Can Blu-Ray Disc Player Play DVDs? Here's What You Need to Know

DVDs and CDs can be played by DVD players effectively. Many ask themselves that can Blu-ray players play DVDs. Many are not aware, but Blu-ray players can be used to play Blu-ray discs, CDs, DVDs, and other disc types like DVD Audio Discs. This article will explain why a Blu-ray disc can be used to play DVDs.

Do Blu-ray Disc Players Play DVDs?

Yes, Blu-ray disc players can play DVDs because they are equipped with both red and blue laser assemblies. The red laser, which has a longer wavelength, reads the larger data pits on DVDs and CDs, while the blue laser, with its shorter wavelength, is used for the smaller pits on Blu-ray discs. When a DVD is inserted, the player activates the red laser to read and play the disc seamlessly.

However, the reverse is not true—DVD players cannot play Blu-ray discs. This is because Blu-ray discs store significantly more audio and video data using smaller data pits, which require the precision of a blue laser to read. DVD players, relying solely on red lasers, lack the capability to focus on these smaller pits, making them incompatible with Blu-ray discs.

Note: Differences Between Blu-ray Discs and DVDs

Blu-ray discs and DVDs are commonly used in entertainment in many homes. They are differences that exist between the two discs, as stated below.

Best Software That Uses Blu-ray Players to Play DVDs

1. PlayerFab All-In-One

PlayerFab All-In-One by DVDFab is a versatile media player that supports Blu-ray, UHD discs, DVDs, local videos, and streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon. It eliminates compatibility issues with its all-in-one design, offering products like a DVD player, Ultra HD Player, and Free Video Player.

Features

• All features are contained in one platform for the streaming of videos and other playbacks. This supports video streaming from different sites like Amazon, Netflix, and others.
• Has various video and audio qualities that users can choose.
• The auto skip intro feature enables one to skip to the main content of the videos.
• Enables adjusting of playback speed of the videos.
• Has features for choosing audio or subtitles.
• Has auto-play following episode for an immersive viewing experience.
• Supports different video formats like MKV, MP4, MP3, and many others.

Steps to Play DVDs Using Player All-In-One

Step 1: Download the PlayerFab All In One freely from its official website. It is available to both Windows and MacOS users.

Step 2: Once you download the software, launch, and open the software.

Step 3: Go ahead to explore different features shown on the display library and choose the ones you want to use for the playing DVDs.

Step 4: Once launching is done, the navigation menu provides all steps for playing videos. It shows sections for the 'Play Movie' button, 'Language', 'Scene Selections', 'Special Features', and different others.

2. VLC

VLC is an open-source and free cross-platform media player that plays most multimedia files, plus DVDs, CDs, and streaming media. VLC offers smooth performance across devices，making it one of the best free Blu-ray player options to Play DVDs available.

Features

• It plays multiple audio tracks, subtitle tracks and Mkv.
• It has a music media library, playback recommendations and metadata retrieval.
• Support network streams like HLS.
• Play almost all files and in all formats, including exotic and classic ones.
• It allows playback speed manipulation and fine seeking of the files.
• It is completely free and open-sourced.
• It runs on both x86 and ARM devices.

Simple steps to use VLC

Step 1: Insert the DVD into the hard disc drive, then launch the VLC Player.

Step 2: Go ahead to click on the media and open your Disc.

Step 3: Select the disc tab, go to the "DVD" option, and click on the play button. Your DVD will be played on your computer instantly.

3. Real Player

It's also a preferred software for playing DVDs for windows 10. It can be used to play UHD content in many different formats. The unique feature that differentiates it from other Software is that it helps one identify celebrities in the video you have by being able to click their faces. You can also get the information you need about the celebrity you desire to see on the internet.

Detailed steps

To play a DVD on your computer, insert it into a DVD-capable drive. If  RealPlayer is set as your default DVD player, it will automatically launch and play the disc. If not, you can manually open the player and select Play CD or DVD from the Play menu.

Enable Automatic DVD Playback

Step 1: Open RealPlayer.

Step 2: Click the logo in the upper-left corner, then select Preferences.

Step 3: In the Category pane, click DVD.

Step 4: Under When Inserting a DVD, check the Start Playback box.

Step 5: From the Use Display Mode list, choose a mode (e.g., Theater or Normal).

Step 6: Click OK to save changes.

Manually Start DVD Playback

Step 1: Open RealPlayer.

Step 2: Insert the DVD into your drive.

Step 3: The DVD should appear in the left pane of the player.

Step 4: Click the DVD icon to begin playback.

Conclusion

Blu-ray player can be used to play regular DVDs without any challenge. This article has explained the steps to follow to play DVDs disc on a Blu-ray disc player. The article has further shared knowledge on the differences between DVDs and Blu-ray discs to understand the specifications of the two discs. Blu-ray Disc Player enables you to play videos with high quality and resolution like the original video.