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Thread: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

  1. #1
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    [SOLVED] No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    I have had my system 76 for less than a year when I was running linux Mint 8.04 it just stopped playing encrypted DVD's. I have tried several distros including Ubuntu with medibuntu repos.
    I believe that the DVD drive may be at fault. I haven't found my receipt but I was hoping perhaps I could send it in for warranty work.
    Last edited by matthekc; May 3rd, 2009 at 08:46 PM. Reason: solved

  2. #2
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    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    Make sure libdvdread4 is installed via Synaptic, also have you tried using VLC?

    I find VLC the best program for watching CSS encrypted DVDs.

    If you can use your optical drive for everything else, then that rules out hardware.

  3. #3
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    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    Linux Mint does have all the software for playing dvd's out of the box. I have tried Vlc and several other players. My machine did play encrypted dvd roms then in the middle of an install it just quit. I have another machine much older with the same software that does play dvds.
    I have done every test I can think of short of buying an external dvd rom player. I know it sounds crazy for hardware to fail like this I wouldn't even have believed it possible before but I think it is what happened

  4. #4
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    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    I personally would purge and re-installed libdvdread, along with VLC.

    Are you trying more than one DVD?

    In the middle of an install? Like System updates? Installing an App?
    Last edited by Lee_Machine; May 3rd, 2009 at 06:51 PM.

  5. #5
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    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    You know the part where the Dell support guy in India asks you to make sure the machine is plugged in...

    I personally would purge and re-installed libdvdread, along with VLC.

    Are you trying more than one DVD?

    In the middle of an install? Like System updates? Installing an App?
    Yes I have done more than one install I configured Ubuntu and Debian to play DVD's on this machine. Tried several versions of Linux mint Uninstalled and reinstalled libdvdcss2, libdvdread 3 and 4, VLC, some other players, etc.

    I have encrypted dvds that won't work a lot of them and a few unencrypted ones that do work like a SNL disk of Adam Sandler.

    I though maybe it was an updates thing at first to but I've tried too many distros and configurations to think that anymore.

    I suppose I could get an external cdrom dvdrom to test with my sister needs one anyway. I could give it to her when I'm done testing but I would prefer not to.
    Last edited by matthekc; May 3rd, 2009 at 07:45 PM.

  6. #6
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    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    Quote Originally Posted by matthekc View Post
    You know the part where the Dell support guy in India asks you to make sure the machine is plugged in...



    Yes I have done more than one install I configured Ubuntu and Debian to play DVD's on this machine. Tried several versions of Linux mint Uninstalled and reinstalled libdvdcss2, libdvdread 3 and 4, VLC, some other players, etc.

    I have encrypted dvds that won't work a lot of them and a few unencrypted ones that do work like a SNL disk of Adam Sandler.

    I though maybe it was an updates thing at first to but I've tried too many distros and configurations to think that anymore.

    I suppose I could get an external cdrom dvdrom to test with my sister needs one anyway. I could give it to her when I'm done testing but I would prefer not to.
    This post talks about a region that is set in the drive's firmware.

    http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=68280

    Be careful, it warns that:

    "Most drives only allow you to change the region code 5 times before it is locked forever, so be cautious when changing your region code."


    jdb

  7. #7
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    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    Thanks jdb that was it...
    I knew it wasn't my Linux config but I would never thought to check my region setting. I thought it would be a cooked chip in the drive.

    How does a firmware setting like that just change because it was right at one time?

  8. #8
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    Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal

    Re: No encrypted DVD playback... Hardware issue?

    I believe that if you insert a DVD from another region, the computer will "offer" to change the DVD drive to support that region. (That's what I did when I dedicated an old laptop to playing Region 2 DVD's for my daughter.) Can't say for certain that that is what happened, though. Glad you got your drive back.

    Joe

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