Some Blu ray disks wont play

This is for sure a software issue. As of november 27th 2008  the only way to play newer Blu Ray discs (tried playing Wall-E) is with the PowerDVD 8 ULTRA (the regular one does not support BD playback and there is no trial version of it) software or other third party software. Dell acknowledges this and most likely will send you the software free of charge. At least they did with me. I only wish they fix the dell media center cause I have a travel remote and  I would like to use it. Will keep you posted on the new software and if indeed the problem was fixed. 

I think I may have good news for some of you.  You'll have to try this to see if it works.

Just got off the phone with technical support and after some slick maneauvers (okay, it wasn't that slick), I am now able to play my Incredible Hulk BD.  Here's what we did.  Follow these steps closely and see if it works for you...

1)  Uninstall Dell Media Direct (using the Uninstall tool in the Control Panel Of Course)

2)  Restart your computer

3)  Re-install Dell Media Direct (DMD)

4)  After re-installing DMD, SHUT DOWN your computer.  Keep your DMD disk in the computer.

5)  Press the HOME button on your computer.  DO NOT PRESS THE POWER BUTTON!

6)  DMD will start building its files.  After it builds its files a screen should pop up stating that DMD requires an update.  Select yes and update DMD.

7)  After the update is completed, you should be at the menu screen of DMD.  Exit DMD.  Your computer should be off at this point.

8) Now, press the POWER button and start your computer back up again.

9) After Vista is all booted up, insert your movie and see if it plays.

DMD now works for me.  I have to rent some newer BD's from Netflix (Wall-E, The Dark Knight (when it comes out), James Bond) to see if DMD continues working.

If anyone else tries this fix, please let us know if it works for your disks.

Good luck, everyone.

ETA:  Unfortunately, after going through all these steps, DMD stopped working again.  Well, for a short while anyway.  I was prompted in DMD to customize my settings and for some reason that stopped the program from working at all.  Had to reinstall and go through the whole process again.  It's working now, as long as I exit out of the setting wizard that automatically pops up the first time you hit the home button after updating DMD.  In the mean time, I'm going to work on getting third party software from Dell so that I'm not dependent on DMD to play Blue-Rays.

This is seriously frustrating.  I really don't see how Blue-Ray is even remotely superior to regular DVD's for all the trouble I have to go through to watch it.

i got the powerdvd 8.1 and that fixed the problem, at least for tropical thunder. 

Just purchased Transformers and Miami Vice today during the sales both play fine till the menu then when you try to play the feature film Media Direct quits responding. Going to call dell tomorrow and have them ship me a copy of power DVD 8. I'm tired of cyberlink jerking my chain.

I had the same problems with my new (less that 5 days old) M1530.  I contacted Dell support via chat and they downloaded a CyberLink Dell MediaDirect update to version 4.7 to my laptop and applied it and now everything works (Dark Knight even plays).  So, there is a Cyberlink download to fix all this, I just don't have the direct download link (but, I'm working on getting that).

UPDATE:

Here's the link: http://update.cyberlink.com/ftpdload/patch/DELL_MD/4_7/PCM080919-04/MediaDirect4_7.exe

That's my bad.  I went to Dell technical support, and they gave me the same thing.  My McAfee still recognized their download as a Trojan, and deleted it, though.  Kinda strange.

You're nuts...there is no virus and this is an official DELL support update (not me).

[UPDATE]

Ok...glad you got it working.

I had the same problems with my new (less that 5 days old) M1530.  I contacted Dell support via chat and they downloaded a CyberLink Dell MediaDirect update to version 4.7 to my laptop and applied it and now everything works (Dark Knight even plays).  So, there is a Cyberlink download to fix all this, I just don't have the direct download link (but, I'm working on getting that). UPDATE: Here's the link: http://update.cyberlink.com/ftpdload/patch/DELL_MD/4_7/PCM080919-04/MediaDirect4_7.exe

I'm having problems with Media Direct 4. When updated to the most recent version available via the built in "update" function (which takes it to version 4.0.4620) it does not recognise my Dark Knight blu ray, coming up with an error that there is no DVD in the drive. An earlier version will recognise the bonus blu ray but the 1st disk crashes the application after the WB splash. I tried applying the update linked above but get an error message saying that it needed version 3.5 in order to be applied.

Is anyone else experiencing similar issues or know a fix?

I'm having problems with Media Direct 4. When updated to the most recent version available via the built in "update" function (which takes it to version 4.0.4620) it does not recognise my Dark Knight blu ray, coming up with an error that there is no DVD in the drive. An earlier version will recognise the bonus blu ray but the 1st disk crashes the application after the WB splash. I tried applying the update linked above but get an error message saying that it needed version 3.5 in order to be applied. Is anyone else experiencing similar issues or know a fix?

I'm having the same problem, when I try to install the MediaDirect 4.7 update it says it can't because I need the "MediaDirect BDPack 3.5".  I don't know if this helps, but when I start MD and check in Settings -> About MediaDirect, it says:

Version 4.0.3907

Blu-ray Bonus View Version 4.0.3904

This has become a mess, I just got this laptop a few days ago but so far no luck with the Blu-Ray drive.  It recognizes the disc and tries to play it, but usually only gets to the anti-piracy warning before it stops (sometimes it gets to the Warner Home Video logo).  I'm assuming I have to update MediaDirect, but the automatic update doesn't work at all - the website it takes me to never loads (thanks to zzzrocker for suggesting a workaround in another thread, which eventually worked - so I was able to download the 4.7 update, but like I said above it won't install).  I'll probably just ask Dell Support to send me an update disc, like it suggests, but if it's just that 4.7 patch then it's not going to help.

So really I'm stuck with not much idea of how to fix this.

I have a XPS m1530 and it had been working fine, playing most disks I threw at it, but now, once I tried to play The Dark Knight on Wednesday, it will play for a few minutes and then start stuttering and lock up.  I have then tried a few other discs, Kung-*** Panda and The Simpsons Movie, all with the same result.  I am starting to wonder if it is not a software issue but a hardware issue.  I guess I will try to contact Dell Tech Support.

Any other thoughts?

I have a XPS m1530 and it had been working fine, playing most disks I threw at it, but now, once I tried to play The Dark Knight on Wednesday, it will play for a few minutes and then start stuttering and lock up.  I have then tried a few other discs, Kung-*** Panda and The Simpsons Movie, all with the same result.  I am starting to wonder if it is not a software issue but a hardware issue.  I guess I will try to contact Dell Tech Support.   Any other thoughts?

I suspect you do have a different issue to what the rest of us have. Do all disks that previously worked now show your stuttering and locking up symptoms?

What version of Media Player are you running? Have you updated to the latest available - manually or with the built in update feature?

Have you tried uninstalling the application and then re-installing it again? Before you update it, do the disks that used to work OK now work OK again?

WOW guys thanks for all the info!!! I was having the same issues with my XPS m1530 and certain BR discs not playing, but after intalling DMD 4.7, In the name of the King now plays! So far so good!!

I'm having problems with Media Direct 4. When updated to the most recent version available via the built in "update" function (which takes it to version 4.0.4620) it does not recognise my Dark Knight blu ray, coming up with an error that there is no DVD in the drive. An earlier version will recognise the bonus blu ray but the 1st disk crashes the application after the WB splash. I tried applying the update linked above but get an error message saying that it needed version 3.5 in order to be applied. Is anyone else experiencing similar issues or know a fix?

I have tried the application update button today and it detected another update which I downloaded and installed. This now takes it to the following versions:

Version 4.0.4707

BD Version 4.0.4602

However I still get the error message saying cannot detect a DVD or DVD device. Does anyone else still get this error after updating to the above application version?

Hi,

this ist the first time I am in this frorum.
Today I bought the WinDVD 9 Plus Blue Ray software and it works with the Incredible Hulk.

I use the Dell Studio Notebook with Windows Vista Ultimate. If I start the Windows Media Center I do not get the
choice to start DVD or Blue Ray. I get only the option to start DVD. If I do so, I receive the error message that there
is no BD player software installed. But WinDVD 9 Plus Blue Ray is installed.

What do I need to configure to activate the button for Blue Ray in Media Center?