MakeMKV (Notices of New Versions)

[Just17]

For those wishing to play BD discs in Linux this appears to be a reasonable method .......

Get the relevant files for your OS from here, and copy them to the correct location.
http://vlc-aacs.whoknowsmy.name/

Launch VLC 2.01 or later.
Media - Open Disc - BlueRay - tick No Disc Menus .......  Play

Note:  I have not used this method as I don't have a BD player (or media )

Some more reading ...
http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/343705-VLC-Blu-ray-plugin-Watch-encrypted-Blu-rays-directly-in-VLC-2-0

... if VLC can play the content, then I guess it can be saved/ripped/whatever, provided of course it is legal to do so in your locale ....

[lhb1142]

For those wishing to play BD discs in Linux this appears to be a reasonable method .......

Get the relevant files for your OS from here, and copy them to the correct location.
http://vlc-aacs.whoknowsmy.name/

Launch VLC 2.01 or later.
Media - Open Disc - BlueRay - tick No Disc Menus .......  Play

Note:  I have not used this method as I don't have a BD player (or media )

Some more reading ...
http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/343705-VLC-Blu-ray-plugin-Watch-encrypted-Blu-rays-directly-in-VLC-2-0

... if VLC can play the content, then I guess it can be saved/ripped/whatever, provided of course it is legal to do so in your locale ....

That works only for Blu-ray discs made before 2012 and only if they do not have the newer BD+ protection.

Plus most computers cannot play 1080P movies in any form - my Acer Extensa 5620-6419 from 2008 will not.

But any computer can back up your (legally purchased) Blu-rays (or DVDs) using MakeMKV. Then, all you need, is a player (a media center, a Blu-ray player which will play MKVs via its USB input, or another similar product) and you can watch the file from an external hard drive, a flash drive, whatever.

This offers the advantage of not having to actually play your Blu-ray (or DVD) disc and risk scratching it or causing other damage.

A Blu-ray drive for your computer, all you need to use this program for Blu-rays, is inexpensive; this http://www.amazon.com/LG-Portable-Blu-ray-Playback-BP40NS20/dp/B006X2HD2M/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1347286837&sr=1-1&keywords=lg+bp40ns20 from Amazon is often priced at only $99.99 with free shipping, as it is today. If their price goes up, just watch and wait for a few days and it will come down.

Obviously, if you want to back up only DVDs, your computer most likely already has a built-in DVD drive. (If not, they are inexpensive also. But, if you need to buy an external drive, consider strongly buying a Blu-ray one which will also do DVDs and CDs.)

ALSO - and this is the most important good news - the MakeMKV "official" site for Linux http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=224 is back up again. Evidently there was some problem which has now been resolved. (The temporary beta key is here: http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1053.)

The current version is still 1.7.7, the same one that Archie encoded for installation within PCLinuxOS (and which works perfectly).

I'm going to check Archie's suggestion as to creating my own packages.

Archie
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Re: MakeMKV
« Reply #28 on: September 08, 2012, 08:48:52 AM »
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Quote from: lhb1142 on September 07, 2012, 01:29:00 PM
P.S. Is there some web site which will explain to me how to make a package myself, something simple and showing the process completely step-by-step?

You can start at the Packagers section of our forum. There are some very useful info on setting up your own build environment and some examples as well.


I hope that I will be successful (but please remember that I have absolutely no computer training or expertise whatsoever).

And I'll keep checking MakeMKV's site for newer versions and I'll report them here.

I recommend the MakeMKV program for anyone and everyone who wishes to back up their Blu-rays and/or DVDs.

Lawrence

[Just17]

That works only for Blu-ray discs made before 2012 and only if they do not have the newer BD+ protection.

Just as the proprietary software you prefer it needs updating to play newer discs .......   

[lhb1142]

That works only for Blu-ray discs made before 2012 and only if they do not have the newer BD+ protection.

Just as the proprietary software you prefer it needs updating to play newer discs .......   

But MakeMKV is updated frequently - as often as every month. So far, it can create Matroska Video Files from every known Blu-ray disc. The VLC 'hack' is fine as far as it goes but it seems to me that the actual creators of the media programs (VLC, etc.) themselves are the only people who can truly configure their players to play Blu-ray and other high definition formats on a computer running a GNU/Linux distribution. (The VLC Media Player does, however, play any and all MKV files created with MakeMKV.)

I assume (but I do not know) that Blu-ray discs can be played on Windows and/or Mac computers via a Blu-ray drive (either external or built-in).

As far as I know, VLC and the other media players are making little or no effort to allow high-definition discs to be played on Linux.

But that's all right: create an MKV file of the Blu-ray with MakeMKV and, if your computer can handle 1080P playback, you can view the program on it. You can, of course, create MKVs from DVDs with MakeMKV and almost all computers can play those MKV (standard definition) files.

Even if you can't watch a 1080P MKV file on your computer (my 4-year-old Acer Extensa 5620-6419 won't play them), you can still create these HD files on an older computer (I do it all the time) and, if you have a regular DVD player with a USB input (some do) and if it can handle MKV files, you can watch them via that player. Almost all new Blu-ray players, even the $59.99 ones, have USB inputs with the capability of MKV playback. (If worse came to worse, you could convert an MKV to an MP4 using HandBrake or another conversion program. Using Winff you could even convert an MKV to an AVI if you absolutely had to - though I certainly would not want to do so!)

And by the way: if you buy a regular Blu-ray player, you will find that it too needs frequent updating as the disc manufacturers keep coming up with new 'protection' algorithms.

Blu-ray is a real pain-in-the-neck due to these silly 'Hollywood' companies. Maybe if they spent less time trying to thwart ordinary users from backing up their legally-purchased discs (they're never going to thwart professional pirates from copying their discs) and realize that ordinary users merely want to back up their discs for protection and/or playback on another legally-purchased device, they could lower the price of the Blu-rays to a point where it would be of no economic benefit for pirates to make and sell illegal copies.

[Just17]

The VLC 'hack' is fine as far as it goes but it seems to me that the actual creators of the media programs (VLC, etc.) themselves are the only people who can truly configure their players to play Blu-ray and other high definition formats on a computer running a GNU/Linux distribution. (The VLC Media Player does, however, play any and all MKV files created with MakeMKV.)

VLC (and other players I believe) is quite capable of playing the content of a BD disc. No hack is required.
The difficulty is access to the content, that is all.

There is nothing magical about the video format ....   BD uses VC-1 or MPEG-4 or even at time MPEG-2.
MKV is just the wrapper ....  used I suspect because it handles a diverse range of video formats within the wrapper.

Personally I prefer the TS itself. Again VLC and others play those quite comfortably.
When I record HD DTT I save them as TS files. I see no need for a wrapper such as MKV, AVI etc.

So, yes, BD ROM discs are so encumbered with 'protection' that users cannot easily access the content.
For that reason I doubt I will ever have such a player/recorder.
I had considered getting one some time ago for mass storage, but eventually decided that an external HDD was by far the better choice.

So users now must pay for the disc, then pay for software to allow them full access to the disc content.
What a load of crap!

There would be no need for such anti-user limitations if the content producers would serve the market as it wants ....  provide digital downloads at a reasonable price and forget all the middle-men and their profits.

[Just17]

I found this a worthwhile read

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/BluRay

[lhb1142]

The VLC 'hack' is fine as far as it goes but it seems to me that the actual creators of the media programs (VLC, etc.) themselves are the only people who can truly configure their players to play Blu-ray and other high definition formats on a computer running a GNU/Linux distribution. (The VLC Media Player does, however, play any and all MKV files created with MakeMKV.)

VLC (and other players I believe) is quite capable of playing the content of a BD disc. No hack is required.
The difficulty is access to the content, that is all.

I think you're incorrect; it appears that, to play a commercial Blu-ray disc in VLC, a hack is definitely required (see http://www.anandtech.com/show/5461/vlc-hack-for-encrypted-bluray-playback-capability.)

There is nothing magical about the video format ....   BD uses VC-1 or MPEG-4 or even at time MPEG-2.
MKV is just the wrapper ....  used I suspect because it handles a diverse range of video formats within the wrapper.

Personally I prefer the TS itself. Again VLC and others play those quite comfortably.
When I record HD DTT I save them as TS files. I see no need for a wrapper such as MKV, AVI etc.

So, yes, BD ROM discs are so encumbered with 'protection' that users cannot easily access the content.
For that reason I doubt I will ever have such a player/recorder.
I had considered getting one some time ago for mass storage, but eventually decided that an external HDD was by far the better choice.

So users now must pay for the disc, then pay for software to allow them full access to the disc content.
What a load of crap!

Well, MakeMKV is still free if you do not wish to pay for it. And it does decrypt every known Blu-ray disc.

There would be no need for such anti-user limitations if the content producers would serve the market as it wants ....  provide digital downloads at a reasonable price and forget all the middle-men and their profits.

Amen, brother!

[lhb1142]

I found this a worthwhile read

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/BluRay

I had seen this too. It seems awfully complicated for basically an incomplete hack.

It's much easier to just create an MKV from your Blu-ray using MakeMKV. The whole process takes only an hour or less. And if your computer can handle 1080P video, you can easily watch the MKV file using VLC or probably Parole or Totem (though I have not tried the two latter ones).

The MKV file that MakeMKV creates is exactly the same size (and the same quality) as on the original Blu-ray.

If the resultant MKV file is too large for your taste, you can compress it using HandBrake. While there is a very slight difference in quality, you'll probably never notice it. Comparing my original Blu-ray of Gettysburg with a compressed MKV file (via a Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector on my 108" Da-lite Pearlescent screen), I had to walk up to within 3 feet of the screen - several times - before I could see any difference (the slight difference in sharpness showed up on stray hairs on peoples' heads - but I really had to look very closely to see it!).

I recommend this method of backing up your Blu-ray discs so that you do not have to play them and risk damage.

Lawrence

[lhb1142]

For Whatever It's Worth:

I just purchased the license key for MakeMKV ($50.00). This will ensure that no version that I am using will become unusable due to the time-restriction.

But you do not have to buy the program if you do not want to. Archie has said that he will be happy to create .rpm files from the program as new versions are introduced (this is quite frequent as the content providers are constantly looking for new algorithms to 'thwart' legitimate Blu-ray purchasers).

I really wish that there were some simple program which would allow one to merely enter the binaries and then have the .rpm file created automatically.

But until that happy day, I'll continue to monitor MakeMKV's site and I'll post the information about any new versions here.

Thank you, Archie, for your kind interest in me and for creating the .rpm file from this program.

Lawrence

[Just17]

I found this a worthwhile read

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/BluRay

I had seen this too. It seems awfully complicated for basically an incomplete hack.

It is a clear explanation how the things work ....  not a hack!

It's much easier to just create an MKV from your Blu-ray using MakeMKV. The whole process takes only an hour or less. And if your computer can handle 1080P video, you can easily watch the MKV file using VLC or probably Parole or Totem (though I have not tried the two latter ones).

Sure .....  it is easier to support the very limitations that you complain about, by paying them to allow you access.
I choose not to support such limitations ....  as do many others. So I refuse to pay for access ....  even if that means not buying a BD disc in the first place.

No thanks!  I have enough of that nonsense.

I think you're incorrect; it appears that, to play a commercial Blu-ray disc in VLC, a hack is definitely required (see http://www.anandtech.com/show/5461/vlc-hack-for-encrypted-bluray-playback-capability.)

Did you miss the encrypted-bluray ?

That is denial of access! As I said .....

The difficulty is access to the content, that is all.

When the content is ripped, - by whatever means - and not transcoded, VLC and others have no difficulty playing the content.
Therefore the difficulty is access to the content.

I refuse to support those who deny me access to the content I purchased, by whatever means I choose.

[lhb1142]

Sure .....  it is easier to support the very limitations that you complain about, by paying them to allow you access.
I choose not to support such limitations ....  as do many others. So I refuse to pay for access ....  even if that means not buying a BD disc in the first place.

No thanks!  I have enough of that nonsense.


When the content is ripped, - by whatever means - and not transcoded, VLC and others have no difficulty playing the content.
Therefore the difficulty is access to the content.

I refuse to support those who deny me access to the content I purchased, by whatever means I choose.

I really have little to say in reply to you. Many, perhaps most, people do not wish to own movies. I do, however. And if I want them, I have to pay for them. I choose to buy them on Blu-ray when possible. You can get some of these discs for under $20.00 nowadays, sometimes even less than $10.00!

But I also wish to back them up, mostly to prevent any possibility of damage occurring to them. I find MakeMKV to be ideal for this purpose.

The only 'problem' I have with MakeMKV is that I have been unable to install it to my PCLinuxOS computer myself. Archie has been kind enough to offer to create an .rpm from the binaries every time a new version becomes available.

Please note: though I did choose to pay for a license for MakeMKV, it is not necessary to do so. The program remains free of charge as long as it is in 'beta' - and it has been in 'beta' for quite a long period of time.

Plus - it will always be free of charge if you wish to back up only DVDs.

So, other than my inability to create an .rpm of this program for use in PCLinuxOS, mostly because I do not understand how to write the code for same (I am an older man who has never had even one day of computer training), I find MakeMKV to be a very, very good backup program. (It is very easy, though convoluted, to install onto a computer using a Debian-based distro.)

Maybe you should try it. Archie's .rpm for the current 1.7.7 version is earlier in this thread. Download, install it, and give it a try. I'll bet you'll like it.

Lawrence

[Just17]

Maybe you should try it. Archie's .rpm for the current 1.7.7 version is earlier in this thread. Download, install it, and give it a try. I'll bet you'll like it.

I did install it when Archie made it available 

As I do not have a BD player, what it provides related to DVDs I have already covered by multiple apps from the PCLOS repository, which are free and open. Those apps also give me much more choice and control over what is produced than does MakeMKV 

[lhb1142]

Maybe you should try it. Archie's .rpm for the current 1.7.7 version is earlier in this thread. Download, install it, and give it a try. I'll bet you'll like it.

I did install it when Archie made it available 

As I do not have a BD player, what it provides related to DVDs I have already covered by multiple apps from the PCLOS repository, which are free and open. Those apps also give me much more choice and control over what is produced than does MakeMKV 

Obviously you have no need for the program. But I do and I'm sure that many other PCLinuxOS users do too. For me and for them I am glad that Archie is willing to create the .rpm package.

I have written to MakeMKV itself asking if it would be possible for them to create both a Debian package and a Red Hat Package Manager package. This would make installation much easier and more convenient.

I hope that this can be done. But in the mean time, I am grateful to Archie for his offer and I shall inform him and everyone here of new versions.

Lawrence

[pags]

Sure .....  it is easier to support the very limitations that you complain about, by paying them to allow you access.
I choose not to support such limitations ....  as do many others. So I refuse to pay for access ....  even if that means not buying a BD disc in the first place.

No thanks!  I have enough of that nonsense.


When the content is ripped, - by whatever means - and not transcoded, VLC and others have no difficulty playing the content.
Therefore the difficulty is access to the content.

I refuse to support those who deny me access to the content I purchased, by whatever means I choose.

I really have little to say in reply to you. Many, perhaps most, people do not wish to own movies. I do, however. And if I want them, I have to pay for them. I choose to buy them on Blu-ray when possible. You can get some of these discs for under $20.00 nowadays, sometimes even less than $10.00!

But I also wish to back them up, mostly to prevent any possibility of damage occurring to them. I find MakeMKV to be ideal for this purpose.

The only 'problem' I have with MakeMKV is that I have been unable to install it to my PCLinuxOS computer myself. Archie has been kind enough to offer to create an .rpm from the binaries every time a new version becomes available.

Please note: though I did choose to pay for a license for MakeMKV, it is not necessary to do so. The program remains free of charge as long as it is in 'beta' - and it has been in 'beta' for quite a long period of time.

Plus - it will always be free of charge if you wish to back up only DVDs.

So, other than my inability to create an .rpm of this program for use in PCLinuxOS, mostly because I do not understand how to write the code for same (I am an older man who has never had even one day of computer training), I find MakeMKV to be a very, very good backup program. (It is very easy, though convoluted, to install onto a computer using a Debian-based distro.)

Maybe you should try it. Archie's .rpm for the current 1.7.7 version is earlier in this thread. Download, install it, and give it a try. I'll bet you'll like it.

Lawrence

This is an unfair assumption.  There was never any comment about not wanting to own movies.  The comment was in regard to the overly complicated, unfair to consumer, restrictions the content providers put on the movies after they've been bought.

And this is the point, exactly.  You have made a conscious decision to move forward and get bluray movies.  Not everyone is prepared to make that concession.  Many find DVD sufficient.  I myself only have one bluray title, for which I had to go out and buy a bluray player (I had a dying DVD player, so it wasn't totally unexpected to make a new purchase).  The only reason I have this single bluray is bacause it was a gift, and we couldn't find the entire Star Wars 6 movies in a single package in DVD (couldn't even find two trilogies) 

But, my only use of bluray is on the TV (  ), and you have a point...I can't backup these movies to protect them in case of damage...

Just have to tell the kids to be "extra careful" (and, they are) 

[lhb1142]

I have changed the title of this thread to reflect the fact that I shall inform anyone interested (and especially Archie) of new versions of MakeMKV when they are issued.