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I'm a long time Linux user and am quit used to recurring problems with DVD but I think I found something new.

System:

  • 10-years old computer running Ubuntu 20.04.
  • libdvdcss2 is installed to the latest version.
  • All packages updated nightly everyday

Symptom: when reading any DVD, with any reader, the image appears scrambled:

Image appearing scrambled in VLC

So here is what I saw:

  • I have the same result with almost all players: VLC, Xine, Kaffeine,
  • A notable exception is Dragon player, which displays the image properly but freezes after around 30 seconds.

EDIT: With Totem player, the image is not scrambled but the videos hangs a little: it slows down for a fraction of second, then speeds up. So, better, but not ideal.

Here is the output I get when running vlc from the shell:

libdvdread: Attempting to use device /dev/sr0 mounted on /media/dabi/DVDVolume for CSS authentication
libdvdnav: Can't read name block. Probably not a DVD-ROM device.
libdvdnav: vm: dvd_read_name failed
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fd0000. Regions: 2

libdvdread: Attempting to retrieve all CSS keys
libdvdread: This can take a _long_ time, please be patient

libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.VOB at 0x00000171
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.VOB at 0x000001c0
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB at 0x000001ca
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_0.VOB at 0x00354356
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.VOB at 0x0035435b
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Found 2 VTS's
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 6.0.1
libdvdread: Attempting to use device /dev/sr0 mounted on /media/dabi/DVDVolume for CSS authentication
libdvdnav: Can't read name block. Probably not a DVD-ROM device.
libdvdnav: vm: dvd_read_name failed
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fd0000. Regions: 2

libdvdread: Attempting to retrieve all CSS keys
libdvdread: This can take a _long_ time, please be patient

libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.VOB at 0x00000171
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.VOB at 0x000001c0
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB at 0x000001ca
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_0.VOB at 0x00354356
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.VOB at 0x0035435b
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Found 2 VTS's
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
uint DBusMenuExporterDBus::GetLayout(int, int, const QStringList&, DBusMenuLayoutItem&): Condition failed: menu
uint DBusMenuExporterDBus::GetLayout(int, int, const QStringList&, DBusMenuLayoutItem&): Condition failed: menu
[0000561ab7d657c0] main audio output error: too low audio sample frequency (0)
[00007f9cb81b1eb0] main decoder error: failed to create audio output
[0000561ab7d657c0] vlcpulse audio output error: digital pass-through stream connection failure: Non pris en charge
[0000561ab7d657c0] main audio output error: module not functional
[00007f9cb81b1eb0] main decoder error: failed to create audio output
libva info: VA-API version 1.7.0
libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/r600_drv_video.so
libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_7
libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0
[00007f9cac002760] glconv_vaapi_x11 gl error: vaDeriveImage: operation failed
[00007f9cf4054190] main video output error: video output creation failed
[00007f9cb8051120] main decoder error: failed to create video output
[00007f9cb8051120] avcodec decoder: Using G3DVL VDPAU Driver Shared Library version 1.0 for hardware decoding
[00007f9cb8051120] avcodec decoder error: hardware acceleration picture allocation failed
[mpeg2video @ 0x7f9cf4054fc0] get_buffer() failed
[mpeg2video @ 0x7f9cf4054fc0] thread_get_buffer() failed
[mpeg2video @ 0x7f9cf4054fc0] get_buffer() failed (-1 (nil))

Honestly, this output did not help me. I could not find anything relevant when searching with the various error it contains.

I think I solved all issues possibly summarized in this help: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/PlayingDVDs

So my question is: do you have any idea about how to get my computer to read DVD correctly?

SOLUTION:

As suggested by @raj, it was a hardware failure. Changing the vidéo card solved the problem. Thanks for your help!

David Verdin
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  • I had a problem with VLC, not so much with screen tearing but getting it to work at all. I did two things. I installed the multimedia codecs for Ubuntu using [this](https://linuxhint.com/install_multimedia_codecs_ubuntu/) resource and use the official media player of the GBOME desktop `Videos` also known as `Totem` which has solved problems I was experiencing. – graham Jan 17 '21 at 11:17
  • Thanks a lot for you hint; However, installing codecs did not fix my problem. I'll give Totem a try, though. – David Verdin Jan 17 '21 at 18:57
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    OK. I tried Totem. I don't see the same problems: the image is not scrambled but the vidéo hangs a little: there are some shorts pauses and accelerations / decelerations. I'll add this comment to the main question. Thanks for the tip! – David Verdin Jan 17 '21 at 19:06
  • `avcodec decoder error: hardware acceleration picture allocation failed` looks more like graphics card problem thatn DVD problem to me... – raj Jan 20 '21 at 18:05
  • Thanks @raj ! I'll look for diagnostic tools for my graphic card. It's as old as the rest of the computer, so it could certainly start failing... – David Verdin Jan 22 '21 at 10:14
  • That WAS a hardware problem. I changed the video card and everything is working again. Thanks! – David Verdin Apr 05 '21 at 14:23

1 Answers1

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SOLUTION:

As suggested by raj, it was a hardware failure. Changing the vidéo card solved the problem. Thanks for your help!

David Verdin
  • 121
  • 5