Windows 8 Won't Play DVDs Unless You Pay For the Media Center Pack

An anonymous reader writes "You may already know that Microsoft plans to sell Windows Media Center as a separate, paid pack, but now the company has revealed that Windows 8 will also stop default support for DVD playback. You'll only be able to play DVDs and Blu-rays if you upgrade to the Media Center pack. 'Acquiring either the Windows 8 Media Center Pack or the Windows 8 Pro Pack gives you Media Center, including DVD playback (in Media Center, not in Media Player), broadcast TV recording and playback (DBV-T/S, ISDB-S/T, DMBH, and ATSC), and VOB file playback. Pricing for these Packs, as well as retail versions of Windows 8, will be announced closer to the release date. To give you some indication of Media Center Pack pricing, it will be in line with marginal costs.'" In a comment, Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky elaborates: "(marginal is small, honest, and we just haven't determined the final prices yet based on ongoing work but we are aiming for single digit dollars but we don't control the truly marginal costs). We wanted to include Media Player for everyone without everyone incurring the cost even if they don't even have an optical drive."

Comments

And I bet they'll pass those savings on!

[Ndkchk]

I'm sure that Microsoft will be generous and actually pass on these savings to the consumer, right? I mean, they wouldn't just cut out a feature to save some money and then keep that money for themselves, would they?

Re:Bad enough I pay for microtransactions in MMO's

[Sigma 7]

How about $100 to get a C compiler, just so that you can write any program that isn't grindingly slow?

Get off my lawn.

Re:What the heck, is this the 1980's again?

[dexomn]

Somewhere PowerDVD is wringing it's hands and cackling madly in it's secret lair.

Re:Bad enough I pay for microtransactions in MMO's

[ocdude]

if it takes Linux 4hrs longer to install vs. windows, its' not cost effective.

Dude, you're doing it wrong.