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eugenemarshall
Asked: 2010-07-31 07:30:56 +0800 CST

How can I play encrypted DVD movies?

  • 772

My machine can't play encrypted DVDs on a fresh install. How do I add this capability? Another useful bit of information would be what programs are best for playing DVDs, once I'm able to do so. See the similar question here. Will I be able to play DVD movies from any region?

dvd video-player codecs

9 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    To Enable Playback:

    1. Install libdvdread4:

      sudo apt install libdvd-pkg

      Note: You may have to enable multiverse to install this package.

    2. Then install libdvdcss:

      1. Ubuntu 20.04 onward See this answer instead.

      2. Ubuntu 15.10 to 19.10

         sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

        Then follow the instructions to let it download and compile.

      3. Ubuntu 12.04 to 15.04

         sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

      (More about libdvdcss here.)

    Best Players:

    According to the Ubuntu Wiki, Kaffeine, MPlayer, xine, Totem-xine, VLC, and Ogle will play DVDs with libdvdread and libdvdcss installed.

    I use both Totem and VLC to play DVDs. It's useful to have both installed, because sometimes one will have a playback quirk that the other will not.

    Regions:

    I believe playback will work in any region.

    • 103

  2. Commercial DVDs are copy protected to ensure that you aren't able to backup your legally acquired movies, but instead have to buy new ones if they break. You also aren't allowed to enjoy them in just any manner you please; you may only watch them on certain devices with pre-installed decryption keys. Unless those devices are too old, of course; Then you have to buy new ones.

    To get around this, install libdvdcss.

    From help.ubuntu.com:

    Installing libdvdcss

    Legal Warning: Check with your local laws to make sure usage of libdvdcss2 would be legal in your area. *[Unless you live in Somalia or some other place with no rule of law, it's not legal]

    Ubuntu 10.04 (i386, amd64), 10.10 and 11.04 (i386, amd64)

    [edit: This method has been used successfully in 11.10 and 12.04 as well]

    Works for old releases that are no longer supported if you have repositories on Cd/Dvd or somewhere. So, anything from 9.04 onwards. The latest LTS, 10.04, and the radically different 11.04 also work this way.

    Install the libdvdread4 package (no need to add third party repositories) via Synaptic or command line: 

    sudo apt-get install libdvdread4

    Then open a terminal window and execute: 

    sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

    Rebooting may be necessary.

    After this, VLC will automatically use it. Some programs may need recompilation.

    If after doing all this, you still get messages about not being able to play DVDs, check that the DVD drive has a region set (see below).

    • 23

  3. Ubuntu 20.10 and later

    In Ubuntu 20.10 and later DVD-Video playing library - installer (libdvd-pkg) can be quickly and easily installed from the default Ubuntu repositories. Open the terminal and type:

    sudo apt install libdvd-pkg libdvdnav4 libdvdread8  
sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

    Ubuntu 20.04

    In Ubuntu 20.04 DVD-Video playing library - installer (libdvd-pkg) can be quickly and easily installed from the default Ubuntu repositories. Open the terminal and type:

    sudo apt install libdvd-pkg libdvdnav4 libdvdread7  
sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

    Ubuntu 16.04-19.10

    In Ubuntu 16.04-19.10 DVD-Video playing library - installer (libdvd-pkg) can be quickly and easily installed from the default Ubuntu repositories. Open the terminal and type:

    sudo apt install libdvd-pkg libdvdnav4 libdvdread4  
sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg # to allow DVD playback

    This package provides libraries (including libdvdcss2) that are needed for playing video DVDs with a media player (such as VLC, SMplayer, Totem, etc.). It automates the process of downloading source files, compiling them, and installing the binary packages.

    • 11

  4. You can add the medibuntu repository. It will add some other niceties like the ability to play some windows-only codecs.

    You can find a how-to here : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu

    Please note that installing this packages can be illegal in some jurisdictions. You can always buy Power DVD from canonical web store, if your concerned about it.

    • 5

  5. If you want to avoid legal issues with libdvdcss, you'll need to install Fluendo DVD Player ($24.95) from Ubuntu Software Center.

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  6. I used AcidRip DVD Ripper and all my problems with playing DVD are gone.

    • 2

  7. Fluendo produces a binary-only DVD player for purchase that (supposedly) works in Ubuntu quite well. You can get it from their webshop.

    Please note that in some jurisdictions (Finland at least) even engaging in discussion about circumvention of copy protections is illegal.

    • 0

  8. In my case, at a command line launch of vlc I was seeing:

    [mpeg2video @ 0x7f5608002a80] hardware accelerator failed to decode picture

    For my AMD Radeon R9 290 I resolved it by downloading and installing the latest drivers.

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  9. I had troubles with one german dvd with new all-in-player from asus, and only help was to change the region-code: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/PlayingDVDs#Ubuntu_15.10_and_newer

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