Hello everyone! As the title suggests I would like to run DVD movies on Fedora Core 3, however I am unsure about the steps I should take to make this happen. At the moment the DVD drive is installed and can run DVDs as though they were giant CDs. This, however, means that movies also appear as giant data CDs and thus I cannot run them. I have installed a number of programs (Ogle, Xine, Mplayer) that can run movies, so it's not a software problem. I've searched the internet but have been unable to find much information on this, and even if i did find any information it was aimed at long-time linux enthusiasts who tend to know what they're doing. I, on the other hand, know next to nothing about linux and am a complete newbie. So, I am hoping one of you will have ideas on how to remedy this situation and I would be dearly grateful for any help you can offer. Thanks.

Oh, and my system specs are as follows:

PIII 500mhz
320mb RAM
1x 5GB HDD, 1 x3GB HDD
NVIDIA GF4 MX 440 128mb graphics card
Fedora Core 3

See this thread.

The other thread is about a different problem though. I already have all the players and libs installed. However, my drive is not set up correctly (i think). I read somewhere i need to force it to emulate SCSI to play DVD's or something similar to that. I don't really want to hijack someone elses thread and introduce a different problem (unless you think thats OK?).

There is no SCSI emulation in FC3 for CDs and DVDs anymore.

What happens when you run (as root):

cdrecord -scanbus

Do you have a symbolic link to your DVD player as /dev/dvd? For example:

$ ls -l /dev/dvd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 3 Mar 9 19:12 /dev/dvd -> hdc

When I run "cdrecord -scanbus" I get this:

scsidev: 'ATA'
devname: 'ATA'
scsibus: -2 target: -2 lun: -2
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.27
Using libscg version 'schily-0.8'.
cdrecord: Warning: using inofficial libscg transport code version (schily - Red Hat-scsi-linux-sg.c-1.83-RH '@(#)scsi-linux-sg.c 1.83 04/05/20 Copyright 1997 J. Schilling').
scsibus1:
1,0,0 100) 'MATSHITA' 'DVD-ROM SR-8586 ' '3G24' Removable CD-ROM
1,1,0 101) *
1,2,0 102) *
1,3,0 103) *
1,4,0 104) *
1,5,0 105) *
1,6,0 106) *
1,7,0 107) *

Good! Your system is properly identifying the device. What about the symbolic link? If it doesn't exist, try creating it (as root):

ln -s /dev/hdc /dev/dvd

Note: replace "/dev/hdc" with your DVD's address. You can find this by displaying your /etc/fstab:

Once you've created or verified the symbolic link, pop a DVD into the drive and from a command line run:

mplayer -v dvd://1

If it doesn't work, please post the output. If it does work, add the following to the file "/etc/rc.d/rc.local" (again, replace /dev/hdc with the device name of your DVD):

/bin/ln -s /dev/hdc /dev/dvd

That didn't work. Here's the output message, although its quite long. Oh yeah, and my device is listed under /media/cdrom (though i expect this is insignificant) and its address is dev/hdc/

MPlayer 1.0pre6-3.4.2 (C) 2000-2004 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel Pentium III Katmai/Pentium III Xeon Tanner (Family: 6, Stepping: 3)
Detected cache-line size is 32 bytes
CPUflags: MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 0

CommandLine: '-v' 'dvd://1'
init_freetype
get_path('font/font.desc') -> '/root/.mplayer/font/font.desc'
font: can't open file: /root/.mplayer/font/font.desc
Font /usr/share/mplayer/font/font.desc loaded successfully! (206 chars)
Using MMX (with tiny bit MMX2) Optimized OnScreenDisplay
Using Linux hardware RTC timing (1024Hz).
get_path('input.conf') -> '/root/.mplayer/input.conf'
Can't open input config file /root/.mplayer/input.conf: No such file or directory
Can't open input config file /etc/mplayer/input.conf: No such file or directory
Falling back on default (hardcoded) input config
Opening joystick device /dev/input/js0
Can't open joystick device /dev/input/js0 : No such file or directory
Can't init input joystick
Setting up LIRC support...
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support.
You will not be able to use your remote control.
get_path('1.conf') -> '/root/.mplayer/1.conf'
Playing dvd://1.
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.8 for DVD access
Reading disc structure, please wait...
There are 10 titles on this DVD.
There are 1 chapters in this DVD title.
There are 1 angles in this DVD title.

libdvdread: Attempting to retrieve all CSS keys
libdvdread: This can take a _long_ time, please be patient

libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.VOB at 0x00000149
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.VOB at 0x000001bd
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB at 0x00011508
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_0.VOB at 0x000121db
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.VOB at 0x00012232
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_0.VOB at 0x00013514
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_1.VOB at 0x0001356b
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_0.VOB at 0x00013a01
libdvdread: Elapsed time 1
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_1.VOB at 0x00013a58
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_0.VOB at 0x0001d530
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_1.VOB at 0x0001d587
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_06_0.VOB at 0x00023408
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_06_1.VOB at 0x0002345f
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_07_0.VOB at 0x0002ea6e
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_07_1.VOB at 0x0002eac5
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_08_0.VOB at 0x000328c7
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_08_1.VOB at 0x0003291e
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_09_0.VOB at 0x00035d09
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_09_1.VOB at 0x00035d60
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_10_0.VOB at 0x0003c379
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_10_1.VOB at 0x0003c3d0
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Found 10 VTS's
libdvdread: Elapsed time 1
DVD successfully opened.
[open] audio stream: 0 audio format: ac3 (stereo) language: en aid: 128
[open] number of audio channels on disk: 1.
[open] number of subtitles on disk: 0
DVD start cell: 0 pack: 0x0-0xCB7
DVD start=0 end=3255
DVD Seek! lba=0x0 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
Angle-seek synced by cell/vob IDN search!
Checking for YUV4MPEG2
ASF_check: not ASF guid!
Checking for Nullsoft Streaming Video
Checking for NuppelVideo
Checking for REAL
Checking for SMJPEG
Searching demuxer type for filename dvd://1 ext: (null)
Checking for MOV
Checking for VIVO
header block 1 size: 0
DVD Seek! lba=0x0 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
Angle-seek synced by cell/vob IDN search!
Checking for PVA
Checking for MPEG-TS...
TRIED UP TO POSITION 66222, FOUND 47, packet_size= 0, SEEMS A TS? 0
DVD Seek! lba=0x20 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
Angle-seek synced by cell/vob IDN search!
DVD Seek! lba=0x0 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
Angle-seek synced by cell/vob IDN search!
Checking for LMLM4 Stream Format
Invalid packet in LMLM4 stream: ch=0 size=1140851708
LMLM4 Stream Format not found
system stream synced at 0xD (0)!
==> Found video stream: 0
DVD Seek! lba=0x5E1 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
Angle-seek synced by cell/vob IDN search!
{ERROR5,c=227}
DVD Seek! lba=0xBC2 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
dvd_next_cell: next1=0x0
dvd_next_cell: next2=0x0
stream_seek: WARNING! Can't seek to 0x5E16E0 !
DVD Seek! lba=0x0 cell=0 packs: 0x0-0xCB7
Angle-seek synced by cell/vob IDN search!
MPEG-PS file format detected.
==> Found audio stream: 128
Searching for sequence header... OK!
VIDEO: MPEG2 720x576 (aspect 2) 25.000 fps 9780.0 kbps (1222.5 kbyte/s)
[V] filefmt:2 fourcc:0x10000002 size:720x576 fps:25.00 ftime:=0.0400
get_path('sub/') -> '/root/.mplayer/sub/'
get_path('default.sub') -> '/root/.mplayer/default.sub'
==========================================================================
Opening audio decoder: [liba52] AC3 decoding with liba52
dec_audio: Allocating 3840 bytes for input buffer.
dec_audio: Allocating 6144 + 65536 = 71680 bytes for output buffer.
Using SSE optimized IMDCT transform
AC3: 2.0 (stereo) 48000 Hz 384.0 kbit/s
A52 flags before a52_frame: 0x2A
A52 flags after a52_frame: 0x2
Using MMX optimized resampler
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, 16 bit (0x10), ratio: 48000->192000 (384.0 kbit)
Selected audio codec: [a52] afm:liba52 (AC3-liba52)
==========================================================================
X11 opening display: :0.0
vo: X11 color mask: FFFFFF (R:FF0000 G:FF00 B:FF)
vo: X11 running at 800x600 with depth 24 and 32 bpp (":0.0" => local display)
[x11] Detected wm supports NetWM.
[x11] Detected wm supports FULLSCREEN state.
[x11] Detected wm supports ABOVE state.
[x11] Detected wm supports BELOW state.
[x11] Current fstype setting honours FULLSCREEN ABOVE BELOW X atoms
vo_xvmc: X-Video extension 2.2
vo_xvmc: X-Video MotionCompensation Extension version 1.0
==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred csp: Mpeg PES)
Trying filter chain: vo
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
SwScale params: -1 x -1 (-1=no scaling)
Trying filter chain: scale vo
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [libmpeg2] MPEG 1/2 Video decoder libmpeg2-v0.4.0b
Selected video codec: [mpeg12] vfm:libmpeg2 (MPEG 1 or 2 (libmpeg2))
==========================================================================
Checking audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/16bit...
[libaf] Adding filter dummy
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000001 and bps = 2
AF_pre: af format: 2 bps, 2 ch, 48000 hz, little endian signed int
AF_pre: 48000Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
ao2: 48000 Hz 2 chans Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
audio_setup: using '/dev/dsp' dsp device
audio_setup: using '/dev/mixer' mixer device
audio_setup: using 'pcm' mixer device
audio_setup: sample format: Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian) (requested: Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian))
audio_setup: using 2 channels (requested: 2)
audio_setup: using 48000 Hz samplerate (requested: 48000)
audio_setup: frags: 8/8 (8192 bytes/frag) free: 65536
AO: [oss] 48000Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian) (2 bps)
AO: Description: OSS/ioctl audio output
AO: Author: A'rpi
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/16bit...
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000001 and bps = 2
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000001 and bps = 2
Starting playback...
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred csp: Planar YV12)
Trying filter chain: vo
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
SwScale params: -1 x -1 (-1=no scaling)
Trying filter chain: scale vo
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.

FATAL: Could not initialize video filters (-vf) or video output (-vo).

Uninit audio filters...
[libaf] Removing filter dummy
uninit audio: liba52
uninit video: libmpeg2
vo: uninit ...

Actually, it worked just fine! The DVD was correctly read. Now the next issue is that the video out device default is not correct. Use this instead:

mplayer -vo xv dvd://1

Success! Sort of... It loads up the copyright info, then it closes. Almost getting there though! Edit: Using "Ogle /media/hdc" I have got a DVD running properly! The titles don't work (as in cant click "play movie" or "sound setup" on the DVD menu's) but that's not really too much of a problem as I can use the ogle menu to do most of it. Thanks for your help. Still one more problem though - the drive won't recognise DVD+R's that I have burned. I didn't test it before as I didn't actually have any, but now I've got a load of TV series on disc which I would like to play too. Any idea why the drive doesn't auto-mount them?

With mplayer, that means that the copyright notice on that DVD was the first title. You can try playing other titles. For example:

mplayer -vo xv dvd://2

The xine player has the best support for menus that I've seen. If you want to use the menus, that player is probably your best bet.

As far as DVD+R, whether your drive will recognize the media is a function of the hardware. Some drives only recognize DVD-R, some DVD+R, and some will recognize both. Check your manual for the specifications, and if it indicates DVD+R support, check your manufacturer's web site for a firmware update for the drive.

Yeah, as for the Drive reading burned DVD's, i have a feeling it won't read any (as they are all 4.7GB ones which it turns out my drive doesn't support.) Well, the drive is 6 years old (and I got it for free so i'm not really bothered.) As for running movies, it looks like (now that I know what i'm doing) I will just have to mess around and read the manuals for a while. I've only just moved to linux and am so used to GUI's and menus it is rather daunting doing things almost command-line only. Thanks for your help, it is much appreciated.

All of the players have GUIs - on Fedora Core 3, the players show up in my "Applications->Sound and Video" menu. Running them from the command line, as on Windows, is useful when debugging a problem, since you can see the generated messages.

Yeah, but something on my system is not configured right because all of the GUI's give errors like "Drive not found" etc because they are looking in the wrong place. As I do not have the knowledge of where they store their options or ini files, I cannot change them to point to the correct place. The only way I can see to do it is to run from command line with the correct options.

You can find where the menu item has been installed with (for example):

# locate mplayer.desktop
/usr/share/applications/mplayer.desktop

The mplayer.desktop contains:

# cat /usr/share/applications/mplayer.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=MPlayer
GenericName=Multimedia Player
Comment=Multimedia Player
Comment[de]=Multimedia Player
Comment[es]=Reproductor multimedia
Comment[fr]=Lecteur multimedia
Comment[it]=Lettore multimediale
Icon=mplayer-desktop.xpm
TryExec=gmplayer
Exec=gmplayer
Terminal=0
Categories=GNOME;KDE;GTK;Application;Multimedia;AudioVideo;Video;Player;

You can change the "Exec=gmplayer" to specify a path, if your path doesn't include the location of the executable. For example:

# which gmplayer
/usr/bin/gmplayer

In this case you can change the "Exec=" in /usr/share/applications/mplayer.desktop to:

Exec=/usr/bin/gmplayer

You can verify that your menu contains the correct entry, by right-clicking the menu item and selecting properties (you may need to logout and back in to see the change).

Thanks, that's really useful actually. This linux stuff is very slowly getting easier