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Archives For November 30, 1999

Install MakeMKV Beta in Ubuntu to Play DVD/Blu-rays Discs

Last updated: March 12, 2016

MakeMKV icon

MakeMKV is tool converts video clips from DVD / Blu-ray disc into a set of MKV files, preserving most information, so that it can be played on your favorite OS with VLC or MPlayer.

MakeMKV is proprietary software with a free 30-day trial. It’s free to use while in beta, and it’s been in beta for a few years. The software features:

  • Reads DVD and Blu-ray discs
  • Reads Blu-ray discs protected with latest versions of AACS and BD+
  • Preserves all video and audio tracks, including HD audio
  • Preserves chapters information
  • Preserves all meta-information (track language, audio type)
  • Fast conversion – converts as fast as your drive can read data.
  • No additional software is required for conversion or decryption.
  • Available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux
  • Functionality to open DVD discs is free and will always stay free.
  • All features (including Blu-ray decryption and processing) are free during BETA.

How to Install MakeMKV (Beta) in Ubuntu via PPA:

Besides building MakeMKV from source, an Ubuntu PPA for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, and Ubuntu 12.04 is available to make it much easier to install.

1. Add PPA

Launch terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and paste below command and run to add PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:heyarje/makemkv-beta

Type in your password (no visual feedback when typing) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. Update and install the tool via:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install makemkv-oss makemkv-bin

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb packages for both makemkv-bin and makemkv-oss from THIS PAGE.

Once installed, launch it and register the software by going to Help -> Register. Get the Beta key from this forum post.

You can now select your Blu-ray disc drive in MakeMKV window, and click the Steam icon on the toolbar.

Wait the converting process to be finished, or play the given url (looks like below) while it’s being decoded in background using VLC or MPlayer:

http://localhost:51000/stream/title0.ts

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Install SMPlayer 14.3 in Ubuntu 14.04 to Play Blu-ray Discs

Last updated: April 17, 2014

SMPlayer, the graphical front-end of MPlayer, now is able to play non-protected blu-ray discs since release 14.3.0. While Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty still has the version 0.8.x, here’s how to install the latest build of this media player in Ubuntu via the PPA.

Changes in SMPlayer 14.3:

  • The control for fullscreen mode has been rewritten and improved. Now it is displayed over the video.
  • (Windows) New option in Preferences -> Subtitles to enable or disable the use of the Windows font directory. Disabling this option prevents the annoying font scanning.
  • Some presets have been added to the audio equalizer.
  • (Experimental) Possibility to play (non-protected) blu-ray discs.
  • Better support for multimedia keys. This can help control SMPlayer with a remote control.
  • New option in the playlist preferences for adding automatically other files in the folder to the playlist.
  • The option “Move the window when the video area is dragged” has been fixed.
  • (Windows) Now it’s possible to open Windows shortcuts (symlinks).
  • Better support for Youtube.
  • (Windows) Better screensaver disabling.
  • Many bugfixes.
  • Possibility to compile with Qt 5.

Install SMPlayer:

Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open the terminal. When it opens, run the commands below one by one:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rvm/smplayer 

sudo apt-get update 

sudo apt-get install smplayer smtube smplayer-themes smplayer-skins

It will install the media player, skins, themes, and the YouTube Browser in Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 13.10, Ubuntu 12.10, or Ubuntu 12.04.

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