Linux tips and tweaks
Play DVD movies in Ubuntu Linux
One of the great things about Windows and the Apple Mac is that they come with everything you need right from the start, but with Linux you sometimes have to hunt around for software, drivers, settings, tweaks and so on. Here's a quick test to see if your Linux distro is set up correctly: Insert a DVD movie disc into the drive.
Ideally, your movie player should automatically start and play the DVD, but if nothing happens after waiting for a while, start your media/movie player and then try to play the DVD. For example, start Totem Movie Player and on the Movie menu choose the option to play the DVD. Does it play or does it display an error?
More than likely it displays an error and can't read the DVD. Here's how to fix the problem and watch your DVD movies in Linux.
Every version of Linux is slightly different, but they are also very similar in may respects. In this example Ubuntu Linux is used, but other distros will be similar, so hopefully you should be able to work out what to do.
Open a Terminal window on the desktop by clicking Applications, Accessories, Terminal and then type the following: sudo apt-get install libdvdread4.
You may or may not have this already installed on the system and this command checks for it and adds it if it is necessary.
Now type sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh. After executing this command you should close the Terminal window and restart the PC.
When you get back to the desktop you can start the media/movie player and you should find that the DVD now plays.
