Member Avatar for Kamex

I have been trying to play DVDs in Linux for a while. I heard that DVD support was disabled because of legal issues, and that there was no legal solution for Linux, so if I wanted to play DVDs, I should use Windows. I have been doing just that, but would much rather play them in Linux.

I have thus been trying to get DVDs to work with WINE. Videos were already playing in Windows Media player with good video and sound quality, and I had a DVD program for Windows that would play DVDs. So I gave it a shot. The program appears to be functioning correctly, but there's no way to test it because it, and other WINE programs, are unable to detect my CD drive.

Looking on Google ("wine" generates a rather large number of irrelevant results), I found that older versions of WINE had a config file where you could specify each drive, but that it was removed in older versions.

So what do I do? I'd say there's a good 80% chance this would work if it weren't for the CDs, and it would be really nice if I didn't have to boot to Windows everytime I wanted to watch a DVD. Can someone please help?

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Member Avatar for DMR

Google has a Linux-specific search function; you'll get more focussed results if you use that when looking for Linux info.

DVD usage in Linux has been hampered by copyright, patent, anti-piracy and other such issues. There are no technical roadblocks in to playing DVDs in Linux, but you'll need to check applicable laws in your country/state/province/whatever to make sure you aren't crossing any legal lines. Here's some linkage for thought:

http://www.google.com/linux?hl=en&lr=&q=dvd+play&btnG=Search

Member Avatar for Kamex

Unfortunately, I live in the US, where there are enough dumb software laws that I know its illegal here. I got my CD working, but unfortunatly, the DVD player just crashes when I hit play. I guess I will have to continue to use Windows for my DVDs.

While I didn't solve my original problem, I did get a solution to the problem of finding relevant information in a Linux related search. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT LINK!!! :D

Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

I am wondering why you are trying to play DVD's with WINE? What's wrong with XINE? You might have had to install it by hand on your computer, but xine is showing me my movies just fine.

Christian

Member Avatar for DMR

I did get a solution to the problem of finding relevant information in a Linux related search. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT LINK!!! :D

You're welcome. G4L is your friend when it come to searching for Linux info.

Christian is right about XINE; I think that a lot the legal issues that used to hamper XINE's functionality have been at least relaxed if not cleared up entirely.

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