Can't read DVD on Chromebook

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shmuelp
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:55 pm

Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by shmuelp »

Description of problem or question:

I'm trying to use Handbrake on a Chromebook. I understand this isn't officially supported, but I think I have all the pieces needed. I'm using an x86-based Chromebook. I've installed Linux (the official way), which uses Debian in a container. I've installed Handbrake from the official Debian repos, and libdvdcss2 from deb-multimedia.

In the official Chromebook world, the Linux container doesn't get direct access to the DVD devices, all you can do is share directories with the Linux container. Still, all the AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS etc directories are visible; I'd think that's sufficient. I can open the directory and scan the DVD, and all the titles and chapters are read successfullly. But then the preview decoding gives errors like the following:

[17:05:10] dvdnav: Read Error, Error reading NAV packet.
[17:05:11] dvdnav: Read Error, Error reading NAV packet.
[17:05:11] Last error repeated 1 times
[17:05:11] dvdnav: Read Error, Error reading NAV packet.
[17:05:11] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[17:05:11] scan: title angle(s) 1
[17:05:15] demux_dvd_ps: not a PS packet (0008d401)
[17:05:15] dvdnav: Read Error, Error reading from DVD.
[17:05:15] Warning: Could not read data for preview 1, skipped
[17:05:15] scan: Too few previews (0), trying harder


Steps to reproduce the problem (If Applicable):

Insert DVD in drive
Share DVD directory to Linux
Run Handbrake
Clink 'Open source'
Navigate to disk directory e.g. '/mnt/chromeos/removable/<KNIVES_OUT>'
Click Open

HandBrake version (e.g., 1.0.0):

1.3.1 (x86_64)


Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, macOS 10.13 High Sierra, Windows 10 Creators Update):

Chrome OS 98.0.4758.91
Debian 11 Bullseye


HandBrake Activity Log ***required*** (see How-to get an activity log)

Code: Select all

https://pastebin.com/tJEXvNz5
Woodstock
Veteran User
Posts: 4614
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by Woodstock »

Being that it's a commercial disk, it will have CSS encryption on it. There is nothing in the log that indicated whether you have a CSS decryption library installed on the machine, so it's not going to get accurate data.

Handbrake does not come with any decryption capability. That's usually left to ripping tools, like MakeMKV.
shmuelp
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:55 pm

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by shmuelp »

Clickable pastebin link: https://pastebin.com/tJEXvNz5
shmuelp
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:55 pm

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by shmuelp »

I understand that Handbrake doesn't have decryption built in, I've installed the required libraries on previous systems before. I think I've installed the needed library here:

Code: Select all

shmuelp@penguin:~$ apt list libdvdcss2*
Listing... Done
libdvdcss2/stable,now 1.4.3-dmo1 amd64 [installed]
If this isn't in the logs, is there a debug flag I can use to see if Handbrake is able to find the library?
Woodstock
Veteran User
Posts: 4614
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by Woodstock »

To be honest with you, you're running two major revisions behind (1.5.x is the current branch) using a repository (debian) that is known to be broken (deliberately so).

Beyond that, physical read errors are not handled well by the libdvdcss/handbrake interface. When there is an error decoding, it simply treats that as "end of video". Cleaning the disk is the first step.
shmuelp
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:55 pm

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by shmuelp »

Thanks, I'll try later versions (easiest is 1.4 from deb-multimedia and I can also try the 1.5.1 from flatpack) to see if I have better results - or at least more useful debugging output.
shmuelp
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:55 pm

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by shmuelp »

After installing 1.5.1 from flatpak, I see the same errors in the activity log, but also this on console:

Code: Select all

libdvdread: Encrypted DVD support unavailable.
libdvdnav: vm: dvd_read_name failed
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 01
libdvdread: Encrypted DVD support unavailable.
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 01
...
This is clearly the root problem; I'll investigate more why libdvdread isn't picking up the installation of libdvdcss2. Thanks for the help. If I can figure this out, I'll post a solution for anyone else attempting the same on chromeos.
Woodstock
Veteran User
Posts: 4614
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by Woodstock »

Flatpak requires the libdvdcss library be installed within the flatpak's environment, or be configured to make use of the system library. That's a separate issue. Right now, libdvdcss on your system does not "belong" to the flatpak, so it is ignored.

This is This a major reason why direct ripping has been unsupported since 2009 - the playing field for making it work changes regularly. As operating systems migrate to stronger inter-program isolation, the magic incantations change. It may be possible to do a symbolic link for the system libdvdcss library to the directly the flatpak installed in, to make it visible, but I have not tested that.

Did you try cleaning the disk first? On the MakeMKV forum, it's one of the primary causes of ripping errors.
shmuelp
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 9:55 pm

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by shmuelp »

After a fair amount of digging, I traced it to this:

https://code.videolan.org/videolan/libd ... der.h#L118

Since I was attempting to read the dvd but only when mounted as a directory, libdvdread wasn't even trying to use libdvdcss to decrypt the disc. The only path forward for Chromebooks appears to be finding a way for the Linux container to access the device directly. Thanks for your help.
rollin_eng
Veteran User
Posts: 4840
Joined: Wed May 04, 2011 11:06 pm

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by rollin_eng »

Try ripping with makemkv first.
Woodstock
Veteran User
Posts: 4614
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Can't read DVD on Chromebook

Post by Woodstock »

Alternatively, if there is a way to access the disk as a block device, rather than mounting it, it might work.

I'm not sure if MakeMKV runs under ChromeOS, although it should work under Debian.
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