32-bit Windows Vista will not support HD DVD or Blu-ray out-of-the-box
by Matt Burns 
posted Aug 24th 2006 at 10:53AM
Good 'ol Microsoft. Things are getting stripped out of Windows Vista left and right. Next up to the chopping block is the ability to play high-def media on the 32-bit version -- from Microsoft that is. Redmond is worried about unsigned drivers which translates into copy-protection concerns and while this is a disappointing move by Bill Gates & Co., they do the same thing with standard DVDs; even Media Center Edition does not support DVD playback out of the box. Don't throw up those arms just yet as unsigned drivers are allowed to run under the 32-bit version that will allow you to play your favorite high-def content just like under the 64-bit flavor of Vista. Who knows when these drivers will be out, but it is safe to say they're coming.Plus, there is the whole other issue of Windows Media Player 11 that ships with Vista not playing high-def content ether. Microsoft's OEM Systems Engineer for Microsoft Australia indicated to CNET that the consumer must look elsewhere for the playback software, such as WinDVD BD or Cyberlink as WMP 11 will not play back HD DVDs or Blu-ray media. Good 'ol Microsoft...good 'ol Microsoft.
Read: 32-bit Windows
Read: WMP11
Filed under: Industry
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael @ Aug 24th 2006 11:29AM
Isn't Big Blue another name for IBM?
Aaron @ Aug 24th 2006 11:36AM
Change that to read, "32 bit Windows will NEVER support HD or Blu-Ray"
Microsoft revealed today that no 32-bit versions of Windows Vista will be able to play back “next generation high definition protected content” (translation – studio-released BluRay and HD-DVD movies).
So buy a 64 bit processor or forget it.
Second Chance @ Aug 24th 2006 12:11PM
I'm not sure people realize the maganitude of having to re-write ALL drivers for a new operating system. You cannot use existing drivers with Vista. Also, isn't the operating system still 6+ months away?
I'm operating a pre-release version of Vista, on a common Dell computer that is only a couple of months old, that happens to use an ordinary Intel graphics chip which is present in most of computers we have at our company. There's no video driver available yet, so I'm stuck with the generic driver. I had to obtain a pre-release verison of Symantec Anti-Virus. And I'm still on the hunt for some printer drivers, although the included drivers seem workable.
I wonder, as far as DVD or HD DVD/Blu-Ray movie play back, if there's additional licensing fees involved. We already know Blu-Ray PC drives (recorders) do not currently allow you to playback movies on any current operating system. And I've yet to see an HD DVD recorder for a PC. Maybe the absence of drivers/playback capability is because there's no PC drives yet capable of playing HD movies.
I imagine the drivers or player software will be included with the drive and not necessarily the operating system anyway.
WASD John @ Aug 24th 2006 2:25PM
With M$ being the one of the major backers of HD-DVD you would think that they would support their own camp with Vista. Oh well, just another reason to have to use non M$ software.
squall @ Aug 24th 2006 3:57PM
Honestly, who cares? Just because WMP is not bundled in 32x to play HD movies does not anything. First, vista has nothing to do with playing HD movies you need a blue-ray / hd dvd drive to even read the disks. Second, you will be able to download software to play blue-ray / hd dvd movie. This post is really pointless.
Zach @ Aug 24th 2006 10:31PM
32bit Vista DOES have playback.
"Microsoft surprised more than a few people on Thursday when one of its developers told a technical crowd in Australia that 32-bit versions of Windows Vista won't be able to play back next-generation high-definition protected content, i.e. commercial Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
Later Thursday, representatives in the U.S. said that senior program manager Steve Riley was mistaken.
"The information he provided to that audience was incorrect," a representative told CNET News.com. "Playback is possible with Windows Vista in 32-bit." "
http://news.com.com/2061-10794_3-6109427.html