Will the Surface 2 work with an external usb cd/dvd/blu-rom drive?

[Cobb]

Whats your answer?

Results 6 pm est tomorrow. :smile:

 

[xandros9]

My money is on yes! (Assuming it has the drivers)

 

[iampwd]

I tried with a LG multi DVD reader from 2006. Didn't work on surface 2.
Sent from my RM-937_eu_euro1_935 using Tapatalk

 

[Cobb]

My powered usb 3.0 hub was delivered by ups to the post office. So, should get it tomorrow.

 

[Laura Knotek]

My powered usb 3.0 hub was delivered by ups to the post office. So, should get it tomorrow.

I hope it works and you don't have to send it back.

 

[Cobb]

Well, that ship has sailed... The hub is MIA. Think I got another powered hub I can borrow to try this. Im making a big deal about it being powered as that is how the cd drive gets its power and I am sure the surface doesnt have enough power to spin it up. I had one I used for charging my usb related devices, but turns out it was charging only, no data.

 

[Cobb]

Finally got a working powered hub and connected the drive. I can see it appear in the windows explorer listing with the C drive and sdcard. I can swap cds and see it change as well as explore cds. I can no play a dvd. :angry: I tried several free apps and no dice. I will try a typical training cd from a previous class to see if it will open the power point and other supplemental files tomorrow?

Any suggestions for an app to play dvds? I tried a move dvd and one I recorded with a dvr. I can see the files, but nothing opens it insist to search for the wrong player to associate with the file.

Not to spam, but here is the exact drive I purchased from ebay Black USB External 2X Blu Ray Reader DVD CD Burner Laptop Notebook UJ 120 | eBay

 

[David P2]

Finally got a working powered hub and connected the drive. I can see it appear in the windows explorer listing with the C drive and sdcard. I can swap cds and see it change as well as explore cds. I can no play a dvd. :angry: I tried several free apps and no dice. I will try a typical training cd from a previous class to see if it will open the power point and other supplemental files tomorrow?

Any suggestions for an app to play dvds? I tried a move dvd and one I recorded with a dvr. I can see the files, but nothing opens it insist to search for the wrong player to associate with the file.

Not to spam, but here is the exact drive I purchased from ebay Black USB External 2X Blu Ray Reader DVD CD Burner Laptop Notebook UJ 120 | eBay

VLC Player will do DVDs quite happily, and that's in the store now so should work with WinRT. Icon is an orange and white traffic cone.

 

[onlysublime]

in order to play DVD movies, you need the proper codec to play. Microsoft no longer includes it with Windows because of licensing fees. In order to get DVD playback in Windows 8/8.1 natively, you had to purchase the Windows Media Center upgrade which included the DVD codecs. Windows 7 was the last time DVD codecs were included.

Otherwise, you need a third party program that has the DVD codecs. Look for a DVD player in the Windows Store. I doubt they could call it a DVD player app unless it includes the codecs necessary (though it's certainly possible as there are a lot of fake apps out there).

As for VLC, it's currently only available for Windows 8/8.1. They said they're eventually going to make a Windows RT version as well as a Windows Phone version but it's not a huge team and they don't profit much from it. More of a labor of love than anything.

 

[RajeevT]

Try the Power Media Player trial (formerly known as PowerDVD Mobile). I have tested ripped VOBs from a USB HDD but not directly from a DVD. I'm sure it can't handle the DRM on DVDs so if you do try it with a disc make sure it's not a commercial one with CSS.

VLC Player will do DVDs quite happily, and that's in the store now so should work with WinRT. Icon is an orange and white traffic cone.

If you care to see the listing in the Store under "Supported processors" it clearly says only "x86, x64", so there's no ARM support yet, and frankly I doubt there ever will be. Everyone who donated to them for an ARM version most likely got shafted.

 

[onlysublime]

No, the VLC team specifically talked about bringing out a Windows RT version. But they have to get the Windows 8 version stable and faster which is their priority right now. Then I think they mentioned WP8 and then Windows RT last.

 

[Cobb]

The official Microsoft app is Windows Media Center and there is a charge for it, yes? I think I recall seeing that the other day. Im surprised they didnt include the windows media player on this device. I think searching for dvd player I came up with 181 listings, however many had 1 star ratings or none at all. Others wanted 4 to 9 bucks to download.

 

[onlysublime]

Windows Media Center is a separate purchase now. It used to be included in Windows for "free." But they felt that people had moved on to BluRay and streaming services like Netflix and did not want to subsidize the DVD licensing fees anymore.

However, Windows Media Center is not available for Windows RT. Only for Windows 8/8.1.

Also, Windows Media Center is not to be confused with Windows Media Player. However, the codec is system-wide so when you buy Windows Media Center, it installs the DVD codecs and all programs on your computer can use those codecs to play DVDs.

I haven't tried the Power Media Player but if it was previously called Power DVD, it most likely has the DVD codecs with it so you can use it to play DVDs. Unless it's a fake app of course. And I don't know if the codecs are system-wide or not (this is the issue I had with VLC where you had to use VLC; none of the other video players on your computer can use the codecs that are contained within VLC). That's why I like codec packs like K-Lite (but again, these codec packs are only for Windows 8/8.1 systems, not Windows RT.

 

[Cruncher04]

Just to make it clear. The codec is not the only issue. Even if you have the codec (for instance via VLC or any other player supporting MPEG2) it will not play any commercial DVDs due to protection.

 

[Cobb]

I tried downloading VLC. It basically lead to a splash page that took me to a site in internet explorer to download the windows 8 one, which wouldnt go.

Playing a dvd or bluray or being able to burn a cd would be a bonus. Being able to read a data cd is fine. So yes, I can do what I setup to do. I work for the government visiting various military bases and its required I do not have a laptop on me. I can however have a tablet and having the surface, a hub and cd drive is fine. I ordered one of those usb battery packs to charge your phone on the go that is about the size of a mini mag light and doubles as a flash light to power the drive in the future.

Being able to load up the power points and other supporting documents for meetings, training's, etc is a real bonus in my line of work. We dont use thumb drives and that access is disabled on all pcs since its a good way to transfer viruses and sensitive data.

 

[onlysublime]

Just to make it clear. The codec is not the only issue. Even if you have the codec (for instance via VLC or any other player supporting MPEG2) it will not play any commercial DVDs due to protection.

this is only an issue if you want to copy the disc. if he has an external drive and the right software, he can play it. the software comes with the keys necessary to play the disc.

but even if you wanted to rip the disc to the HDD/SSD/flash drive, you can easily do so with readily available software as the keys were released publically (illegally) many many years ago and can only stop people who don't know how to google/bing.

 

[RajeevT]

No, the VLC team specifically talked about bringing out a Windows RT version. But they have to get the Windows 8 version stable and faster which is their priority right now. Then I think they mentioned WP8 and then Windows RT last.

Yes they did, but looking at their extremely delayed timelines and the fact that they refuse to respond to any queries about the ARM versions, I think those are dead in the water. Also I think they said Windows RT first and then WP version but in any case it makes no difference now and if in the future it ever makes its debut I'm sure Windows RT will be dead by then.

I haven't tried the Power Media Player but if it was previously called Power DVD, it most likely has the DVD codecs with it so you can use it to play DVDs. Unless it's a fake app of course. And I don't know if the codecs are system-wide or not (this is the issue I had with VLC where you had to use VLC; none of the other video players on your computer can use the codecs that are contained within VLC).

PMP is certainly not fake and is probably the best MKV player I've found so far, but it's fairly costly (they shamelessly increased the price by $5 probably because they know they have the widest format support on offer). I don't think the app can play back commercial DVDs with CSS as I stated above (only ripped VOBs), which is probably what lead them to change the name in the first place. As for system-wide codecs shared between apps, I believe the architecture of Windows RT itself makes this impossible and every app has to include its own codecs.

 

[Cobb]

I put what I thought was a blank cd into the drive and got an error message that it couldnt install linux to my system. Need to find a music cd to see if it will play that.

 

[onlysublime]

Lol

 

[onlysublime]

Yes they did, but looking at their extremely delayed timelines and the fact that they refuse to respond to any queries about the ARM versions, I think those are dead in the water. Also I think they said Windows RT first and then WP version but in any case it makes no difference now and if in the future it ever makes its debut I'm sure Windows RT will be dead by then.

looks like VLC for WP will be first in August, followed by VLC for Windows RT too...