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I installed VLC player on my Ubuntu 14.04 system. DVD movies won't play (no sound or picture) even though the computer tries to start the movie. What's wrong? Is the version wrong for Ubuntu 14.04?

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4 Answers 4

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Install package ubuntu-restricted-extras:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

then run:

sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

to install libdvdcss2 library, that is not included in offical repos due to legal reasons. Now all DVD movies should play like a charm.

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  • 1
    This also solved my problem with handbrake!
    – frepie
    Jan 23, 2016 at 22:07
  • 8
    There's no install-css.sh file in that directory. Jun 28, 2016 at 2:27
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    I don't have the rep to post an answer: for Ubuntu 15.10 and newer, the libdvdread4 no longer contains the install-css.sh. Instead, run: 'sudo apt-get install libdvd-pkg'. See help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/PlayingDVDs for more details.
    – marts
    Sep 14, 2016 at 13:37
  • This did not work for me running Ubuntu 16.04 and VLC 2.2.2 Jan 30, 2018 at 0:39
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    This did not work in 20.04. /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4 no longer exists, and the corresponding libdvdread7 doesn't contain the install-css.sh script.
    – Calimo
    Dec 11, 2020 at 9:39
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Confirmed working from 16.04 - 22.04

sudo apt-get install libdvd-pkg followed by sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

Then just drag-and-drop the IFO (usually VIDEO_TS.IFO) into VLC window.

This also is the official VLC solution.

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  • worked for me :D
    – btc4cash
    Jun 10, 2019 at 17:12
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    Also worked for me in 20.04.01 - would be nice if VLC had a dialog that said what the issue was, instead of just doing nothing trying to play DVDs!
    – Ruth
    Jul 10, 2021 at 22:37
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    This works still in 22.04. Thanks a lot! Sep 19, 2023 at 10:16
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15.10 and upper

Copy to terminal:

sudo apt-get install libdvd-pkg

Then install something such as:

sudo apt-get install pyrenamer;
sudo apt-get remove pyrenamer;

to run building script of libdvdcss2.


15.04 and lower

Copy to terminal:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras;
sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh;
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    This worked for me running Ubuntu 16.04 and VLC 2.2.2 Jan 30, 2018 at 0:39
  • This did not work for me running 18.10.
    – Lexible
    Apr 19, 2019 at 23:04
  • why would you install pyrenamer and then remove it right away? Sep 19, 2023 at 10:17
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If you have the same problem with me because we open disk in wrong way, please try the following way:

http://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-play-a-dvd-in-ubuntu

First,      insert DVD and do nothing with it (no run, no open). 
Second,     launch VLC Media Player. You can find it by searching for VLC.
Lastly,     brown to DVD files by click File and select Open Disc.
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  • This did not work for me running 18.10.
    – Lexible
    Apr 19, 2019 at 23:05

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