SOLVED: Blu-ray drive won't play two recent movie releases.

[barrywohl]

I've got a W700 with the LG/Hitachi GBW-B10N blu-ray read write drive. It has the UX09 firmware installed. Two recent blu-ray movies refuse to run and give the error message that I must first update the firmware on my blu-ray player. These movies are Valkyrie and Australia. (Maybe I don't really have a problem, since I'm not sure either movie is that good.)

I can't find any firmware update for this drive. I can't find anyone else on the web having a similar problem. EasyServ hasn't helped. Depot repair hasn't helped (but, I must say, I COULD NOT BELIEVE how fast depot repair fixed my defective integrated camera --48 hours from pickup in Wyoming to Memphis to returned working great in Wyoming).

Anyone with any ideas?

[ZaZ]

Maybe you want to try AnyDVD HD just to see if it works out the kinks. The trial version is the full version for the first 15 days I believe.

[chazz]

check out Bluray.com forum..(its a long read, I know)
some newer BR movies will not play certain BR playback software..
I believe the forum mentioned that--WinDVD9 Plus will not play 20th Century discs..

[QFoam]

The "firmware update" message is a red herring, and has nothing to do with the problem. I ran into the same thing, I bought/installed Cyberlink PowerDVD 8, and everything worked fine.

I had looked for an update for the version of WinDVD that came bundled with my W700, but could find none. I don't know if Lenovo or Intervideo have since released an update. But, in any case, it has nothing to do with firmware, but instead has to do with what program you're using to play the Blu-ray disc.

I believe that the firmware message is simply a programmed, catch-all, message that the disc is designed to play if your player doesn't support certain new features included on the disc. It is an approprate message, for example, for a standalone Blu-ray player, whose software resides strictly in firmware. But it's not a very clear or accurate message for a PC-based Blu-ray player.

[barrywohl]

Thanks for the answer. As far as I can tell from the Lenovo site, there's no update yet for 8.0-B9.572 that helps. There is posted an 8.0-B9.581 for another Lenovo computer, but that made no improvement in the "firmware" error message.

I think I saw something on the Corel site that they were working on an update to InterVideo 9.0 Plus Blu-Ray to play these movies but they don't have that released. I hope they can also supply Lenovo with an update.

Barry

[barrywohl]

My problem is fixed. Lenovo engineering in Raleight Durham took over my case. Yesterday they sent me a patch for WinDVD 8 which fixed the "firmware needs updating" issue. I expect to see it any day on the W700 "downloads and drivers" site.

I still get the "Your AACS key needs updating." message, but I can click past that one, at least for now.