
Haven't tried other discs yet.
I am not impressed by the picture quality, but I must do further testing.

[Octavean]

Now I cannot even add the Blu-ray/HD DVD plug-in to the cart, it just loads up another page for buying stuff.

[Faye]

Does it have an arbitrary check for drivers which support HDCP even if playing back via AnyDVD HD?

I would really like a player I can use HDi on even though I only have the onboard Intel GMA.


Faye

[James]

Does it have an arbitrary check for drivers which support HDCP even if playing back via AnyDVD HD?

I would really like a player I can use HDi on even though I only have the onboard Intel GMA.


Faye
Doesn't seem so. I used an NVIDIA 7900 card without HDCP. But don't get excited, Showtime seems to be as buggy as PowerDVD (maybe even worse).

[Faye]

As bad as 6.5? I'd accept something as bad as 7.2 even :)


Faye

[James]

As bad as 6.5? I'd accept something as bad as 7.2 even :)


Faye

I don't know, never dared to try 6.5. :D

EDIT:
The Nvidia 7900 non HDCP card works fine with PowerDVD 7.1/7.2/7.3, so missing HDCP isn't an issue with PowerDVD. I don't have on-board graphics, so I can't try it with Showtime.

[Octavean]

Strange and annoying,…

They removed the ~$29.99 price label here for the “Blu-Ray/HD DVD Video Plug-In” Downloadable Serial Number link:

http://www.nero.com/ena/Blu-Ray_HDDVD_Video_Plug_in_InfoPage.html?NeroSID=3f07 794ef109ee2d1f6ddc410a440b2e

And clicking “add to cart” simply sends you to the following page:

http://www.nero.com/ena/index.html?NeroSID=37f1a474da37d34ae661654e51f96a3 d

Its the run around :agree:

***edit***

Oooops

this page says $24.99

http://www.nero.com/nero7/enu/Blu_Ray_Plugin.html?NeroSID=1c5b1db257fad5041ea2d1 1b0a7d8319

[Faye]

Probably anything non-NVidia/ATI would do, James?


Faye

[Octavean]

OK, I order the “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in e-mail version” from the online store and I received an e-mail but there was no attached file or link to download it from,….!?!

What gives?

I contacted customer service but I’m guessing this could take a while,…

Any ideas?

***edit***

I don’t get it, they sent a KEY in the e-mail,…..

Am I supposed to just input the key into Nero,…..?

Wouldn’t that mean that the functionality is then built into the latest 7.8.50 version of Nero then,…..

I don’t get it, I was expecting some kind of download,….

I have never bought from their online store before,…

Anyone else buy this Nero “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in”,…can you tell me how the whole process went for you?

Help?

Please,….

***edit***

OK I got it.

It was a simple matter of adding the Key to Nero. It really seems buggy though. DTS and HD DVD support seems to be there though. There is an HD DVD logo in Showtime as well as DTS,….

Buggy though,….

[Octavean]

OK, this “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in” for Nero needs some further experimentation but it actually seems reasonably stable and usable when using an HD DVD disc. Video quality is good but I suspect it could be better.

My setup is as follows:


ViewSonic N3250W 32" 16:9 8ms HD Ready LCD TV With HDMI
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+
2GB PC3200 RAM
ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
eVGA 8800GTS 320MB
ATI HDTV Wonder
ATI TV Wonder 650
Sapphire T550P
PowerColor T550P PCIe
NEC ND-3540A
WD 320 GB HDD
Seagate 500 GB HDD
Maddog BTX/ATX 500W PSU
Vista RC2 (have two Vista Home Premium licenses and multiple MCE 2K5 licenses)
XBox 360 MCE Extender
XBox 360 HD DVD Drive


One major problem with the “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in” for Nero is that it doesn’t seem to use ANY hardware assistance from the installed GPU / VPU instead putting the full load of decoding on the CPU!!! Using the included and ubiquitous “King Kong” HD DVD the CPU cores were loaded to about ~90%. With effective hardware assistance from the installed 8800GTS CPU utilization should be more on the order of ~20% maybe ~30%. Having said that, the video was relatively smooth despite the lack of the otherwise necessary hardware acceleration.

I wonder if they want another ~$24.99 for a hardware assistance plug-in?

Still, my license of Nero 7 Ultra Enhanced was FREE because I won it in a contest along with some addition computer hardware totaling an approximate ~$1000. Therefore, ~$24.99 + the cost of the Xbox HD DVD drive isn’t that bad for getting off the ground with HD DVD. Users that already have Nero 7 are in a similar position. Just be sure your system is robust enough to take the load.

***Edit***

I Just have to correct that there is indeed a “Hardware Acceleration” option in Nero Showtime with the “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in” under:

Options > Video > Hardware Acceleration

However, selecting the “Hardware Acceleration” checkbox causes Showtime to either freeze or crash when playing an HD DVD. This could be due in part to the current state of nVidia drivers or some other anomaly so I don’t know that it is Nero’s fault.

***edit***

Just another follow up:

Using the included VC-1 encoded HD DVD “King Kong” title I was able to finally get “Hardware Acceleration” working with the Nero Showtime “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in”.

CPU utilization with “Hardware Acceleration” ON was in the 60% range
CPU utilization with “Hardware Acceleration” OFF was in the 90% range

I’m of the opinion that CPU utilization should be lower with “Hardware Acceleration” ON but it is a noteworthy improvement nonetheless. One would think PowerDVD 6.5 / 7.1 / 7.3 would have lower CPU usage with “Hardware Acceleration” ON using the same hardware but this should be done on a title by title bases.

***edit**

Just a note on buying the “Blu-Ray/HD DVD Video Plug-In”:

I had some trouble trying to add the plug-in to the cart initially for purchase. I was using IE7 in Vista RC2 and I decided to switch to an HP MCE 2K5 PC with IE6. Once on the MCE 2K5 PC I was able to add the plug-in to the cart and buy it using “America” as the place of purchase.

[mick2006]

I just read over at the avs forum that the plug in is available through internet explorer. The system I am on right now is running explorer 6 and it shows up for 29.95. also, the thread on avs forum stated that commercial blu ray discs will not play, only bd-r or bd-re, which already play back in showtime without the plug-in.

[DrinkLyeAndDie]

I've read I think all the posts here but I'm still confused. Heck I feel utterly stupid.

I have Nero 7 Ultra. I think I got a free upgrade to Ultra Enhanced... is there really any diff? Anyway, when I updated to Nero Ulta 7.8.5.0 it tried to automatically associate itself with Blu-Ray. This, to me, means the plugin came with the update? Or am I just crazy? Why would it try to associate itself with Blu-Ray if it couldn't yet play it w/o a plugin?

Ahead is confusing the heck out of me with this.

[mick2006]

I think the plug in is really just for HD DVD, Blu Ray appears to be built into the free update, but as I and others have said no commercial Blu Ray discs will play with it.

[Octavean]

I don’t have a Blu-ray burner yet so I cannot speak to that end. I do intend to buy a Blu-ray burner but I may wait until hybrid dual format Blu-ray + HD DVD drives come out.

Anyway further “Blu-ray / HD DVD Video plug-in” experimentation yields the following:

“Hardware Acceleration” sometimes turns itself off and on depending on the situation in Nero Showtime. If “Hardware Acceleration” is turned on in stop mode it should remain on but often doesn’t. Typically I leave “Hardware Acceleration” on.

My video card, video card drivers and monitor all support HDCP so AnyDVD HD isn’t necessary for normal use.

When playing an HD DVD disc from the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive without the benefit of AnyDVD HD and “Hardware Acceleration” ON in Showtime, the system now seems to automatically turn OFF hardware acceleration! The movie “King Kong” will play reasonably well without “Hardware Acceleration” but there are some areas where the smoothness of the video is compromised slightly.

Using AnyDVD HD somehow corrects the problem thus allowing “Hardware Acceleration” to remain ON. The video is 100% smooth with “Hardware Acceleration” ON but there is a very occasional blocky pixilated screen distortion.

Using Nero Showtime to play files from the hard drive however results in “Hardware Acceleration” remaining on ALL the time whether AnyDVD is used or not.

[dieterp]

Sorry, :disagree:

I´ve got:

Nero 7.8.5
activated HD-Plugin (via original Serial)
Blu-Ray-Burner

but...no chance to Play Blu-Ray Discs with Nero Show Time...only HD-DVD:policeman:

Greetings

Dieter

[SuperGoof]

no chance to Play Blu-Ray Discs with Nero Show Time...only HD-DVD

No wonder. Nero ShowTime doesn't support BDMV format used for movies, only BDAV. This is what Nero says on its website.

[wdgoldstein]

I was finally able to purchase the software however it appears not to work for me. On load of either disc or disc image I get error message "Can't build graph..." My hardware is more than enough for PowerDVD hence I suspect it is ample for Nero.

I've sent in support request and hope that I will get an answer in my lifetime. Last request was on how to purchase (the day the plugin came out) and haven't received any response as yet.

[dthigpen]

A couple days ago I bought it for $25 and I'm in the US (guess they're not selling in the US anymore). Works well for HD-DVD, some menu bugs, but it works.

[Octavean]

I was finally able to purchase the software however it appears not to work for me. On load of either disc or disc image I get error message "Can't build graph..." My hardware is more than enough for PowerDVD hence I suspect it is ample for Nero.

I've sent in support request and hope that I will get an answer in my lifetime. Last request was on how to purchase (the day the plugin came out) and haven't received any response as yet.

Out of curiosity, what is your system configuration?

###edit###

A couple days ago I bought it for $25 and I'm in the US (guess they're not selling in the US anymore). Works well for HD-DVD, some menu bugs, but it works.

I haven’t actually used the menus yet. It seems as if there is a setting that needs to be adjusted in order to use the menus since whenever I click on a title screen with menus on an HD DVD it has no effect,…

Or was this one of the “bugs” you were referring to?

[d.chatten]

Sorry, :disagree:

I´ve got:

Nero 7.8.5
activated HD-Plugin (via original Serial)
Blu-Ray-Burner

but...no chance to Play Blu-Ray Discs with Nero Show Time...only HD-DVD:policeman:

Greetings

DieterTake a look at two of my previous posts.

http://forum.slysoft.com/showpost.php?p=20960&postcount=48

http://forum.slysoft.com/showpost.php?p=20970&postcount=51

[wdgoldstein]

As to menus they are keystroke activated only in PowerDVD so I assume this may be the same in Showtime.

System is P4D 3.4g, 2 gig DDR2-667, ATI 1950 w/512, X-Box 360 Drive, 22" LG Monitor (HDCP), 2.5 TB storage amoung 6 internal and 3 external drives, and a bunch more stuff

[roog]

I have tried both blu-ray and hd dvd playback, from both hard drive and original disk but to no avail. If someone knows how to crack this gordian knot please let me know. Otherwise, I think everything I've read so far is just like GW, smoke and mirrors.

[wdgoldstein]

I have tried both blu-ray and hd dvd playback, from both hard drive and original disk but to no avail. If someone knows how to crack this gordian knot please let me know. Otherwise, I think everything I've read so far is just like GW, smoke and mirrors.

Disabling the Multi-Monitor support got rid of the Graph error. Now the software says it can't read the disc. More Vaporware I'm afraid and they had the nerve to charge for it!!! Their tool says my system is ready for HD-DVD. I won't even try the BD as according to all the posts here it is not working as yet.

[lostinlodos]

I don't have a clue where everyone is getting all their software from, but I have the full Nero package and everything works fine for me. I have BD and HDD burners, and can create and burn both fine. I can play back both formats fine too.
Everyone who is having problems is doing something totally wrong.
I'll post screen shots shortly for you, but I can't figure out why people are having trouble.

[dmelvin1786@comcast.net]

Ok does anyone know of a blue ray burner that actually will burn blue ray movies? Or for that matter a blue ray reader that will read blue ray movies?:confused:

[roog]

I don't have a clue where everyone is getting all their software from, but I have the full Nero package and everything works fine for me. I have BD and HDD burners, and can create and burn both fine. I can play back both formats fine too.
Everyone who is having problems is doing something totally wrong.
I'll post screen shots shortly for you, but I can't figure out why people are having trouble.

Post your hardware and software configuration please.

[roog]

Post your hardware and software configuration please.

Please post your hardware and software configuration if you're having problems.

[lostinlodos]

Ok does anyone know of a blue ray burner that actually will burn blue ray movies? Or for that matter a blue ray reader that will read blue ray movies?:confused:
I'm using the Liteon LH-2B1S for Bluray

Just to note for EVERYONE
You need a few things to get everything to work correctly, I didn't realise how much I already had in place when I made my prior comment.
You must have an HDCP compliant video card
You must have the HDCP related software updates and drivers for Windows or Linux (If you're ghosting windows)
You must have an HDCP compliant monitor (be it computer monitor or home HDTV monitor)

I have dual 8800GTX 768s for my video cards. I think about the cheapest cards that support HDCP are the 8800GTS 512s at about $350 Try Newegg if your card is not compliant.

@roog do you want my full system spec sheet?

[roog]

I'm using the Liteon LH-2B1S for Bluray

Just to note for EVERYONE
You need a few things to get everything to work correctly, I didn't realise how much I already had in place when I made my prior comment.
You must have an HDCP compliant video card
You must have the HDCP related software updates and drivers for Windows or Linux (If you're ghosting windows)
You must have an HDCP compliant monitor (be it computer monitor or home HDTV monitor)

I have dual 8800GTX 768s for my video cards. I think about the cheapest cards that support HDCP are the 8800GTS 512s at about $350 Try Newegg if your card is not compliant.

@roog do you want my full system spec sheet?

Sure. Why not? I'd like to know what monitor you have.

Also, are you referring to Nero Showtime playback when you say a system has to be fully HDCP compliant or are you referring to BD burning? You don't need a HDCP compliant monitor for playback with AnyDVD HD.

[Octavean]

I have dual 8800GTX 768s for my video cards. I think about the cheapest cards that support HDCP are the 8800GTS 512s at about $350 Try Newegg if your card is not compliant.



There is no such thing as an 8800 series card with 512MB of RAM if that was what you were referring to. There are 8800GTS 320MB cards at about ~$259 and 8800GTS 640MB cards at about ~$350 but there are currently no 512MB versions.

8800 series cards work rather well with respect to hardware acceleration and HD DVD / Blu-ray playback but it isn’t necessary to go that high-end in order to get the job done. If you are buying a new video card though, you would do yourself an injustice by buying a card that does not support HDCP. The same goes for a monitor too regardless of the prowess of AnyDVD HD.

[lostinlodos]

Sure. Why not? I'd like to know what monitor you have.
Also, are you referring to Nero Showtime playback when you say a system has to be fully HDCP compliant or are you referring to BD burning? You don't need a HDCP compliant monitor for playback with AnyDVD HD.
I use my TV for most things. :)
I'm not sure if you need it for burning too, but I would hazard to guess you do. If AnyDVD solves some of those issues then this whole thread may become outdated soon. It's just the most logical starting point if you're having trouble. Most of my playback works most of the time on my system though there are blips and stuff still occasionally. I haven't gotten around to buying AnyDVDHD yet. That's my next upgrade in line. :agree:

There are 8800GTS 320MB cards at about ~$259 and 8800GTS 640MB cards at about ~$350 but there are currently no 512MB versions.
Oops, :doh:
Ohkay then, buy a 640 meg card for $350. I posted that by memory so don't be too harsh. :disagree:

[Octavean]

Oops, :doh:
Ohkay then, buy a 640 meg card for $350. I posted that by memory so don't be too harsh. :disagree:

Actually, what I was trying to say was that the 8800GTS series while very good for hardware assisted Blu-ray and HD DVD decode of VC-1 and H.264 encoded media, it isn’t really necessary or the only option.

NVIDIA and ATI HDCP Compatible Graphics Cards Roundup (http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2874&p=3)

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2886&p=4

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2890&p=4

There are an abundance of HDCP cards many of which are not 8800 series class cards or even nVidia based cards. ATI makes HDCP compliant cards too.

I don’t know how informed or ethical it would be to simply knee-jerk to an 8800 series card recommendation (let alone the more expensive 640MB GTS version) given the large number of options that are out there. One should first know what the full intended use of the card would be as well as the users preference with respect to game play (if at all) and brand (NVIDIA / ATI).

In other words, just because you and I have an 8800 series cards doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of the world should too or would given the option. I think the 8800 series is great but it isn’t for everyone.

I’m not trying to be harsh, I just don’t want someone to run out and buy a card that they cannot afford or even want because they were misinformed.


***edit***

People can probably get their foot in the HDCP + hardware acceleration door for about ~$115 with an Radeon X1600 PRO HDMI / HDCP card. A 7600 GS HDMI / HDCP card would probably cost about ~$150 but prices may vary.

The 8800 Ultra may be coming out soon. 8900 series cards should be out soon as well such as the 8950GTX2. Lower priced 8000 series cards such as the 8600GT / 8600GTS should arrive in due time. ATI’s new X2900xxx series of cards should be out at about the same time since nVidia’s offerings will likely be a counter launch. The X2000 series has some very interesting features too such as on board audio processing.

[lostinlodos]

That's not really what I was getting at though reading it back it did come across that way. nVidia has a bunch of supporting cards. The 8800 series is their most advanced STABLE line, but there are plenty of other choices. Some as low as $99. The only thing I really push for on HD is to make sure you have atleast 512Mb on the card. Anything less you'll run into trouble eventually.

I find it hard to recommend ATI at all for anyone who is interested in movies (like the people at this site) or games. They're just poorly designed. They work wonderfully for the standard business computer but they fight everything you want to do with them that's not standard. And don't even think about performance tweaks on them. I have a bad habit of frying them; a problem I never had with nVidia. Also they are slow to release Nx drivers and most Linux software has trouble supporting ATI cards.

[roog]

That's not really what I was getting at though reading it back it did come across that way. nVidia has a bunch of supporting cards. The 8800 series is their most advanced STABLE line, but there are plenty of other choices. Some as low as $99. The only thing I really push for on HD is to make sure you have atleast 512Mb on the card. Anything less you'll run into trouble eventually.

I find it hard to recommend ATI at all for anyone who is interested in movies (like the people at this site) or games. They're just poorly designed. They work wonderfully for the standard business computer but they fight everything you want to do with them that's not standard. And don't even think about performance tweaks on them. I have a bad habit of frying them; a problem I never had with nVidia. Also they are slow to release Nx drivers and most Linux software has trouble supporting ATI cards.

I like both NVidia and ATI products. Without the competition, it would be like buying a video card from Microsoft. ATI has been producing video cards for use with TV and DVD content much longer than NVidia and has always been praised for the output quality. Prove to me that you can use an NVidia video card to display 1080p content on a 1080p HDTV without overscan, and I'll consider switching to their products.

[Octavean]

I think roog makes a good point.

While I have an 8800 series card (great cards BTW) I don’t confine myself to buying only nVidia cards and in fact I own a number of ATI cards that have performed acceding well for my needs. These cards have done very well with “High Definition” media on primarily Media Center Edition PCs. Some have also overclocked very well.

I think there is enough Polarization or slanted inclinations with respect to NVIDIA / ATI as it is and I see no reason to perpetuate it.

The facts are that both nVidia and ATI have viable HDCP capable solutions for HD DVD and Blu-ray decode. All the benchmarks that I have seen in this respect seem to indicate that nVidia’s most current HDCP capable solutions take more of the load off the CPU but I wont use this as a vehicle to push an agenda or preference between the two companies instead opting for an impartial dispersal of the available facts.

In other words, I try to make people aware of the available options and let them decide for themselves rather then to attempt to make the decision for them.

If a user prefers nVidia then fine I have no problem pointing out that there are a number of nVidia Products to choose from. If a user prefers ATI, then fine I have no problem pointing out that there are ATI solutions to fit their needs.

[lostinlodos]

I think roog makes a good point.

While I have an 8800 series card (great cards BTW) I don’t confine myself to buying only nVidia cards and in fact I own a number of ATI cards that have performed acceding well for my needs. These cards have done very well with “High Definition” media on primarily Media Center Edition PCs. Some have also overclocked very well.

I think there is enough Polarization or slanted inclinations with respect to NVIDIA / ATI as it is and I see no reason to perpetuate it.

The facts are that both nVidia and ATI have viable HDCP capable solutions for HD DVD and Blu-ray decode. All the benchmarks that I have seen in this respect seem to indicate that nVidia’s most current HDCP capable solutions take more of the load off the CPU but I wont use this as a vehicle to push an agenda or preference between the two companies instead opting for an impartial dispersal of the available facts.

In other words, I try to make people aware of the available options and let them decide for themselves rather then to attempt to make the decision for them.

If a user prefers nVidia then fine I have no problem pointing out that there are a number of nVidia Products to choose from. If a user prefers ATI, then fine I have no problem pointing out that there are ATI solutions to fit their needs.

Well put. See this thread (http://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?p=23632#post23632) for a better understanding of where I was headed when I posted here about nvidia. Especially the last paragraph.
My suggestion would be to try things out before you buy. Some stores are good for buying (Frys, Amazon) and others are good for shopping and discovering before you buy. For those in the States, go to your local BestBuy store to check out computer components. For TVs/Monitors go to Tweeter (dark low-light settings match your home better; never test a TV/monitor in a major department store). Ask for help, ask for demonstrations. Especially concerning HD, everyone sees it slightly differently. Chose the one your happy with, not what your friend, neighbour, or an internet blogger says is good.

[roog]

That's not really what I was getting at though reading it back it did come across that way. nVidia has a bunch of supporting cards. The 8800 series is their most advanced STABLE line, but there are plenty of other choices. Some as low as $99. The only thing I really push for on HD is to make sure you have atleast 512Mb on the card. Anything less you'll run into trouble eventually.

I find it hard to recommend ATI at all for anyone who is interested in movies (like the people at this site) or games. They're just poorly designed. They work wonderfully for the standard business computer but they fight everything you want to do with them that's not standard. And don't even think about performance tweaks on them. I have a bad habit of frying them; a problem I never had with nVidia. Also they are slow to release Nx drivers and most Linux software has trouble supporting ATI cards.

Check out this thread http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t25068.html. It discusses the Nvidia 8800 overscan problem.

[Roger O]

Nero ShowTime blu-ray and HD do not play very well in XP (Drops frames) but in Vista it works perfectly. Has anyone been able to resolve this problem? Both OS's are fresh install, same verson drivers ETC.

[SwissyJim]

Nero ShowTime blu-ray and HD do not play very well in XP (Drops frames) but in Vista it works perfectly. Has anyone been able to resolve this problem? Both OS's are fresh install, same verson drivers ETC.

hmmm... not seen that. Showtime is the one program that works in every way for me... except the PQ is not as good as PDVD or TMT. But it'll play ripped and stripped hdd EVO and M2TS files. And they all played fine, no jerkiness, dropped frames or other problems, other than the PQ. I had to manually darken the picture and do some other tweaks but it just was not great. So I heard TMT now supports EVO and M2TS files but upon playing, many of them crash the program, or there is no sound. PDVD is out due to lack of hdd playability. So I'm back to Nero Showtime. Sadly there was a noticeable difference in PQ tho... event he wife commented on it.

Altho I'm going to try reloading XP and NOT putting on the leaked SP3 update... maybe that will get TMT working correctly.

[SwissyJim]

hmmm... not seen that. Showtime is the one program that works in every way for me... except the PQ is not as good as PDVD or TMT. But it'll play ripped and stripped hdd EVO and M2TS files. And they all played fine, no jerkiness, dropped frames or other problems, other than the PQ. I had to manually darken the picture and do some other tweaks but it just was not great. So I heard TMT now supports EVO and M2TS files but upon playing, many of them crash the program, or there is no sound. PDVD is out due to lack of hdd playability. So I'm back to Nero Showtime. Sadly there was a noticeable difference in PQ tho... event he wife commented on it.

Altho I'm going to try reloading XP and NOT putting on the leaked SP3 update... maybe that will get TMT working correctly.

re-installed WinXP MCE2005 last night, and tried Nero as well as TMT with nothing else loaded. Nero PQ seems to look a LOT better, and TMT still has errors playing about half the EVO files. Nero showtime plays them all without fail.

back to Showtime for me!