Q. How do I play encrypted DVDs under Ubuntu Linux?
A. You need to install a special library which allows you to play encrypted DVDs under Ubuntu Linux.
In this FAQ you will learn how to use linux command line to install CSS library and DVD playback using open source linux software such as xine.
Ubuntu Linux will not be able to play most of the DVDs out of box. Please read this my article which explains why linux don’t support MP3 and DVD out of box.
Now let us see how to configure Ubuntu Linux to play encrypted DVDs .
Most DVDS comes with Content Scramble System (CSS) which is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) scheme. The CSS key sets are licensed to manufacturers who incorporate them into products such as DVD drives, DVD players and DVD movie releases. Most DVD players are equipped with a CSS Decryption module. CSS key is a collective term for authentication key, disc key, player key, title key, second disk key set, and/or encrypted key.
In order to play encrypted DVDs just install CSS library with following linux command
First install open source Linux player such as vlc or xine, mplayer etc using apt-get command:
$ sudo apt-get install vlc xine mplayer libdvdread3
Now install CSS library:
$ sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/examples/install-css.sh
Now you can play DVD by visiting Applications > Sound & Video > Movie Player > Select player menu option.
Updated for accuracy.
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You wrote:
$ sudo apt-get install vlc xine mplyer
I guess you mean
$ sudo apt-get install vlc xine mplayer
Ubuntu 10.04 (i386, amd64), 10.10 and 11.04 (i386, amd64)
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.
Thank you! I use natty and it works!
sudo apt-get install libdvdread4
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
Worked Perfect for my 11.04 Thanks!
Thanks for the update. Works well on Ubuntu 11.10….
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Hearhtstone
You are my new favourite person! Thanks for this.
This really worked for me, I thank you for the info.
Hi -and thanks a lot.
12 laptops running 12.04 lts edubuntu are now functioning for the students. I skipped Xine:
$ sudo apt-get install vlc libdvdread4
and
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
finally I made VLC the preferred choice.
Daniel,
Thanks for heads up!
sudo
/usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/examples/install-css.sh
got reply
command not found
try to search “install-css.sh” not found any where?
Pls help.
Regards
Kaithy Aravind Reddy
That would be because install-css.sh (in libdvdread4, at least) is not in /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/examples/, but in /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/. I haven’t tried with libdvdread3, but I would quietly guess it’s the same problem.
Kaithy,
Install lib libdvdread3
sudo apt-get install libdvd3
don’t you mean sudo apt-get install libdvdread3 or is this something different
Ron,
Thanks for the heads up. The FAQ has been updated.
Hi, very helful post, then if you can put a link in the “Please read this my article which explains why linux donât support MP3 and DVD out of box” – that would be more helpful to the users to locate the articles.
Thanks a lot!
Ram,
The faq has been updated as per your request. I appreciate your feedback.
in feisty use this command
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh
in gutsy as in feisty
sudo/usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh
(i.e. no example folder)
Replace “xine” with “xine-ui” for more luck under Gutsy.
This how-to worked for me. I did not have an example folder. But reading down the page I found the example and everything seemed to work out just fine. Now to play a dvd!
Ran “sudo apt-get install vlc xine-ui mplayer”
Then, “sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh”
Worked like a charm! Watching Hercules in New York right now with VLC Media Player.
Thank you! Now I can watch [i]all[/i] my dvd’s, and not just the, erm, backups. Just installed the libdvdread and the css, and VLC plays them quite nicely. Totem still doesn’t, however. Is that normal?
Ran âsudo apt-get install vlc xine-ui mplayerâ
Then, âsudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.shâ
worked perfect
thanks
Thanks a lot for the help i m still a n00b, i get to see Simpsons right now, cheers =)
hello everyone… i only resonantly got Linux and i get allot of it apart from this. were do write the command (if its in the terminal they don’t work at all for me) so please could someone help me out =]
It does not work for 64-bit users on Ubuntu 8.10 final.
I’ve been on every website on the internet for two days searching for a solution.
At this point I can start a DVD movie and see the FBI warnings and menu just fine.
But when the movie starts it becomes total junk to view on VLC.
On Mplayer-Xine and others I receive a notice “Are you trying to play an encrypted DVD without libdvdcss?”.
After installing over 100mb of suggested “solutions” I’m only thus far.
The only one I can not get is xine extra plugins, since there is no support for amd64.
Justin Grams
Works fine :D ty for the help
/usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/examples/install-css.sh
with no example folder :D didnt read the all topic and wasted many time to figure out what happened :D
worked like a charm.
thank you very much
YAY thank you…even an ignorant user only like me understood that!
Didn’t help in Ubuntu 8.10 :(
How can I do it in Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) I’m having problem playing all my DVD’s also. Thanks
in jauny (Ubuntu 9.04):
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
:)
I’m using Ubuntu Release 10.4 (lucid) Xubuntu
this worked for me, after trying maaany others. Thanks Saeid!
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
worked great, thanks
Thanks Saeid for the Ubuntu 9.04 tip but VLC is still unable to decrypt the entire DVD
For Ubantu 8.10
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh
aubz wrote:
aubz 05.26.08 at 10:00 pm
hello everyone⌠i only resonantly got Linux and i get allot of it apart from this. were do write the command (if its in the terminal they donât work at all for me) so please could someone help me out =]
Can anybody make any sense of it? It might be mangled English if it was English….
Next, not even Windows is this absurd in playing mp3s. These are music files, for crying out loud, not classified Pentagon documents.
The steps to install any kind of player are absurd. Can’t the Linux community come up with an installer?
Saeid Zebardast : You did it! I am watching DVD’s on AMD 64 with 64 bit Ubuntu!!!!
Many threads need updating to tell people to update library from libdvd3 to libdvd4, that is causing the command not found report in terminal on 64 bit version. Many thanks!
Thanks Saeid and Chris G a line from both of you got me going no problems I’m runing fresh install of ubuntu9.04 with updates and edubuntu addon. nice feedback everyone
1. sudo apt-get install vlc xine-ui mplayer
2. sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
Thanks for the help. I’m running jaunty 9.04 and this worked great
Doesn’t seem to work for Ubuntu 9.10
I have tried for hours without luck to install the css library using vlc ver 4.3.2 for ununtu. What am I doing wrong? I’m running Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid
For all those who didn’t understand. Let’s start.
1.- Find the install-css.sh (you can use the Search button at the top of the Nautilus (explorer) window).
Usually is in usr/share/doc/libdvdread3 but if you already installed the kaffeine you can also find it in usr/share/doc/kaffeine.
2.- Open an konsole window and type in sudo -i and type your password
3.- Get one of the directory above mentioned
4.- When you are in usr/share/doc/kaffeine or the other one type in sh ./install-css.sh
5.- Wait a few seconds and … enjoy your Dvd’s
I forgot to mention that maybe some people need to install the VLC media player and try it with a movie after you install the CSS library . If it works then you can use any other program such as kaffeine, movie player, etc.
I have VLC installed .o.k. but the css library command is not working for me. This is what I keep getting:
command not found
sudo apt-get install vlc xine mplayer libdvdread3
Reading package lists…Done
vlc is already the newest version.
Package xine is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or is only available from another
source.
E: Package xine has no installation candidate
root @jeffrey-laptop:~# sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/examples/install-css.sh
command not found
I can’t seem to get the css installed, and cannot play DVD’s in VLC.
Can someone help.
bigjeff1002@yahoo.com
OK Jeff. I will suppose that you are a newbie on linux (me too but I know this one) so…
Using the same command you use (sudo apt-get install vlc xine mplayer libdvdread3) I get the same message you got so… Did you try to install kaffeine? It includes the CSS library too but if you didn’t it’s OK.
Now, as I said before, get into usr/share/doc/libdvdread3 and there you will find the “install-css.sh”.
In other words type sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh and that’s all
Gaea and everyone – hey thanks! I am now watching copy protected dvd-‘s!! I do not know why this was not working before, but it is now. For anyone interested, I am running ubuntu 8.10 (intrepid), booting from a USB flash drive, and this puppy is now humming ;-)
bigjeff1002@yahoo.com
I am running 9.10 and sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh does not work. I have Kaffiene and VLC installed but when I try to play the DVD, nothing happens at all.
Please help. Email me at seanmalhotra@gmail.com
Is there a way to copy and/or make a backup copy of an OS I have installed to, and which runs from a USB flash drive? I have UBUNTU (Intrepid) on an 8GB micro chip which I boot to. When I try to copy it in Windows, ,it sees the chip as blank and needing formatting. I want to copy this OS to a 16GB Flash so that I can install and run more applications but there doesn’t seem to be a way.
Does anybody have any ideas?
bigjeff1002@yahoo.com
Hey Sean! What did you get after you type sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh and/or sudo usr/share/doc/kaffeine/install-css.sh ??
Hey Jeff!! I think you want to clone your Linux so… check this out: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/clone-linux-bootable-usb-flash-drive-670342/
It may help you.
On my Ubuntu 9.10, I have VLC, MPlayer, SMPlayer installed but won’t play encrypted dvd’s.
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh does not work……..
I don’t understand the problems you all are having. In 9.10 I installed VLC with the new
UBUNTU SOFTWARE CENTER, and it plays everything beautifully. 9.10 is chock full of many other problems, however. Further, with the new 9.10, I believe the intent is to move away from the apt get stuff. Hope this helps.
bigjeff1002@yahoo.com
updated from 9.04 to 9.10 now mplayer wiil not play encryped dvd’s
Michael…..I had luck with VLC which I installed via the new UBUNTU SOFTWARE CENTER. I never got Mplayer to work either with encrypted DVD’s, however.
bigjeff1002@yahoo,com
I have up dated ,loaded librays,and vlc player,nothing works, for encryted dvd’s
Michael………
Where is GAEA? He seems to know how to fix everything ;-) I really don’t understand this because VLC has it’s own codecs which play encrypted DVD’s. I have done several new installs of 9.10 and VLC installs/plays like a champ (via the new UBUNTU SOFTWARE CENTER). Why don’t you post what configuration you are running here for other members, then perhaps GAEA or someone will have the answer.
bigjeff1002@yahoo.com
Ummm, why havnt any of you so called linux users ever thought to use “yum apt-get install “your install” that seems to work. good old yum command.
Hey!! What’s up? ^_^
OK Anand Kasi. First of all, the command sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh change to sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh . It should work.
And Michael….. did you ever play dvds before the update to 9.10?
do vlc works with “normal” videos (avi, mpeg)?
what graphic card do you have?
Hi!!
By the way! I usually use the Add/Remove application to install my software. But sometimes I also like to use Synaptic Package Manager. apt-get also works but if you are not good at command lines, I recommend Synaptic Package Manager.
And as I said before, if you can’t find the css library, try installing kaffeine.
I pasted in the fiirst command and it says that the command is not found -Help?
The second command should read as follows:
$ sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
actually got this to work, very nice
I’d like to thank y’all, for showing me how to get my videos to play :)
Sweet! Two commands and now, I’m able to play my movies! Thanks a whole bunch, it is much appreciated!
(Dell latitude CPX, 500 MHZ, 512 MB RAM, Ubuntu 10.04)
Okay, I copy and pasted the command in the terminal and I changed the 3 to a 4. I dont know why you cant just run this from the file manager? I dont know why this doesnt automaticaly get installed when you install a player. okay in VLC it works sort of, I had to use the navigation menu, but it works. I have ubuntu 10.10 64 and this was the first time I used the terminal.
Hi!
Worked with me too:
“sudo apt-get install libdvdread4
Then open a terminal window and execute:
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
Rebooting may be necessary.”
Thanks very much!
Strange that it doesn’t work by default, since ubuntu-restricted-extras is installed.
But hey, never mind, I can watch a DVD now so I’m happy.
Thanks for the tip ! (although on Ubuntu 10.04 the package is libdvdread4, not 3)
Um what? lol just got into linux
pmcartney worked for me thank you so much, time to watch my dane cook i have on dvd:)
pmcartney said:
Ubuntu 10.04 (i386, amd64), 10.10 and 11.04 (i386, amd64)
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.
thank you! this works a treat in 12.04.
Thanks, it worked to me!