Bluray Notebook Player

nacatk · Post by **nacatk** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:36 pm

Recently bought a new HP Media Center Pavilion dv9830us notebook computer with a Bluray player. I expected that I would be able to hook up to my new Samsung plasma via HDMI cable and view Bluray DVDs. Come to find out from HP that I cannot play Bluray disks and view from a seperate monitor because the disks do not allow this (they are protected). I can only view bluray disks on my computer. Wonder why I was told differently when I bought my computer at Circuit City. Now that it is over 2 months old I can't return it and HP will no longer return my calls.
I am wondering if anyone has a solution to this problem. If not, I would like to warn anyone thinking of buying a computer with a Bluray player from HP not to expect to be able to view Bluray movies over your home theater system. All regular DVDs play just fine.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Forgot to mention that I do get the sound but no video.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:38 pm

I think the only answer there is was your post warning others...

stevekaden · Post by **stevekaden** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:39 pm

I have not investigated this beyond a quick Google search - but there are HDCP compliant video cards. It would take a tiny bit of research to confirm the particular HP system has an ACP or PCI-E video slot. Then it is probably just a DVI to HDMI cable conversion. I see no reason it should not work. Otherwise, there is the computer to (HD) cable converter...(forgot the formal name - V something).

Later I can look this up for you.

nacatk · Post by **nacatk** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:22 pm

Thanks,
The computer has a NVIDIA GeForce 8600m GS vidio card. There is no DVI hookup on the computer, only HDMI. Don't know if the card is HDCP compliant.

stevekaden · Post by **stevekaden** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:54 pm

First my appolgies for not reading the Title "notebook" - so forget the card idea. But, I looked up your chip and notebook. I did not get into HP spec, nor the manual, but I did see HDCP mentioned in other listings of the chip and that you have an HDMI, it should do it. But it does not.

Does anything get to the TV - a regular DVD perhaps? Or just your screen and a YouTube for example. I can't right now, but later I can research drivers and see if that is it.

The alternative I suggested was the ZeeVee box. See Amazon. It is not on the market yet - soon, and is $500. Not a good answer for you.

nacatk · Post by **nacatk** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:37 pm

Thanks again,
Everything including regular DVDs play on the TV. Even the audio from the Bluray DVD discs. Just no video.

I should have mentioned that a box comes up that says
"The content is protected. The content is not allowed to play in the current display mode."
Samsung says that the display mode of the TV is fine.

My Samsung TV is a PN58A550S. Not sure if IT supports HDCP.

stevekaden · Post by **stevekaden** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:16 am

I went fairly deep into the HP and Nvidia web sights and information. The chip set can support HDCP, but in one place it says "with the support of other components". Totally in conclusive what that means - a HDCP TV, or another chip to make it work.

That video chip in the card for PC's has HDCP. But I can not find it in any reference in Laptops. That you were mislead would not be a new boundary for HP - they have blatantly lied that their monitors could play HD for years - yet since there was no HDCP in them, they actually could not via DVI - and via analog from protected media, the output is limited.

My conclusion is: laptops ostensibly do not need HDCP because they have a monitor and do not expose the protected signal to anything external to the laptop. And to save weight and power, whatever else might have been required was not put in - I am going to assume this is not a driver issue.

You could try and see what you can get via the VGA output to the TV, but it probably will not be HD. The only path from here might be a query to Nvidia's support - their FAQ on this are a bit limited.

nacatk · Post by **nacatk** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:52 am

Very much appreciate your help. I will check out NVIDIA further.

nacatk · Post by **nacatk** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:46 pm

I provided the origional post.
Here is the final result of all my searches.
As it turns out I am not alone in having this problem. There several other people out there with the same issue with HP Pavillion notebooks.
A solution was provided by Icplanets in the forum at Blu-ray.com. Check it out.
After using his solution which woked for others and I think started to work for me, my QuickPlay sortware started to freeze up preventing me from watching Blu-Ray discs,
After many more hours on the phone with HP they finally admitted that QuickPlay needed a fix even though I had the latest version. They downloaded a 30 day test version of Power DVD 8 on to my notebook so that I can use my Blu-Ray player until they can get the fix for QuickPlay. They are supposed to email me with a fix as soon as they have it, hopefully within 30 days. I'm not going to hold my breath. I sure that I will have to call them to get help on this issue again since 4 techs at HP promised to call me back and not one did.
A total of 20 hours of my time was spent on this problem.
Thanks to all who tried to help.
nacatk

akirby · Post by **akirby** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:01 pm

This is why I keep PCs and home theater FAR apart!

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