Installed 19.10 and had the install program install the 3rd party drivers and codecs. Also installed VLC, which I used in Windows 7. Installation went well. When I put a movie DVD in, the system recognizes it, but never will play it. I know the hardware works since when I was running Windows 7, there was NO PROBLEM with commercial DVDs. This is close to a deal breaker. I generally like Linux, though I feel like I'm in Windows 98 again...the desktop is C+, but I can live with that. If I can't play commercial DVDs, I'll have to (gag me with a spoon) buy Windows 10. Please help. This must be a simple configuration or codec problem...but I loaded the ones that Umbuntu Mate offered to install for 19.10. Thank you.
Welcome to the forum. You might try the following to rectify the non-playing of DVD movies. Using Applications> System Tools> MATE Terminal, enter the following lines:
sudo apt install libdvd-pkg
Type your password when requested, you won't see it but you need to type it just the same. Then after that install has finished, enter the following in the terminal:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg
Say yes to all the questions. Reboot if needed. You should be able to play those commercial discs without a problem. Good luck Gary.
Edit: Also see -
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Thank you. Your commands worked JUST FINE!! You just saved me $100 so I DON'T have to buy Win10, which I absolutely didn't want to.
Happy Thanksgiving.
-- Gary --
Thank you Gary. Having to pay for Windows would be absolutely too much. Glad things worked out.
My thoughts about rebelling against the entertainment industry and big media
Honestly, if you can find yourself a poorly configured AP in a commercial area you can avoid the need for a VPN and put a mobile handset to use downloading the movies from sources I cannot share here (just like, browse TorrentFreak's articles and comments for a bit) but that's illegal. However it also means I can play a media on whatever device has a player with the format said video is in.
It's also illegal so there's that. But I will also argue, with the removal of many stores where you can rent a movie, the price of newer releases when they come out and the fact many "Convenience options" offering online streaming almost never, ever share their "Killer apps" on the same platform nowdays, it lets you get movies ripped from multiple providers and if you happen to just want everything from everywhere, there doesn't seem to be a more convenient option than BitTorrent backed with an extra-large and extra-redundant storage server.
Just my personal thoughts about that. Honestly, screw Hollywood. Those actors get paid to stand around, fart about and make believe more than any working man with back sweat in their brows.
Just FYI, DVDCSS has generally worked well for me too, but chokes on the "Disney" version of CSS, which now includes all the Marvel and Star Wars franchises. Other than that it's been fine.