CyberLink Releases PowerDVD 17 for UHD Blu-ray Playback on PC

CyberLink has released PowerDVD 17. It is the first software media player to support UHD Blu-ray movie playback. The player can also provide the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive with 360-degree images.

PowerDVD 17, in conjunction with a compatible optical drive, makes it possible to play UHD Blu-ray discs on Windows PCs, for example to watch movies at full resolution with a UHD monitor. The software therefore supports HDR10 and can also handle TrueTheater HDR for emulating HDR reproduction of average images.

The only Blu-ray players that offer support seem to be the BDR-S11J-BK and the BDR-S11J-X from Pioneer, which have not yet been spotted outside Japan. Furthermore, a uhd monitor with support for hdmi 2.0a and hdcp 2.2 are required. The software only works in combination with a Kaby Lake system running a 64-bit version of Windows 10 and there must be at least 6GB of memory.

The announcement reveals that the Blu-ray Disc Association has begun certifying UHD Blu-ray playback software. It is not known whether more software players are on the way that can handle the discs. Until now, fans of UHD Blu-ray had to rely on standalone players from Sony or Panasonic, for example.

CyberLink has also provided its media suite with an interface with a virtual environment from which wearers of an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive can view 360-degree video and photos. The provider offers four different paid packages. Only the Ultra and Live packages can handle UHD Blu-ray. The price of PowerDVD 17 Ultra is 100 euros. That of PowerDVD 17 Live is 45 euros for a year or 15 euros for three months.