I have installed: Codecs, Binary Codecs, and libdvdcss via EasyUbuntu. It will not play DVDs. It will play an xvid.avi file from a CD in the same drive; it will play a .mp4 file from the hard drive.

Synaptic shows libdvdcss2 installed.

Totem/Movie/Properties shows Video Codec: MPEG-2 video.

Disks Manager shows Status: DVD Video Inserted.

Error msg when I try to play a DVD:

'Totem cannot play this type of media (DVD) because you do not have the appropriate plugins to handle it'

The DVD drive is a Samsung CDRW/DVD SM348B. The hardware plays DVDs under Windows and has played DVDs under Linux.

I have made a fresh installation of 'Dapper' (386) with Updates and then used EasyUbuntu to install the above codecs etc together with Nvidia driver, fonts etc.

Try installing totem-xine rather than totem-gstreamer.

The EasyUbuntu Overview shows a tick box for:

Enhance video player...

and a note below:

(totem-xine replace totem-gstreamer)

But the real thing does not include that box - so no totem-xine. As I did not have the Universe repository enabled, Synaptic did not show the missing packages. I enabled Universe and installed:

totem-xine
totem-xine-plugin

This also removes the gstreamer equivalents. Put in the DVD - plays perfectly.

But Why? Why? Why? Does EasyUbuntu miss out such a necessary thing as upgrading totem to play DVDs? Especially when the site clearly states that it can do so.

Ubuntu and other distros only ship with software written under the GPL license. That is why you install the free proprietary bits in separate steps. Think acroread, flashplayer and Nvideo 3D video drivers. They are all free and legal but not GPL. Libdvdcss is a horse of another color. Although available on a global basis on the web it is illegal to use in many localities without some form of paid license. I suggest to complain to the right people e.g. Hollywood and people like Ubuntu who are obeying the law.