HD-DVDs can be played back on a PC by using an external Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive along with a couple of software applications.
What you will need:
PC with a minimum 2 GHz Pentium-class microprocessor and 512 MB RAM
A reasonably recent graphics card such as an nVidia GeForce 7600GT or higher (7950GT or higher recommended).
Windows XP or Windows Vista.
An Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive (you do not need the actual Xbox).
SlySoft AnyDVD with the HD optional add on from SlySoft (here)
CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra from CyberLink (here)
Setting up the drive on Windows XP & MCE (Setting up on Windows Vista should be the same but I haven’t tested it myself):
Start up your computer and plug your Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive into a free USB 2.0 socket.
Please note that there are no drivers for the "Xbox 360 HD DVD Memory Unit", but the drive doesnt need the memory units to operate on a PC.
Windows will detect the drive and open the "Found New Hardware Wizard" as shown below.
Set the option as shown in the capture above to "No, not this time" when asked "Can Windows connect to Windows Update to search for software?"
Set the option as shown in the capture above to "Install the software automatically" when asked "What do you want the wizard to do?"
Click "Finish" when you see the "Cannot Install this Hardware" dialogue shown above.
You will have to repeat the steps once again because the drive has two Xbox 360 HD DVD Memory Units.
Windows will use a normal CD-ROM drive driver in order to operate the drive as a DVD-ROM drive.
You should now be asked to restart your computer.
Setting up the software:
Install SlySofts AnyDVD HD.
Please note that if you try to read A HD-DVD through the drive letter as if its a CDROM you will see an error because Windows cannot directly read the file system.
AnyDVD will allow you to decrypt and copy the files from the HD-DVD to a folder on your hard drive.
Install CyberLinks PowerDVD Ultra.
When you open PowerDVD Ultra for the first time it will test your systems compatibility before it can play.
Provided your system is compatible you should now be able to play HD-DVDs.
Notes:
When Windows restarts it may ask for the drivers for "Xbox 360 HD DVD Memory Unit" again, if you wish to suppress this you can do so as follows:
Click "Start", then right click on "My Computer" and select properties.
In the "System Properties" dialogue select the "Hardware" tab at the top and click "Device Manager".
Right click on the "Xbox 360 HD DVD Memory Unit" devices in the list and select "Disable" as shown below.
Search the Knowledgebase
Browse by Category