Looking for Blu-ray player software running on Windows 8?

Try to Google Blu-Ray software. You will see many choices. Here’s one of about 12 million returned:
http://download.cnet.com/1772-20_4-0.html?query=blu-ray+player+software&platform=Windows%2CMac%2CiOS%2CAndroid%2CWebware%2CMobile&searchtype=downloads

Microsoft did not put a player for DVD or Blu-Ray in the standard package. They do for a price have a “Pro” pack software to play DVDs. Just extra dollars . . . !!

Why not use VLC? It’s free, and it plays every conceivable type of media file.

Another vote for VideoLAN VLC.

Link

VLC will play DVD’s but it can’t play Blurays without help.

VLC never worked for me, at least not on the last five Windows boxes I’ve tried. The Linux version is clunky, but at least it runs.

I’ve always used MPC:Home Cinema. Cleaner interface, more features, and it actually works on Windows.

Other alternatives are Potplayer and KMplayer. Like MPC-HC, they have cleaner interfaces; VLC has become rather baroque (bordering on a Rococo kludge) in that regard.

DVD is pretty easy to decode and play, though I’m not sure of the legality of how VLC does it (use of the libdvdcss library, a piece of software of questionable legality due to the DMCA). Other software uses other means that the law has pretty much given up on trying to stop.

Blu-ray, on the other hand, is pretty hard as the licensing restrictions are pretty onerous. In fact, that is why the “Pro package” costs more; partly to cover the licensing fees for 100% legit DVD/Blu-ray decryption.

Lastly, most (but not all) Bluray drives are capable of reading DVDs and CDs just fine. Most.