Encrypted DVD Playback using External Drive

[billb]

I've never been able to play back encrypted DVDs using Linux on the PS3 until now -- using an external USB DVD+-RW drive (Sony model DRX-830U). All attempts at playing them on the PS3's internal drive have failed.

When I plug my external DVD drive in the PS3 running YDL 6.1, it's immediately recognized as shown here by the dmesg output:

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usb 3-2.2: new high speed USB device using ps3-ehci-driver and address 7
usb 3-2.2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
scsi7 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usb-storage: device found at 7
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
scsi 7:0:0:0: CD-ROM            SONY     DVD RW DRU-830A  SS25 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sr1: scsi3-mmc drive: 40x/40x writer dvd-ram cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
sr 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr1
sr 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg6 type 5
usb-storage: device scan complete

Requirements:

* Add 3rd party repos and described in the "How to Install Software Guide"

* A USB DVD drive (not sure if all brands/models will work)

Howto:

1. Install vlc and libdvdcss using Add/Remove software or yum as shown below:

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su -

<root password>

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yum install vlc libdvdcss

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exit

2. Insert DVD in external drive. The disc should automount to /media/DISCNAME, for example, "Scary Movie 4" mounts to /media/SCARY_MOVIE_4

3.a Open VLC under Applications -> Sound & Video -> VLC media player, go to File -> Open Directory, scroll down to the /media directory open it, then select the directory where the DVD mounted in Step 2 and click OK.

OR:

3.b Start vlc from the command line with vlc /media/DISCNAME (replace DISCNAME with the actual directory name). For example:

vlc /media/SCARY_MOVIE_4/

OR:

3.c On my system, the external USB DVD drive shows up as device /dev/scd1. You can confirm which device name is used with the mount command after inserting a DVD, or looking at the output from the dmesg command after you plug in the drive. VLC defaults to using /dev/sdc0 when you select File -> Open Disk, so you have to change it to /dev/scd1 instead (unless for some reason your external DVD drive uses a different device name).

That's it -- the DVD should open and play normally in VLC, unless I've left something out, of course .

Notes:

* Attempts to play the same DVD on the PS3's internal drive give this result:

VLC media player 0.8.6c Janus
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 0.2.1cvs from http://dvd.sf.net
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.9 for DVD access
libdvdread: Attempting to use device /dev/scd0 mounted on /media/SCARY_MOVIE_4 for CSS authentication
libdvdread: Could not open /dev/scd0 with libdvdcss.
libdvdread: Can't open /dev/scd0 for reading
libdvdread: Device /dev/scd0 inaccessible, CSS authentication not available.
libdvdnav: Can't read name block. Probably not a DVD-ROM device.
libdvdnav: Unable to find map file '/home/bill/.dvdnav/.map'
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 1
[00000305] main playlist: nothing to play

So I'm assuming the hypervisor restricts playback of DVDs on the internal drive when using the "Other OS" / Linux. I don't have any official documentation stating this is the case, though.

* Full screen mode seems to work fine on my system and I'm running at 1280x1024. I haven't tested higher resolution modes like 1920x1080 (1080i/p).

* Sometimes vlc crashes when I use the playback progress bar to move forward in the movie.

[Jaybps3]

I use an EZDUB DVD RW R DL as an external burner/dvd drive though I have not attempted to play any dvd's with it! I
have used it for burning cd's though.

[billb]

I use an EZDUB DVD RW R DL as an external burner/dvd drive

Good ... I guess we can assume that external USB DVD drives are generally well supported on YDL / PS3. I believe I recall someone mentioning using their XBox 360 HD-DVD drive on YDL ... yes:

http://www.3sty.com/3sty/2007/10/ps3-linux-360-h.html

Sounds like the way to go if you already have an Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive.

[CronoCloud]

Yep, something similar was the case with the PS2's drive, it would only mount PS2 and PS1 discs under Linux. External drives weren't restricted. Should have mentioned that before when people mentioned wanting to watch DVD's.

Ron Rogers Jr. (CronoCloud)

[billb]

I was watching a movie tonight ("Kingdom of Heaven") using this method and vlc would occasionally shut down during full screen playback @ 1280x1024. Playing the movie in windowed mode at the original resolution and using the SPE scaler tool to zoom in worked fine, though.

[Efaustus9]

Good work billb. Hopefully sony does not lock this work around with some future firmware update. Though I think their main concern was using linux on the ps3 as a bluray backup station. something that was once possible. DvD drives are cheap and plentiful so I think were safe.

[billb]

Good work billb. Hopefully sony does not lock this work around with some future firmware update. Though I think their main concern was using linux on the ps3 as a bluray backup station. something that was once possible. DvD drives are cheap and plentiful so I think were safe.

Well, this is nothing new really, just testing it and documenting the procedure here -- so it's something that has been around for a while but I had never tested it myself.

It would be nice if Sony provided some official info how what exactly our capabilities are supposed to be on the "Other OS" ... what's restricted, what's not ... would certainly save a lot of time and frustration!

[Efaustus9]

Indeed billb. I went and read that article regarding hooking up an external HD-DVD drive to the ps3. Quite Interesting. For one I have a friend who was burned by the death of the HD-DVD format. However sine he has the 360 external HD-DVD drive I told him I could probably rip HD content of his disks on to a hard drive or down the line even blueray maybe. I think due in part to this suggestion he has been buying hd-dvds of his favorite movies from half.com lately. Being that these HD disks are cheaper then DVD's selling for only about 6 bucks a pop doesn't hurt either. Secondly the author mentions using handbrake to get decent encoding speeds on ps3 linux. This also interests me. I dont think anyone has compiled handbrake as of yet, I wonder how the latest edition preforms on the ps3 linux?

[Efaustus9]

UPDATE:

did a quick google figured this may be of use how to compile handbreak for ydl on the ps3

[mikeg]

I was wondering if its possible to rip encrypted dvds using a external drive. I know the hypervisor restricts this using the BD drive but does it also restrict external drives as well. I just can't seem to get a clear answer so any info is welcome.

[billb]

I was wondering if its possible to rip encrypted dvds using a external drive. I know the hypervisor restricts this using the BD drive but does it also restrict external drives as well. I just can't seem to get a clear answer so any info is welcome.

This is not something I typically do, but it doesn't appear there are any restrictions when accessing an external drive. I may give it a try sometime and see how it works ...

[mikeg]

Thanks for the reply was'nt sure I'd get one. The only reason I want to rip dvds is because I race Mt. Bikes and travel a ton , I just baught a VW Vanogan and I'm putting a entertanment system in it and don't want to carry a ton of dvds with me because space is pretty limited. I don't travel without my ps3, she traveled 13,500 miles in 2008 up and down the east coast. That has to be some kind of record So I hope it works because I plan buying a external dvd drive and won't have a need for it if it does'nt work. The ps3 is my only computer and would love for this to work. If not, does anybody need a external dvd drive

[Efaustus9]

you really own no other computer other then your ps3? There are lots of apps for x86 linux and windows that can serve that end nicely. Yet I too would like to test the ripping encoding prowess of the ps3. I have yet to build an app but I might try building dvd::rip and see how it goes. Billb is quite adept at that sort of thing and could probably have it rapped up in a nice little rpm package long before I figure out how to just install it.

[mikeg]

Yea, serious as a heart attack, its my only computer,I even bought a 23" acer H233H monitor to install YDL and use as a 1080pTV, eventually I'll build a small linux box but racing bikes takes alot of money. I have acsess to a computer but just for the internet. YDL and firefox are faster on the net then that thing is so why wast the time. I have been reading up on YDL for over a year and have learned all I know about linux and such in that time. I'm absolutely addicted to linux and need help I waste hours just reading and forgetting and reading and forgetting. I love it and you guys just make it better. Thanks

[billb]

Thanks for the reply was'nt sure I'd get one. The only reason I want to rip dvds is because I race Mt. Bikes and travel a ton , I just baught a VW Vanogan and I'm putting a entertanment system in it and don't want to carry a ton of dvds with me because space is pretty limited. I don't travel without my ps3, she traveled 13,500 miles in 2008 up and down the east coast. That has to be some kind of record So I hope it works because I plan buying a external dvd drive and won't have a need for it if it does'nt work. The ps3 is my only computer and would love for this to work. If not, does anybody need a external dvd drive

Heh -- would love to see pics of that setup when it's finished.