can i use my wii as a DVD player

[Russ]

i know your probably thinking, just try it and see, but its not arrived yet

[Agent]

Nope, but there is mixed rumours about an update coming to allow it.

Wii gets DVD playback...in 2007 - News at GameSpot for example.

[chrisg22]

The Wii would have to have the hardware to decode DVD's would it not? And I don't think it has the hardware to do that?

[burble]

DVD decoding can be done in software, it doesn't necessarily need dedicated decoder hardware.

[directhex]

The Wii would have to have the hardware to decode DVD's would it not? And I don't think it has the hardware to do that?

something around a p2-400 or faster can decode dvd in software. the wii would have no difficulty

[Stoo]

The ATi chip running the video is easily capable of hardware decoding

[finlay666]

IF they do it...best way IMO would be to add it as a channel you need to pay for, then those that don't want it don't have to pay and those that do want it can pay & get the extra, kindof like on the Xbox where you had to buy the remote IIRC

[Lanky123]

And hopefully, like the internet channel, if you get in there quickly when they first release it you dont have to pay.

Having said that, I doubt theyll release it. That article is over a year old and I havent heard anything about it since. Back then Nintendo said they didnt bother because everybody has DVD players anyway so it wasnt worth the cost. I dont see why that stance would have changed.

[Stewart]

Only if you connect the vicro socket to a splivel lead, capable of converting NTSC to... no, no you can't.

[directhex]

Only if you connect the vicro socket to a splivel lead, capable of converting NTSC to... no, no you can't.

Maintenance Guy: Uhh, what kind of output does this have? This is some ancient Super-VHS output or somethin'. I can't connect it to your float screen.
Cartman: There's gotta be some way to hook it up! It's the freakin' future!
Maintenance Guy: It may be the future for you, but I can't hook up anything to a float screen without at least a laser-7 output.

[spazman]

I thought the wiis dvd player was lacking the capability to play dual layer dvd's hence it not being a feature.

[Agent]

I thought the wiis dvd player was lacking the capability to play dual layer dvd's hence it not being a feature.

Not so sure, as ironically, the use of an illegal mod chip will allow the Wii to play DVDs

[Spud1]

Its very unlikely that stock wii's will ever play DVDs.

Nintendo has a longstanding history of designing its consoles with one purpose in mind - to play games. It is one of their strongest points, and its why the do it better than everyone else The Xbox/360/PS3 consoles are all designed with multi-media in mind - not just gaming. In addition to focussing the console on gaming (for the most part..I know that it can play videos via the photo channel but thats not really a feature due to how you do it), DVD playback hugely increases the unit cost of each console due to the licencing requirements. Nintendo have been quoted as stating that the hardware is technically capable, but that they have not included the required software in order to keep the costs down.

The gamecube was also technically capable of playing DVDs - but it lacked the software (you could insert full sized DVDs to a GCN by removing/replacing the top shell).

Whats likely is that a 3rd party will be authorised to produce a multimedia version of the Wii - similar to the Panasonic Q version of the GCN which will be DVD capable. It is highly unlikely that it will make it out of Japan though, and most probably won't be branded as Wii or as a Nintendo product...but thats just an educated guess, I'm sure its possible for Nintendo to release a download to enable it (probably at a cost to cover the licence), and theres no reason why some homebrew code couldnt be thrown together to enable DVD playback. That would [currently] require a mod-chip though.

[Agent]

Or you'll be able to download it via Nintendo points - would be a lot easier all around

[Jay]

Not so sure, as ironically, the use of an illegal mod chip will allow the Wii to play DVDs

This is true.

The drive can read dual layer disks.

To play a DVD Nintendo would have to pay for the rights though. It could easily be done but at a cost.