Is it possible just to play a UHD disk?

[calorimetro]

I'm trying to understand how to read BD UHD on my pc.
I understood that exist some certified UHD drives that can play the video only with the integrated graphics of intel core i7 and the HDMI cable because of the protections. This led me to explore other options and I found this site.
With a UHD drive with the supported firmware, MakeMKV allows to create a mkv from a BD UHD but is it possibile just to play the video without saving it on the pc?
I read here that MakeMKV uploads to the drive a small software that allows to read the data of UHD disk so I think MakeMKV does something that a normal player doesn't.

[MartyMcNuts]

I'm trying to understand how to read BD UHD on my pc.
I understood that exist some certified UHD drives that can play the video only with the integrated graphics of intel core i7 and the HDMI cable because of the protections. This led me to explore other options and I found this site.
With a UHD drive with the supported firmware, MakeMKV allows to create a mkv from a BD UHD but is it possibile just to play the video without saving it on the pc?
I read here that MakeMKV uploads to the drive a small software that allows to read the data of UHD disk so I think MakeMKV does something that a normal player doesn't.

For those with a licensed copy, MakeMKV can be used as an on-the-fly decrypter, (similar to AnyDVD) allowing you to watch a UHD disc directly using a non-certified player such as VLC etc. Your PC would need decent graphics and be h265 capable for UHD playback.

[calorimetro]

Thank you for your reply.
My pc should be able to play UHD disk (at least I tried with some mkv 2160p and I didnt have problems).
Now I only miss a UHD drive and UHD disks
I have another question: is there a difference between the "UHD friendly" ad "libre drive friendly"?

[dcoke22]

Do you mean the difference between 'UHD Official' and 'UHD Friendly'?

A UHD Official drive is one that could play a UHD with stock firmware using specific commercial software if your PC met a set of strict hardware requirements. With the right firmware on the drive, MakeMKV can use it to rip UHDs (or play UHDs using MakeMKV's on-the-fly decryption).

UHD Friendly means with the right firmware, the drive can be used by MakeMKV to rip UHDs (or play UHDs using MakeMKV's on-the-fly decryption). With stock firmware it can not play a UHD the way a UHD Official drive could.

In practical terms in the context of MakeMKV, there is not a real difference between the two.