Question Can't watch blu-ray disks using VLC

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Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
39,902
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I installed 3.0.5 version of VLC a couple weeks ago on this, my new Win10 64bit rig. A week ago I played a DVD using that VLC install, using my internal LG WH16NS40 16x Internal Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc Rewriter (OEM Version). No problems, IIRC.

So, couple days ago I go to play a BR movie on it, got errors... it needs files. I try other BR disks, same problem.

Searching I see those files are available.

I went to get the missing files and it's war. The site that has the KEYDB.CFG file I need is unsecured and Firefox refused to hit it! "vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name uses an invalid security certificate". The other file, LIBAACS.DLL is tough to find.

Why do they make you jump through hoops just to play a BR movie? Can't they incorporate that into the DL/Install? Have they fixed that in the new release 3.0.6?

Is VLC really the best freeware movie software for the PC?

Moreover, how do I get the missing files? I guess it's pretty beta software. It's been around a long time, you'd think it would play a blu-ray movie!
 
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W

whm1974

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Jul 24, 2016
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mikeymikec said:
Licensing issues I guess. On Lubuntu I had to jump through a couple of hoops to play DVDs on VLC let alone BRs.
Click to expand...
Yes those pesky Licensing issues and there are some legal ones as well. In the US due to the DMCA it is illegal for us to tell the OP how to watch BR discs with VLC. Linux users run into this all of the time.
 
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M

Mike64

Platinum Member
Apr 22, 2011
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Are you really surprised? Nothing about this situation that I'm aware of has changed in the past decade...

PS: The warning message I saw said that videolan's site certificate expired all of a month ago. I'm a little surprised they haven't dealt with that already, but if you're that concerned about "excepting" FF's warning, I imagine they'll get around to renewing their certificate eventually...
 
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daveybrat

daveybrat

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Super Moderator
Jan 31, 2000
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VLC player is great for playing DVD's and video files but it's very lacking in playing anything more than a homemade burned blu-ray disc. Only PowerDVD and WinDVD will play them with ease.
 
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I

Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
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Muse said:
It's been around a long time, you'd think it would play a blu-ray movie!
Click to expand...

Three letters; DRM.

That's why you cant watch (commercial) blu-rays on any free video player. Legally, you have the option of PowerDVD or WinDVD.

Oh, and the only reason you can even watch DVDs using a free player, is that the DRM was cracked 20 years ago, and can't be patched without breaking the DVD standard. Blu-rays include a few things to make that, much, much more difficult.
 
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Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
39,902
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daveybrat said:
VLC player is great for playing DVD's and video files but it's very lacking in playing anything more than a homemade burned blu-ray disc. Only PowerDVD and WinDVD will play them with ease.
Click to expand...
I presume I need a "reasonably" recent version of PowerDVD. The one I have, which came with something I bought (maybe my Hercules Game Theater XP sound card, maybe a DVD burner/player) is probably 10+ years old.

I'm truly amazed that I buy a BR burner/player and can't watch a BR out of the box, I had no clue. I have two external BR players. One, a Sony, I use all the time to play BR and DVD disks. The other I bought because I have a few disks the Sony won't play because they're a different region. It's an Insignia. A few hoops to get it to do that, a specific firmware, IIRC, but that's why I bought it at Best Buy. I suppose I could use that Insignia, but I'd rather leave it in my home theater.
 
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mikeymikec

mikeymikec

Lifer
May 19, 2011
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Muse said:
I presume I need a "reasonably" recent version of PowerDVD. The one I have, which came with something I bought (maybe my Hercules Game Theater XP sound card, maybe a DVD burner/player) is probably 10+ years old.

I'm truly amazed that I buy a BR burner/player and can't watch a BR out of the box, I had no clue. I have two external BR players. One, a Sony, I use all the time to play BR and DVD disks. The other I bought because I have a few disks the Sony won't play because they're a different region. It's an Insignia. A few hoops to get it to do that, a specific firmware, IIRC, but that's why I bought it at Best Buy. I suppose I could use that Insignia, but I'd rather leave it in my home theater.
Click to expand...

I'm more than a little surprised that any BR drive doesn't come with the requisite software. Once upon a time I ended up with a stack of spare Nero/PowerDVD discs.
 
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esquared

esquared

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 8, 2000
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mikeymikec said:
I'm more than a little surprised that any BR drive doesn't come with the requisite software. Once upon a time I ended up with a stack of spare Nero/PowerDVD discs.
Click to expand...
This^^^
I've bought two Br burners (LG) and both came with software to play (Power Dvd).
They were retail boxes though.
 
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I

Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
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Muse said:
I presume I need a "reasonably" recent version of PowerDVD. The one I have, which came with something I bought (maybe my Hercules Game Theater XP sound card, maybe a DVD burner/player) is probably 10+ years old.
Click to expand...

Check the version. You might just be able to download a free upgrade to a still supported version. Cyberlink provides free updates to the next version when an older one falls out of support.

https://www.cyberlink.com/support/powerdvd-ultra/patches_en_EU.html

mikeymikec said:
I'm more than a little surprised that any BR drive doesn't come with the requisite software. Once upon a time I ended up with a stack of spare Nero/PowerDVD discs.
Click to expand...
esquared said:
This^^^
I've bought two Br burners (LG) and both came with software to play (Power Dvd).
They were retail boxes though.
Click to expand...

Depends on whether you're buying an ODD bulk or retail. Bulk versions usually (but not always) comes without software.
 
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Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
39,902
9,597
136
mxnerd said:
Try free Leawo Bluray Player

https://www.leawo.org/blu-ray-player/

Don't have Bluray device, can't test.
Click to expand...
Saw this here:

There is a free Blu-Ray player by Leawo. It's a bit peculiar in that once a Blu-Ray disc starts playing a message pops up saying that your mouse is now disabled to change settings and you have to use their 'remote' which is a little widget overlaid at the top of the control screen with up down left right arrow keys with an ok button in the centre, why? It must have seemed a "cool idea" during some brain storming session. If you can live with a little oddness like that it is a perfectly usable free solution. You will find it here:
http://www.leawo.com/blu-ray-player/
In my experience VLC will play some older discs but most newer ones not. It would be the ideal player if "NoOneKnowsMyName" can risk his job again with an update for newer DRM keys
 
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Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
39,902
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136
There was another freebie recommended here, but don't see that post now. Did someone edit their post or did a mod delete it??

Edit: I think that was Pot Player.
 
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mxnerd

mxnerd

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Jul 6, 2007
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Muse said:
Saw this here:

There is a free Blu-Ray player by Leawo. It's a bit peculiar in that once a Blu-Ray disc starts playing a message pops up saying that your mouse is now disabled to change settings and you have to use their 'remote' which is a little widget overlaid at the top of the control screen with up down left right arrow keys with an ok button in the centre, why? /QUOTE]
Click to expand...
So, have you tried and it did have this peculiar behavior?

I tested Sintel Bluray iso https://durian.blender.org/news/sintel-blu-ray-iso-download/

mounted it on Virtual CloneDrive

using Leawo Player and did not encounter this problem.
 
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R

Rifter

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,522
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Muse said:
I'll give it a shot. When I tried before I was sent in search of a couple of files, IIRC a DLL and a file called keys.db, but Windows or my browser told me to beware and wouldn't even hit the site for it's insecure nature.
Click to expand...

You could also try potplayer, its my go to now. But if i recall correctly it will play some early blu rays but not the later newer DRM stuff.
 
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