Playing encrypted DVDs with Xine

[Jim Higson]

On Wednesday 21 July 2004 02:54, Wolfgang Gill wrote:
> On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 22:02:30 +0100, Jim Higson wrote
>
> > I've played quite a few DVDs before, but with one I hired today I
> > get the message in Xine (or Kaffeine):
> >
> > 	The source seems encrypted, and can't be read.
> > 	Your DVD is probably crypted. According to your
> > 	country laws (sic), you can or can't install/use libdvdcss
> > 	to be able to read this disc, which you bought.
> > 	(Media stream scambled/encrypted)
> >
> > I have libdvdcss installed, xine is refusinig to use it.
> >
> > This is odd. For a start I don't know how Xine knows what country I
> > live in
> > (the uk) and I think the message was more aimed at people living in
> > the US, where, by my understanding, copyright law favours large
> > companies more.
> >
> > Is there a country setting in Xine, or an option somewhere to tell
> > it to ignore really stupid laws?
> >
> > The relavent packages I have installed are:
> > xine 0.99.2-1.1.fc2.fr
> > libdvdcss 1.2.8-4.1.fc2.fr
> > kaffeine 0:0.43-0.lvn.1.b.2
>
> Yes, Xine does have an option for DVD region setup. Just check in the INPUT
> tab, you can set it there. And I most probably suggest you also install the
> following as well.

Ok, this was set to 1 by default, I tried zero, which didn't work, and now 2, 
which is the region code of the DVD I'm trying to play. With each setting I 
get the same error.

> libdvnav
> libdvplay
> libdvread
> libdvbpsi

I already have all of these, since I didn't ask for them explicitly, apt must 
have got them for me too.

> I have all these installed (These were automatically installed when I used
> APT to install Xine) and I can play ALL my DVD's ok. Approx. 95% of them
> are encrypted.

Yes, just about every DVD I've played in the past has been commercial, and 
therefore probably encrypted. I'm not sure why this one is different.

If you ask me when Xine says "you can or can't install/use libdvdcss
to be able to read this disc" there should be a button that says "My country 
allows playing of this disc". Where is it illegal to use decss anyway?