That should ensure VLC is correctly using libdvdcss. If it doesn’t appear to work, try restarting your computer. If that doesn’t work, you may need to specify the device path of your DVD drive here. VLC should automatically find a DVD disc you’ve inserted and play it back. Click the “Media” menu in VLC, select “Open Disc,” and select the “DVD” option.
Once installed, insert your DVD and launch VLC. (Alternatively, you can run sudo apt-get install vlc to install it from the command line.) You can then install VLC from the Software Center if it isn’t installed already. You’ll find instructions and third-party repositories that should make the process easy. Follow the instructions that appear in the terminal to install libdvdcss: sudo apt-get install libdvd-pkgįor other Linux distributions, perform a web search for “install libdvdcss” and the name of your Linux distribution. On Ubuntu 15.10 and up, run the following command instead.
On Ubuntu 12.04 to Ubuntu 15.04, you can install libdvdcss by opening a terminal window and running the following commands: sudo apt-get install libdvdread4 sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
#External blu ray reader with software for free
You can get DVDs for free if you’re willing to take just a few extra steps. NOTE: You can also buy a licensed copy of Fluendo DVD Player for $25 on Ubuntu’s Software Center, but most people won’t want to bother. The Windows builds of VLC have libdvdcss built-in, so you just need to download, install, and start watching. Windows 8 and 10 no longer include DVD playback functionality, and the standard advice is to download and install VLC. The status of this library is legally unclear– it’s potentially illegal under the DMCA in the USA–so Linux distributions don’t generally include it in their software repositories.īut this is actually the same method many Windows users use. This library effectively breaks the CSS encryption on DVDs, allowing you to watch them. The free VLC media player can play DVDs on Linux, but it requires a special library known as libdvdcss. RELATED: How To Play DVDs or Blu-ray on Windows 8 or Windows 10