Reading from DVDs in linux

1 August 2024

tl;dr: If you don’t need or care about subs, mkvtoolnix-gui is probably the way to go. If you do, worth using makemkv

makemkv

For the linux version, available for free, there are some steps to follow at https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=224. These instructions have worked well for me on on Ubuntu-based systems previously

Once installed makemkv from the shell

File -> Open Files -> find the VIDEO_TS folder from the vobcopy rip

To check the subs have worked I then watch the output mkv quickly in VLC as it’s easy to work out how to turn the subs on from the GUI

Libraries to read/decss

sudo apt install libdvd-pkg && sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

Vobcopy

sudo apt install vobcopy

cd to a fresh folder and then run

sudo vobcopy -m

mkvtoolnix

sudo apt install mkvtoolnix-gui

You can watch the .vobs to see which ones you want

In the case of my example I want

ls VTS_01*vob

VTS_01_0.VOB  VTS_01_1.VOB  VTS_01_2.VOB  VTS_01_3.VOB  VTS_01_4.VOB  VTS_01_5.VOB

If you drag in the first one, MKVToolNix GUI will realise you want the others too

You can then hit ‘Start multiplexing’

References