Frequently Asked
Questions about spinning bits.
Everything we've been asked since the beta opened. If you don't see what you need, mail hello@mplay.me — a real human answers.
General
What is mPLAY.me?
mPLAY.me is a Mac-native multimedia player that opens disc image files (ISOs and bit-perfect dumps) for every consumer movie disc format. It runs the disc's actual menu software so you get the same experience you would on a hardware player — chapter selection, special features, audio swaps, branching, the works.
How is this different from VLC or IINA?
VLC and IINA decode the largest video file on a disc and play it. They skip the menu system, the seamless branching, the audio-track switching the studio authored, and most special features. mPLAY.me mounts the image and runs the disc the way the disc was designed to be run.
Why Mac only?
Because that's the platform we use, and shipping one really good Mac app beats shipping three mediocre ones. mPLAY.me uses AVFoundation, Metal, and Apple Silicon-specific tone mapping that don't have a clean cross-platform analogue. Maybe one day. Not today.
Formats & ISOs
Which disc formats are supported today?
DVD-Video, Blu-ray, UHD 4K Blu-ray, HD-DVD, Video CD, and VideoNow PVDs (including the color variant). LaserDisc captures, CED, and UMD are on the roadmap.
What ISO formats can I drop in?
Standard ISO 9660 / UDF images, plus the folder dumps most ripping tools produce (VIDEO_TS, BDMV, HVDVD_TS). MDS/MDF, BIN/CUE, and IMG are also accepted. Encrypted commercial discs require a decryption layer that you supply — mPLAY.me does not ship one.
Will it open my homebrew or archival rips?
Yes. mPLAY.me reads anything that conforms to the disc format spec, including unencrypted homebrew Blu-rays and archival DVDs preserved by the Internet Archive's disc imaging project.
Playback & menus
Do animated motion menus work?
Yes — including BD-J menus, HDMV pop-ups, and the wild Java-driven menus on early 2010s Blu-rays. If it works on a Panasonic UB820 or Magnetar UDP800, it works in mPLAY.me.
What about Dolby Vision and HDR?
Dolby Vision Profile 7 and 8 are fully supported on Apple Silicon. HDR10+ dynamic metadata is honored on XDR displays. SDR displays get a calibrated tone-mapped output.
Can I AirPlay to my TV?
AirPlay 2 is supported for SDR content on any AirPlay-capable TV. UHD HDR streams are routed at native resolution to Apple TV 4K running tvOS 17 or later.
Picture-in-Picture? Multi-window?
Both. Each disc opens in its own window with PiP, Stage Manager, and full-screen Spaces support. Commentary tracks can be cued into a second window for filmmaker-style watch parties.
Legal & licensing
Does mPLAY.me decrypt commercial discs?
No. mPLAY.me is a player, not a ripper. It expects unencrypted ISO/folder dumps. We do not ship AACS, BD+, Cinavia, or CSS keys. What you do with your own legally owned discs is between you and your local copyright statute.
Is this affiliated with Magnetar or any disc manufacturer?
Not in the slightest. We're a fan of their hardware. That's where the relationship ends.
Purchase & updates
How do I buy mPLAY.me?
At launch, through the Mac App Store. One-time purchase, no subscription, no in-app purchases. Family Sharing is enabled.
Will new formats cost extra?
Never. Every format on the roadmap ships as a free update.
What's required to run it?
macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Apple Silicon is recommended for UHD 4K with Dolby Vision; Intel Macs handle DVD, Blu-ray, and HD-DVD comfortably.
Still curious
Write us. Get a human.
Beta testers get a direct line to the team. Send a question, send a feature request, send your favorite obscure disc format we've never heard of.