|
|
Running PDVD16 on Windows 7 x64. The revision 2406 has an issue with fullscreen, with the controls bar across the bottom not auto-hiding as it should.
It's hard to be definitive as to the circumstances in which this occurs, but I know for instance whenit's in fullscreen and I pause a playing Blu-ray, and then restart it a couple of minutes later, the controls bars (top and bottom) then stay visible.
If the BD-Java coding on the disc doesn't allow mouse actions (so that if when you click on the screen image it brings up an error saying this is not allowed), then it's easy to fix: click on the image of the film in the main part of the window, dismiss the error, minimise the PDVD screen then open it again to fullscreen, and it's usually fixed. If the BD doesn't forbid mouse actions (and so the error doesn't appear), then the only way I've found to put the controls bar back into auto-hide mode is to actually stop the BD playing, exit PDVD, and then relaunch it and restart the BD playing.
Have others seen this problem?
|
|
|
Quote
Yes. You can install and reinstall PowerDVD as much as you want.
Bogdan, that's not technically true.
There is a watchdog built into the software activation, so that if you try to activate the same licence key too many times, it will be locked out. I've experienced this myself when I had some hardware failures on my PC (not related to PowerDVD), and had to re-install Windows and all my applications several times. After a certain number of times, I got an error message saying that my activation had been locked.
But Cyberlink tech support removed the lock, after I answered a few questions and submitted a couple of report files (dxdiag among them, from memory) to show I wasn't trying to install the same licence on multiple machines.
|
|
|
Hi TiagoPina,
I recommend you look into a product called Passkey BD from DVDFab. It's a driver that makes BDs read as region-free to PowerDVD, so that the change of region doesn't trigger one of the limited number of region changes available in the software.
Blu-ray uses a different region code schema from DVD, which is why they changed the system from region numbers to letters. With DVD, the region is locked into your optical drive, and requires the firmware to be hacked to free up the limitations. With Blu-ray, it's done in the software, so it's PowerDVD that contains the limit on the number of times you can change the region; Passkey simply intercepts the region information from the disc and prevents it from reaching PowerDVD.
It's not a piracy tool; I'm not into piracy at all, and all my discs (and PowerDVD) were bought fair and square. And the situation isn't Cyberlink's fault; as I understand it, the 5-changes limitation is part of the terms of licensing the Blu-ray format. But it's perfectly legal to buy BDs from multiple regions, and to buy multi-region BD players, so I don't see why the software should be any different when it doesn't involve piracy. I realise that idea is not going to be endorsed by Cyberlink, but then it's not breaking any of the PowerDVD Ts&Cs, either.
Anyway, it may be a solution to your situation.
|
|
|
Hi Hicham,
Ahh, I thought you were ignoring me.
I haven't seen it happen since upgrading to revision 2406, so I'd say that's probably a fix.
Thanks for forwarding the issue on, and thank you for checking back with me. It's very much appreciated! ;![]()
|
|
|
Hi steve,
Yeah, thanks for that. I have checked it out, yes -- the advertising link from the Learning Centre goes to the Udemy website, and what it shows there of the courses suggest they approach things the way, as I mentioned, I know doesn't work for me.
Trust me, I did a fair bit of searching before I posted this thread. ;![]()
|
|
|
Does anyone know of learning materials -- perferably books and exercise files -- for the Director Suite, either overall or the separate component applications? Something along the lines of the "Classroom in a Book" publications for the Adobe Creative Suite?
No criticism intended, but videos that basically say "select this item from this menu, click this option in the dialogue, and there ya go" don't do it for me. I've learnt I don't learn that way, that I don't acquire an understanding of the processes involved.
Someone's lent me a copy of the "Classroom" book for Adobe's Premiere Pro, and that helps me understand some of the underlying processes, but obviously it would be easier if I had something similar that applies directly to the Cyberlink software. I have the new DS 5, and yes, I've already trawled through the Learning Centre.
Thanks for any assistance.
|
|
|
Hicham,
I don't have a support ticket. I find Cyberlink support a waste of time, so why go through the motions? Over and over, they don't seem to even understand what they're being told -- it may be a language thing, since English is clearly nt their native langauge, but that's what Cyberlink gives us to work with. It's so frustrating.
Attached is a screen capture of the problem. The M:\ drive is my internal BD optical drive, and this is a commercial BD.
To reproduce:
1) After playimng a video file (such as an mp4 or mkv saved from YouTube) from my hrad drive in PDVD_16,
2) If Iput a BD disc in my optical drive, then PDVD only shows the folder structure on the disc. It doesn't come up with a "Play" icon
3) This happens whether I leave PDVD open and insert the disc, or close PDVD first, load the disc and let it open PDVD. I still don't get a Play icon.
The only reliable way I've found to resolve this is to completely reboot my PC. That shouldn't be happening.
|
|
|
No, the discs are all original, commercial discs. I don't burn copies or pirate anything.
Support is useless, and so, it seems, is the software. So, what do I do now?
(Yes, I'm annoyed. I don't think that's unreasonable. If Cyberlnk's history is anything to go by, I'll just keep getting a "can't reproduce" response -- until the next version comes out, and lo and behlod, there'll be a fix for the problem ... once I pay to upgrade.)
|
|
|
Hi Hicham,
You had no thoughts on this matter?
|
|
|
Quote
Hi Bandis,
Which SR has your PowerDVD?
Launch PowerDVD and click on the logo "PowerDVD" to find it.
Greetings
Hicham
Hicham,
It's version 16.0.2011.60 Ultra
SR number DVD 160726-03 (DVD160516-02)
|
|
|
|
Thanks Hicham. DxDiag report attached.
|
|
|
Thanks for the reply, Hicham.
I started here because I was hoping other people might have seen it happen themselves, and might have some insight into how to address it.
But also -- I'm sorry, but I've got to say this -- I find Cyberlink support really useless. They don't seem to understand much of what's said to them, they usually take a week or more to reply, and then their reply is often not actually an answer to what they were asked about. It's really annoying to wait a week or more for a reply that is just some irrelevant copy-and-paste that makes it very, very clear the support people haven't got a clue. And when they don't understand, there's no-one to raise it with besides the same people who still don't understand.
Cyberlink really has to do better.
|
|
|
Ouch.
I know a few people who've been stung like that, especially buying releases from Spain. Turns out a lot of apparently commercial releases in Spain -- even from reputable online sellers like Amazon -- are pirated and burnt to BD-R discs.
|
|
|
|
Quote:
Will PowerDVD 16 Ultra in Region 1 play "Region Free" blu-rays?
Hi DaveF,
If it helps make it clear, there's technically no such thing as "region-free" coding in Blu-ray -- Blu-ray divides the world into three regions, A to C, and what we think of as "region-free" means the region coding in that disc is flagged as "yes" for each one of the three regions. So whatever region your player is set to, that disc will play.
DVDs had a different scheme -- 6 regions, 1 to 6, plus a region 0 that was supposed to be like a master key that unlocked all six regions. Some players' firmware had problems with region 0, on occasion.
Anyway, I hope the info might be useful.
|
|
|
PowerDVD 16 Ultra v.2011 on Windows 7 in PC Mode; if I play a video file from a hard drive, then insert a DVD or BD in the optical disc drive, PDVD will recognise the disc but display the folders and files on it, and the Play control on the toolbar is greyed out. Whatever I do, I can't get it to gointo normal Play mode. When this occurs, it doesn't matter what disc I try, I get the same result. (i.e. it's not due to faulty discs; clearly the disc is readable, since its contents are displayed.)
I've tried opening PDVD and then inserting the disc, or in the opposite order. I've tried opening the disc from Windows Explorer ... I'm not sure what else to try. usually the only thing I've found to reset PDVD back to Play mode is to reboot my PC. I've also tried removing and re-installing PDVD, but the same thing happens.
Is there a trick to this? Something I'm missing?
|
|
|
Thanks mate. I stay away from TV Mode because I don't have my PC hooked up to one, so going into the mode just leaves the software in an unbreakable loop while it tries to find and sync with the device.
Anyway. Being able to toggle a minimal interface seems like a good candidate for a feature request. ;![]()
|
|
|
I don't think there is a Cinema mode in PDVD any more, is there? I think it got dropped when the choice between PC Mode and TV Mode was introduced.
RobCom, I get what you're trying to do, but I can't find any way to do it either. I have a wide PC mintor, and have PDVD set to default to a quarter of the screen, so I can play videos there while I work in stuff on the other side of the screen. I'd like to be able to toggle the control bars off the top and bottom of the PDVD window, so it's just a black screen with the video playing. That's something like what you want, right?
I've been through the user guide pretty carefully, hoping there might be a hotkey command to toggle the control iconss as visible and hidden, but I can't find one. We could set up a custom hotkey, if only we knew what the application command was to toggle the control icons on and off, but there's no clue that I can find. Sorry mate.
|
|
|
My comment about it playing "most" blu-rays was based solely on personal experience, not technical knowledge. Can I assume that you've had a different experience, My1?
I hear what you're saying about the constant revision of AACS and the difficulties it causes. It also affects the ability of an optical drive to play the discs, regardless of any other circumstances; I had to replace my optical drive in my PC when its firmware could no longer cope, and the manufacturer had moved its development efforts on to other models. It's like one of those Chinese circus acts spinning plates on bamboo poles and keeping them all balanced.
I confess I do have one of those third-party utilities myself, that sidesteps the disc protection. I have zero interest in piracy, and only have commercial BDs that I've bought myself, but all the restrictions make it almost essential, not least because I collect BDs from more than one region, and the limit of five changes of region within PDVD is pretty pathetic. I've already come across AACS 2 discs that require an internet connection to play -- utterly obscene -- so bloody-minded choices like that by the Rulers Of The World make dodges necessary just to cope.
|
|
|
I agree, My1. In fact, I gave in and bought PDVD 16 after all -- primarily as a bug fix. (And it makes me grind my teeth having to pay for bug fixes! But they stopped fixing issues with PDVD 15, so I had little choice. Not impressive.)
First thing I did on installing it was to disable all the other multimedia features. Not only is there other software, as you say, but they offer actual functionality with those formats beyond just displaying them.
|
|
|
Thanks for that, My1. Yes, you're no doubt correct -- I knew it wouldn't play every BD, which is why I said "most". So maybe it's fair to say "if it'll play the disc, it'll take a screen capture" -- though I guess that doesn't help the OP.
The Nero suite included a dedicated BD player for a while, that took no account of region coding or AACS (it didn't let you copy the discs, just play them), and it allowed screen captures. But Nero ditched it, largely because the licence just to support the BD format is reportedly exorbitant. (Some say the reason the format hasn't taken off the way DVDs did is because the Consortium has lawyered and fee-gouged it to death.)
|
|
|
Thanks Hicham,
Here's the dxdiag.
|
