Why can’t I play Ultra HD Blu-ray movies on my new Intel CPU platform? (cyberlink.com)

Article summary

Intel has removed the Software Guard Extensions (SGX) feature from its 11th generation and newer CPUs, which is required to play Ultra HD Blu-ray movies on Windows platforms. As a result, CyberLink can no longer support Ultra HD Blu-ray playback on newer CPUs and the latest Windows platforms. Users with older compatible platforms are advised to avoid updating their operating system or Intel drivers to maintain support for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback. This change may cause inconvenience to legitimate customers who have purchased Ultra HD Blu-ray movies.

Main themes

• DRM and its effectiveness
• Ultra HD Blu-ray playback
• Intel SGX removal
• Media industry control
• Piracy and copyright
• Consumer rights and inconvenience
• Technological advancements and obsolescence

What commenters say

• DRM is ineffective in preventing piracy and instead harms legitimate customers.
• The removal of SGX is a deliberate attempt to push users towards streaming services and away from physical media.
• The focus on DRM is actually about media companies exerting control over hardware manufacturers, rather than preventing piracy.
• Piracy is a function of access to user-friendly pirating services, rather than the ability to generate pirated copies.
• Some argue that breaking DRM to access legally purchased content may be necessary, but this can be a legally gray area.
• The use of DRM can lead to a walled garden where companies can abuse their monopoly to extract better deals from other stakeholders.
• Others believe that the goal of DRM is to create a system that allows for market segmentation and price differentiation, rather than preventing piracy.
• There are differing opinions on the effectiveness of DRM in preventing piracy, with some arguing that it can slow down piracy, but others claiming it is ultimately ineffective.